Ok. here is what i did:

I mixed 1 packet of yeast, 2 cups of sugar, and 1 gallon of water
together. I am told that this makes an unpleasing to taste alcohol
that is drinkable after fermentation.

Well, I already know that it would taste displeasing, but would it
produce a drinkable Alcohol (even thought it wouldn't taste great)? I
have also been told that all I would have to do is distill it (in my
dreams of course)to produce Vodka.

Also, I know you can make wine's from Frozen Fruit Concentrate, does
this include Orange Juice Concentrate? If so, 2 cans OJ-Concentrate,
2Cups Sugar, 1 gallon water, 1 pack yeast, let ferment for 7-10 days
correct?

Thanks ahead of time,
gprime

"gimpy" > wrote:

> I mixed 1 packet of yeast, 2 cups of sugar, and 1 gallon of water
> together. I am told that this makes an unpleasing to taste alcohol
> that is drinkable after fermentation.

> Well, I already know that it would taste displeasing, but would it
> produce a drinkable Alcohol (even thought it wouldn't taste great)? I
> have also been told that all I would have to do is distill it (in my
> dreams of course)to produce Vodka.

2 cups of sugar is about 400 grams or 0.4 kg. 1 gallon water is 3.785
litres. So 0.4 kg / 3.785 litres = 10.6 % sugar, which will yield about 6 %
alcohol if fermented to dryness. If you started with a clean container, and
protected your ferment from bacteria with some sort of airlock, you would
produce a very weak vodka. Whether or not this is unpleasant is a matter of
opinion. (If you did NOT start with a clean container, or did not use an
airlock, you would probably produce very weak vinegar, or worse). You could
then add some sort of (fruit juice?) flavoring to make it more palatable,
and even weaker.

3 cups of sugar would give you about 9% alcohol, but the bread yeast you are
(most-likely) using may not ferment that high without additional nutrients.
To attain a higher alcohol level, you would need more sugar, and a more
alcohol-tolerant yeast and some sort of yeast food.

Distillation at home is illegal in most areas of the world, and dangerous
(if you don't know what you are doing) everywhere.

> Also, I know you can make wine's from Frozen Fruit Concentrate, does
> this include Orange Juice Concentrate? If so, 2 cans OJ-Concentrate,
> 2Cups Sugar, 1 gallon water, 1 pack yeast, let ferment for 7-10 days
> correct?

Yes, you can make wine from orange juice concentrate --- if there are no
preservatives added. Your recipe MIGHT work. It might not. I can't tell
without knowing the size of the cans of concentrate and the brand (or at
least the ingredients and their proportions). Nor can I predict the number
of days fermentation. Or the quality of the result.

Here is a recipe that WILL work:

one 12-oz. can of Safeway frozen orange juice concentrate
5 cups of granulated pure cane sugar
1 pint of white grape juice
3/4 gallon of water
2 tsp. tartaric/malic/citric acid blend (you can use 8 Tablespoons of lemon
juice instead)
1 Campden tablet upon each racking (they should sell them with the canning
supplies in the hardware store or supermarket)
1 tsp. FOODGRADE diammonium phosphate (DAP) or yeast nutrient (get it from a
"homebrew store". Check the yellow pages under homebrew or winemaking, or
order it from www.grapeandgranary.com).
1 packet Premier Cuvee wine yeast (bread yeast will NOT work. Get some at
the homebrew shop.)
1/4 tsp. tannin (you can use 1/4 cup of strong tea instead, or get it at the
homebrew shop)

Empty orange juice and grape juice into a 2-gallon plastic bucket. Add
enough water to make up one gallon. Add sugar, acid, tannin, and DAP. Stir
well. Add the yeast. Cover loosely with the bucket lid (don't pound it into
place) and put some sort of weight (about 1-2 pounds on top). Try to keep
the bucket where the room temperature is about 65-75ºF. Within 2-12 hours,
it will begin bubbling and foaming. The foam will probably rise close to the
top of the bucket.

After a few days, the ferment will slow down. When there is no longer any
foaming, but bubbles are still rising, you want to move it (by pouring or
preferably siphoning) into a 1-gallon jug. Place the overflow in a wine
bottle or jar. Both the jug and overflow should be "topped" up to within
1-2" of the top. Cover these containers with plastic cling wrap, with a
rubber band to hold it in place. When everything stops bubbling, make a note
of the date, and wait another 3-4 weeks. If you can move them into
cold-storage (or the refrigerator) during these month it will be helpful.
[Technically you could drink it now if you wanted to, but it really isn't
ready.]

After about a month, the wine should have cleared considerably, and there
should be about 1-2" of sediment on the bottom. Carefully, so as not to
disturb the sediment, siphon the wine off the sediment into another
container, and top up the new container. You can get a "siphon kit" (with a
"racking cane", bucket clip, and tubing) for a few dollars at the homebrew.
It makes everything easier. At this stage, you can add various "fining
agents" to help it clear, or you can just wait until it does so naturally.

Wait another couple of months and rack again if there is 1/4" or more of
sediment. Otherwise wait. Again, if the wine is not clearing by itself, you
can decide whether to use fining agents or time. Ask us at that time for
recommendations, if you wish.

Wait another couple of months, and --- if the wine is clear --- you can
bottle or drink it. If you let it age a year or more, the flavour will
continue to improve and smoothen out for about 3-5 years. Then it goes the
other direction.

Thank you very much for your information, and the recipe! I did wash
my container very well with lots of hot water, and some bleach. I made
sure it was very clean before doing anything.

I will definatly give that recipe a shot.

Thanks,
gprime

"Negodki" > wrote in message >...
> "gimpy" > wrote:
>
> > I mixed 1 packet of yeast, 2 cups of sugar, and 1 gallon of water
> > together. I am told that this makes an unpleasing to taste alcohol
> > that is drinkable after fermentation.
>
> > Well, I already know that it would taste displeasing, but would it
> > produce a drinkable Alcohol (even thought it wouldn't taste great)? I
> > have also been told that all I would have to do is distill it (in my
> > dreams of course)to produce Vodka.
>
> 2 cups of sugar is about 400 grams or 0.4 kg. 1 gallon water is 3.785
> litres. So 0.4 kg / 3.785 litres = 10.6 % sugar, which will yield about 6 %
> alcohol if fermented to dryness. If you started with a clean container, and
> protected your ferment from bacteria with some sort of airlock, you would
> produce a very weak vodka. Whether or not this is unpleasant is a matter of
> opinion. (If you did NOT start with a clean container, or did not use an
> airlock, you would probably produce very weak vinegar, or worse). You could
> then add some sort of (fruit juice?) flavoring to make it more palatable,
> and even weaker.
>
> 3 cups of sugar would give you about 9% alcohol, but the bread yeast you are
> (most-likely) using may not ferment that high without additional nutrients.
> To attain a higher alcohol level, you would need more sugar, and a more
> alcohol-tolerant yeast and some sort of yeast food.
>
> Distillation at home is illegal in most areas of the world, and dangerous
> (if you don't know what you are doing) everywhere.
>
> > Also, I know you can make wine's from Frozen Fruit Concentrate, does
> > this include Orange Juice Concentrate? If so, 2 cans OJ-Concentrate,
> > 2Cups Sugar, 1 gallon water, 1 pack yeast, let ferment for 7-10 days
> > correct?
>
> Yes, you can make wine from orange juice concentrate --- if there are no
> preservatives added. Your recipe MIGHT work. It might not. I can't tell
> without knowing the size of the cans of concentrate and the brand (or at
> least the ingredients and their proportions). Nor can I predict the number
> of days fermentation. Or the quality of the result.
>
> Here is a recipe that WILL work:
>
> one 12-oz. can of Safeway frozen orange juice concentrate
> 5 cups of granulated pure cane sugar
> 1 pint of white grape juice
> 3/4 gallon of water
> 2 tsp. tartaric/malic/citric acid blend (you can use 8 Tablespoons of lemon
> juice instead)
> 1 Campden tablet upon each racking (they should sell them with the canning
> supplies in the hardware store or supermarket)
> 1 tsp. FOODGRADE diammonium phosphate (DAP) or yeast nutrient (get it from a
> "homebrew store". Check the yellow pages under homebrew or winemaking, or
> order it from www.grapeandgranary.com).
> 1 packet Premier Cuvee wine yeast (bread yeast will NOT work. Get some at
> the homebrew shop.)
> 1/4 tsp. tannin (you can use 1/4 cup of strong tea instead, or get it at the
> homebrew shop)
>
> Empty orange juice and grape juice into a 2-gallon plastic bucket. Add
> enough water to make up one gallon. Add sugar, acid, tannin, and DAP. Stir
> well. Add the yeast. Cover loosely with the bucket lid (don't pound it into
> place) and put some sort of weight (about 1-2 pounds on top). Try to keep
> the bucket where the room temperature is about 65-75ºF. Within 2-12 hours,
> it will begin bubbling and foaming. The foam will probably rise close to the
> top of the bucket.
>
> After a few days, the ferment will slow down. When there is no longer any
> foaming, but bubbles are still rising, you want to move it (by pouring or
> preferably siphoning) into a 1-gallon jug. Place the overflow in a wine
> bottle or jar. Both the jug and overflow should be "topped" up to within
> 1-2" of the top. Cover these containers with plastic cling wrap, with a
> rubber band to hold it in place. When everything stops bubbling, make a note
> of the date, and wait another 3-4 weeks. If you can move them into
> cold-storage (or the refrigerator) during these month it will be helpful.
> [Technically you could drink it now if you wanted to, but it really isn't
> ready.]
>
> After about a month, the wine should have cleared considerably, and there
> should be about 1-2" of sediment on the bottom. Carefully, so as not to
> disturb the sediment, siphon the wine off the sediment into another
> container, and top up the new container. You can get a "siphon kit" (with a
> "racking cane", bucket clip, and tubing) for a few dollars at the homebrew.
> It makes everything easier. At this stage, you can add various "fining
> agents" to help it clear, or you can just wait until it does so naturally.
>
> Wait another couple of months and rack again if there is 1/4" or more of
> sediment. Otherwise wait. Again, if the wine is not clearing by itself, you
> can decide whether to use fining agents or time. Ask us at that time for
> recommendations, if you wish.
>
> Wait another couple of months, and --- if the wine is clear --- you can
> bottle or drink it. If you let it age a year or more, the flavour will
> continue to improve and smoothen out for about 3-5 years. Then it goes the
> other direction.

There are some Turbo Yeasts available that will ferment sugar & water
into alcohol. I have used one that will ferment 8kg of sugar into 23
litres of 18% alcohol. We don't find the taste displeasing, although
we generally don't drink it straight. There are essences available to
turn this neutral alcohol into liquors & liquers. We enjoy most of
the ones that we have tried.

Check out
http://www.brewhaus.ca (Canada)
http://www.brewhaus.com (US)
http://www.partyman.se (Sweden)

Steve

On 3 Oct 2003 14:39:02 -0700, (gimpy) wrote:

>Ok. here is what i did:
>
>I mixed 1 packet of yeast, 2 cups of sugar, and 1 gallon of water
>together. I am told that this makes an unpleasing to taste alcohol
>that is drinkable after fermentation.
>
>Well, I already know that it would taste displeasing, but would it
>produce a drinkable Alcohol (even thought it wouldn't taste great)? I
>have also been told that all I would have to do is distill it (in my
>dreams of course)to produce Vodka.
>
>Also, I know you can make wine's from Frozen Fruit Concentrate, does
>this include Orange Juice Concentrate? If so, 2 cans OJ-Concentrate,
>2Cups Sugar, 1 gallon water, 1 pack yeast, let ferment for 7-10 days
>correct?
>
>Thanks ahead of time,
>gprime

"gimpy" > wrote:

> Thank you very much for your information, and the recipe! I did wash
> my container very well with lots of hot water, and some bleach. I made
> sure it was very clean before doing anything.

Hope your rinsed it out real good after using the bleach.