# Help!! When do we put in dextrose??



## cassma (Apr 14, 2013)

We are using a home kit - first time ever doing this. The kit includes dextrose and the guy said something about putting in half now and then more at the end if we want it sweeter. The instructions don't even include anything about dextrose. Our yeast is about ready so we are about to prepare the juice. Help please!!!


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## photoactivist (Apr 14, 2013)

Well, I've never heard of using dextrose in a kit before, and it's a bit shocking they included it without instructions on when to use it.
Go by general winemaking intuition: yeasts consume sugar and turn it into alcohol. If you add it before fermentation is complete, the yeast will consume it and you will not have a sweet wine, just a higher alcohol content.
My assumption is that the dextrose is to back sweeten your wine after fermentation is complete. Most kits will have you add potassium sorbate to avoid further fermentation in the bottle. Check the instructions if it comes with sorbate, and you'll know whether the dextrose is for back sweetening.

Most kits I'm familiar with don't utilize chaptalizition (the process of adding sugar for yeast to consume). Usually the juice included will be the only sugar for them to live on.

Cheers, hope it helps!
James


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## cpfan (Apr 14, 2013)

cassma said:


> We are using a home kit - first time ever doing this. The kit includes dextrose and the guy said something about putting in half now and then more at the end if we want it sweeter. The instructions don't even include anything about dextrose. Our yeast is about ready so we are about to prepare the juice. Help please!!!


It's easier to help if we know what kit you're making.

Based on the dextrose, it sounds like a beer kit. 

Steve


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## cassma (Apr 14, 2013)

The kit includes the potassium sorbate. We did end up putting in half the packet of dextrose (about 10oz). That is what we remember the man saying but of course we had no clue at the time (not sure we do now!) but then as we followed the instructions there was no mention at all of dextrose in the pamphlet. 

The kit box shows a picture of a pouch of concentrate but what he gave us was 2 plastic bottles of cold brownish red juice. Could the concentrate he gave us have been unsweetened so he gave us the dextrose too?

I will be talking to the guy at the winery we picked the kit up from - he's going to show us how to bottle it. I will follow up with him about the dextrose. Sounds like at this point we are ok though? 

Thanks!


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## cassma (Apr 14, 2013)

cpfan said:


> It's easier to help if we know what kit you're making.
> 
> Based on the dextrose, it sounds like a beer kit.
> 
> Steve








It's called Barrelkit Wine Kit by Vino. We bought through a local winery - I believe the own this wine kit company as well.


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## jswordy (Apr 16, 2013)

NEW MESSAGE UNDER EDIT: Here are the kit instructions: http://www.vinoinc.com/Vino_Corp/Instructions_files/WineBarrelkitinstruction-web.pdf

After reading these, I think the seller was a newb and uninformed. He simply sells dextrose with beer kits, so he sold it with the wine kit too. Don't use any more dextrose. Follow the instructions until the end. If prior to bottling you find the wine is too dry, add dextrose or table sugar until you reach your desired sweetness.

You stick around here, and you will outgrow that kit pretty rapidly.


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## cassma (Apr 16, 2013)

Well hopefully no harm done with the dextrose we did add in the primary! It was about 10oz. in 2.5 gallons of liquid. 

I know this kit is pretty simple and seems way more elementary than most kits out there but we figured it was a good starting point. There really is so much to learn about this hobby! I'd love to take a class!

We're seeing little bubbles in the airlock so it looks like something's happening!


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## jswordy (Apr 17, 2013)

cassma said:


> Well hopefully no harm done with the dextrose we did add in the primary! It was about 10oz. in 2.5 gallons of liquid.
> 
> I know this kit is pretty simple and seems way more elementary than most kits out there but we figured it was a good starting point. There really is so much to learn about this hobby! I'd love to take a class!
> 
> We're seeing little bubbles in the airlock so it looks like something's happening!



It won't be bothered by the dextrose up front. Might raise your ABV some. If you stick around here, it will be like taking a class! But waaaaay more fun. 

If your wine finishes too dry for your tastes, check around here for threads about back sweetening techniques. There's a search function at top left of page.

I'll bet you'll soon be scouring around for used carboys and equipment.


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## ttimmer (Apr 17, 2013)

Out of curiosity, did you check the Specific Gravity of your must when you started it?


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## cassma (Apr 17, 2013)

ttimmer said:


> Out of curiosity, did you check the Specific Gravity of your must when you started it?



No we did not. The kit doesn't have anything to measure SG and we had no idea about all these different terms and procedures, etc involved in winemaking when we started! The more I info I read on here the more I realize this kit is quite basic. Wonder if we'll even get a drinkable wine at the end! I guess we'll just wait and see!


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## vernsgal (Apr 18, 2013)

As jswordy said "soon you will move on". kits can be great for giving you a leg up on the wine making and some are good.I'm sure yours will taste fine(never heard of it though so can't say personally)It will be a tad high in alc. because you added extra sugar,but that's not always a bad thing


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## jswordy (Apr 18, 2013)

With the correct basic winemaking equipment, you can stick with kit wines and make some awesome wines, especially in the triple-digit price ranges.

I'd encourage you to start shopping around for a starter wine kit with all the equipment you really need to make wine from scratch or from a kit. You'll get a bucket, carboy, hydrometer (essential!), a siphon, a bottling wand, a corker, etc. I highly recommend you spend the extra few dollars with the starter kit to upgrade to the Portuguese or Italian floor corker. (I favor the Italian.) Makes corking much easier.


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## vernsgal (Apr 18, 2013)

sorry if I was misunderstood, there are a lot of good wine kits to be made. some of the high end kits are incredible. I still make kits myself. I just meant once you start you may begin dabbling with tastes and then...the bug bites you!


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