# Chilean Juice



## richmke (Feb 15, 2016)

My LHBS offers fresh Chilean Juice, and it should arrive in April. The price is not so great at $89. Today they are offering a 20% off sale, so it would be $71.

Should I get one? It would be my first time doing something other than a Kit, SP, or DB.

The Red kits they offer are:
Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cab/Merlot Blend
Carmenere
Malbec
Merlot
Pinot Noir
Syrah
Zinfandel

Which ones would make the best Chilean wine? I am thinking of the Malbec since I like the Argentine Malbec.


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## Double Daylo (Feb 15, 2016)

Which store is this at? 

I would be interested in the camenere and malbec. Love the store bought versions of those wines.


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## richmke (Feb 15, 2016)

Northern Brewer. They have an on-line store, and retail locations in Milwaukee and Minneapolis.


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## Double Daylo (Feb 15, 2016)

Thanks for the tip. Looks like I will be buying the two I listed above. It does look like it is only for one item though. I plan on having myself and my partner buy one to get best price on both. Been into the Milwaukee one a couple times.


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## Boatboy24 (Feb 15, 2016)

$71 is kind of steep. I get mine for $50-52 per bucket. But even at $71, you're still producing 6 gallons of wine for around $100, after you've added yeast, nutrients, MLB, etc.


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## Double Daylo (Feb 15, 2016)

Boatboy24 said:


> $71 is kind of steep. I get mine for $50-52 per bucket. But even at $71, you're still producing 6 gallons of wine for around $100, after you've added yeast, nutrients, MLB, etc.



Do you get your locally or online?


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## Boatboy24 (Feb 15, 2016)

Double Daylo said:


> Do you get your locally or online?



Somewhat local. Almost a 2 hour drive each way.


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## geek (Feb 15, 2016)

$89 for a juice bucket?? [emoji23][emoji23]

When I bought juice buckets back then, I used to pay around $50 ballpark.


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## jpsmithny (Feb 16, 2016)

I made a Carmenere from juice in 2013. 

It was incredible. i wish I had made more.


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## FTC Wines (Feb 16, 2016)

Chilean juice buckets are available in Tampa fl for $61 a bucket. Planning on getting 3! This is from Pardo Grpes, bought 3 lugs & juice bucket from them, i.e. Calif Grpes this past fall. Aging nicely, but too early to truly tell. Roy


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## sour_grapes (Feb 17, 2016)

I actually went to Northern Brewer today to pick up some yeast. I asked two things about the Chilean juice. I asked if they adjusted the _p_H ahead of time. And I asked if they inoculated with yeast. On the first question, they did not know, but tried to assure me that it wouldn't need any adjustment. On the second, they said "Yes, it was definitely 'pre-pitched.' " To me, this is a bad thing, as it means you won't know what the yeast was.

In the end, I decided to pass.


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## Double Daylo (Feb 17, 2016)

I ended up going with a bucket of carmenere. We will see how it goes. Once the season rolls around we will look around for other vendors of juice buckets.


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## Tnuscan (Feb 17, 2016)

Is it possible to order these pails online and get them shipped to you, and if so , where from??


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## geek (Feb 17, 2016)

sour_grapes said:


> I actually went to Northern Brewer today to pick up some yeast. I asked two things about the Chilean juice. I asked if they adjusted the _p_H ahead of time. And I asked if they inoculated with yeast. On the first question, they did not know, but tried to assure me that it wouldn't need any adjustment. On the second, they said "Yes, it was definitely 'pre-pitched.' " To me, this is a bad thing, as it means you won't know what the yeast was.
> 
> In the end, I decided to pass.



how can they assure you that you wouldn't need any adjustments if they don't even know if the packing company did? 

I stopped buying juice buckets, even for whites, as the numbers used to be all over the place, in my experience.


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## Tnuscan (Feb 17, 2016)

geek said:


> how can they assure you that you wouldn't need any adjustments if they don't even know if the packing company did?
> 
> I stopped buying juice buckets, even for whites, as the numbers used to be all over the place, in my experience.



What do you do now, do you just do grapes ?


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## Tnuscan (Feb 17, 2016)

sour_grapes said:


> I actually went to Northern Brewer today to pick up some yeast. I asked two things about the Chilean juice. I asked if they adjusted the _p_H ahead of time. And I asked if they inoculated with yeast. On the first question, they did not know, but tried to assure me that it wouldn't need any adjustment. On the second, they said "Yes, it was definitely 'pre-pitched.' " To me, this is a bad thing, as it means you won't know what the yeast was.
> 
> In the end, I decided to pass.



I was thinking of trying the Chilean juice...., so would you suggest just going with grapes in the fall to eliminate, problems from uncertainty.


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## geek (Feb 17, 2016)

Tnuscan said:


> What do you do now, do you just do grapes ?



Yes, for my reds, and higher end kits for my whites, mostly.
I do not discard the possibility of making a red wine from a high-end kit though.


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## sour_grapes (Feb 17, 2016)

Tnuscan said:


> I was thinking of trying the Chilean juice...., so would you suggest just going with grapes in the fall to eliminate, problems from uncertainty.



No, no, I have no reason to suspect fall grapes will be any different! I would guess it depends on the supplier, not the continent!


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## Johnd (Feb 17, 2016)

Tnuscan said:


> Is it possible to order these pails online and get them shipped to you, and if so , where from??



M&M has the ability to do this. I'm in the deep south and too far away from all of the places that don't ship, but M&M does. I've not ordered from them before, but have been told here that they are good.

Basically, you order grapes, Chilean will be in this spring, they destem, crush, SO2 them in a 5 gallon pail, freeze and ship to you along with the Ph and TA of the batch. Pitch your own yeast. Have no idea of the cost yet and you can't order until closer to harvest time.


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## Tnuscan (Feb 17, 2016)

Johnd said:


> M&M has the ability to do this. I'm in the deep south and too far away from all of the places that don't ship, but M&M does. I've not ordered from them before, but have been told here that they are good.
> 
> Basically, you order grapes, Chilean will be in this spring, they destem, crush, SO2 them in a 5 gallon pail, freeze and ship to you along with the Ph and TA of the batch. Pitch your own yeast. Have no idea of the cost yet and you can't order until closer to harvest time.



Thanks! I will check them out .


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## sdelli (Feb 19, 2016)

Tnuscan said:


> I was thinking of trying the Chilean juice...., so would you suggest just going with grapes in the fall to eliminate, problems from uncertainty.




The juice should be ok... I would never suggest the grapes though! Stay with CA for stable quality.


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