Granini strawberry & cherry juice

[David]

Morrisons are selling a brand of juice drink I've never seen before - Granini, in Strawberry (32% strawberry juice/pulp + a very small amount of other juices) and Cherry (40% juice/pulp) for a 'trial price' of 99p for a litre bottle.

As that seemed cheap, like a high percentage of juice, and there is no mention of preservatives (also states on bottle "keep in fridge after opening") I assumed they would be OK to ferment, so I bought a bottle of the Strawberry (which tasted very natural and has sugar content of approx 0.50Kg/gall) this morning and it's just starting to bubble away.

So, getting on to my question, has anybody tried these juices?

[Duffbeer]

No Afraid not David, wish you'd posted this an hour ago Ive just returned from Morrisons

[Cariad66]

No sorry David i've not. I was told many years ago to avoid cartons that said "juice drink" and only to use cartons that say "juice". Looks like i have missed out on making some really good wines cos ive noticed that in Bobs walk thru winemaking courses in the newbie section thats what he uses.
I have tried using innocent smoothies, absolute buggers to clear down.

Nia

[David]

No sorry David i've not. I was told many years ago to avoid cartons that said "juice drink" and only to use cartons that say "juice".

I normally only use "juice drink" if boosted with something more concentrated/stronger flavoured, but these have a high juice % (but I'm still intending to boost that strawberry).

It's not full of bits like a smoothie.

They were with the carton juices and looked like this:


As, after several hours, that litre is juice is producing approx 20 bubbles/min through a Handy Airlock, I am in no doubt that there are no preservatives in the juice.

[Hippie]

Did you increase SG with sugar?

[David]

Did you increase SG with sugar?

No - for 2 reasons:

1) I wanted a quick result and didn't want to confuse possible lack of fermentation due to presence of preservatives confused with adition of too much sugar.

2)There is 'some' pulp (but not as much as in smoothies), in this juice that would probably neccesitate primary fermentation in a covered bucket if used exclusively for wine production, but I am only intending to use one 1 Litre bottle per gallon.

[Rich]

No - for 2 reasons:

1) I wanted a quick result and didn't want to confuse possible lack of fermentation due to presence of preservatives confused with adition of too much sugar.

2)There is 'some' pulp (but not as much as in smoothies), in this juice that would probably neccesitate primary fermentation in a covered bucket if used exclusively for wine production, but I am only intending to use one 1 Litre bottle per gallon.

What was your starting SG if you only used 1 litre in a gallon?

Cheers,

Rich

[Hippie]

I thought this juice drink was most likely too thin to make a wine without first chaptilizing for a suitable beginning SG.

[David]

What was your starting SG if you only used 1 litre in a gallon?

- Did not start a gallon, just the 1 litre bottle to check it did not have preservatives.

I thought this juice drink was most likely too thin to make a wine without first chaptilizing for a suitable beginning SG.

- Did not suggest as sole ingredient.

As I have never seen these Granini juices before, and could not find them searching UK winemaking fora, thought I would check out if anyone else had any experience of them.

As anwser appeared 'no', and the European - compared with UK labelling was lacking in detail, so I checked they would ferment without boiling off preservatives - and they did.

So I started 2 trial batches:

1) 1L Granini strawberry (32%), 2L carton Ocean Spray Cranberry, 0.37L Rocks Organic Blackcurrant Cordial, 0.50Kg sugar, and carton apple juice to top up to 1 gall after ferment starts to die down as there is pulp in the granini juice. This is a mix I have previously found very succesful using other juice sources, but would like an alternative source as a backup.


2) 1L granini cherry + 2L carton red grape juice (drink not concentrate), 0.37L Rocks Organic Blackcurrant cordial, 0.40Kg sugar (as the grape juice contains more sugar than other carton juice), and carton apple juice to top up to 1 gall after ferment starts to die down as there is pulp in the granini juice. This is a mix I have have always wanted to try, but have never found a suitable cherry juice.

But getting back to my reason for starting this thread, and my original question -

"has anybody tried these juices?"

[Duffbeer]

- Did not start a gallon, just the 1 litre bottle to check it did not have preservatives.



- Did not suggest as sole ingredient.

As I have never seen these Granini juices before, and could not find them searching UK winemaking fora, thought I would check out if anyone else had any experience of them.

As anwser appeared 'no', and the European - compared with UK labelling was lacking in detail, so I checked they would ferment without boiling off preservatives - and they did.

So I started 2 trial batches:

1) 1L Granini strawberry (32%), 2L carton Ocean Spray Cranberry, 0.37L Rocks Organic Blackcurrant Cordial, 0.50Kg sugar, and carton apple juice to top up to 1 gall after ferment starts to die down as there is pulp in the granini juice. This is a mix I have previously found very succesful using other juice sources, but would like an alternative source as a backup.


2) 1L granini cherry + 2L carton red grape juice (drink not concentrate), 0.37L Rocks Organic Blackcurrant cordial, 0.40Kg sugar (as the grape juice contains more sugar than other carton juice), and carton apple juice to top up to 1 gall after ferment starts to die down as there is pulp in the granini juice. This is a mix I have have always wanted to try, but have never found a suitable cherry juice.

But getting back to my reason for starting this thread, and my original question -

"has anybody tried these juices?"

I think the answer is no David, hence the reason for so many questions. We would appreciate any feedback based on what you find.

[David]

But getting back to my reason for starting this thread, and my original question - "has anybody tried these juices?"

I think the answer is no David, hence the reason for so many questions. We would appreciate any feedback based on what you find.

Looks like it's down to me to test these then!

As the juices were on offer at what appeared to be a good price, had a high juice %, tasted natural, didn't have preservatives, didn't have loads of bits like smoothies, and were flying off the shelves, hoped some one had already tried them.

Anyway, fermentation going strong, and this (the strawberry mix) should give an idea of how many bits in the 1 litre bottle of strawberry, as they are all at the top (same amount of floating pulp in the cherry juice mix - apple not in yet/about to be added incrementally):

Have 2 bottles of strawberry left and will probably do something similar to above, but also with some Belvoir organic blueberry juice. Next update when they have fermented out.

[Hippie]

Hopefully pasteurization had rid the blueberry juice of the natural sorbic acid found in ripe fresh blueberries.

[David]

Hopefully pasteurization had rid the blueberry juice of the natural sorbic acid found in ripe fresh blueberries.

I pasteurize (about 100+galls of juice/cordials & back sweetened stiil cider p.a.), but only at 72C for 20mins, but believe the commercial producers use higher temperatures.

With shop bought pasteurized blueberry juice, I generally use approx an amount containing 100ml of pure juice per gall, and have never had any sort of a problem.

P.S. That Granini juice offer expires on 3rd Feb.

[Hippie]

Actually, I wasn't assuming that pasteurization would take care of the sorbic acid. I know it sounded so. I was more or less thinking out loud and sort of hopeing.

[medpretzel]

I know Granini juice

It's a high-quality juice in Germany. It should be fine to use.