# Fedex Left a Box on My Porch Today...



## Chopper (May 16, 2009)

Well, when my wife and I got back from buying groceries today, there was a big brown box on the front porch. The sender's address was "Midwest Homebrewing and Winemaking Supplies"...

I got an Island Mist Blackberry Cabernet kit, and 2 cans of Vintner's Harvest fruit bases: Cherry and Black Currant.

I'm gonna make the kit by the directions, except I'll add sugar to bring ABV to 10-11%.

As for the Vintner's Harvest fruit bases, I'm gonna follow the recipe for 3 gallon batches. At bottling, I'll bottle 10 of each, then blend the rest and bottle 10 of that. I've heard that the Cherry and Black Currant blend is a very fine wine.


----------



## Wade E (May 16, 2009)

Use the 3 gallon recipes for both. Be very careful if following the directions for sulfites as they are very confusing and you can easily over sulfite your wines to the point where they will never ferment. Also watch out for the sugar addition and just use your hydrometer and dont go above 1.090 especially on the Cherry, Id keep that 1 at no more then 1.080 as it doesnt hide the abv very well. the Black Currant is awesome and you will make an excellent wine with that, the cherry is nowhere near as good but does make a decent wine.


----------



## St Allie (May 16, 2009)

so jealous of your vintners harvest fruit bases....

Allie


----------



## arcticsid (May 16, 2009)

I was just reading in our newspaper the other day about a guy that recieved a fed ex package here, I don't think it was a wine kit becathey hauled him off in handcuffs and threatened him with 30 yrs, OR, it may have been ONE FINE kit. Go figure.


----------



## Chopper (May 16, 2009)

arcticsid said:


> I was just reading in our newspaper the other day about a guy that recieved a fed ex package here, I don't think it was a wine kit becathey hauled him off in handcuffs and threatened him with 30 yrs, OR, it may have been ONE FINE kit. Go figure.



Man, I was in your fair state on business back in July 1995. It was the most interesting business trip I've ever had. We flew into Fairbanks, rented a car, and drove to Fort Greely. We were there to test our missile guidance software, and shot down a few drone airplanes.

I had the best fish dinner I've ever had: fresh fried salmon. And the BBQ buffalo was great.

The 24-hour sunlight was hard to get used to. I slept maybe 4 hours per night. I hope to bring my wife up there on vacation sometime soon.

The mosquitos were the size of hummingbirds. And they hurt like hell.

I can't even imagine what it would be like in the dead of winter, with 24-hour darkness and -60 degree temps. But I'd like to find out...


----------



## arcticsid (May 17, 2009)

It's a wonderful place Chopper, I hope you get to come back. They have the missles there now and one of the first test fires failed. Who are you going to convince there aren't nukes on the tips? Oh my God, what have they done to my song? I used to think I lived in one of the last great wildernesses in the world and to think those are like 60 miles from me, just makes me shutter. I hope mine, and others thoughts are never proven.

Troy


----------



## WildSeedGrrrl (May 17, 2009)

Chopper said:


> Well, when my wife and I got back from buying groceries today, there was a big brown box on the front porch. The sender's address was "Midwest Homebrewing and Winemaking Supplies"...
> 
> I got an Island Mist Blackberry Cabernet kit, and 2 cans of Vintner's Harvest fruit bases: Cherry and Black Currant.
> 
> ...



I have been tinkering with the idea of adding couple pounds of sugar to up the ABV on the pinot blanc I'm making to get it to at least 10%. 

Niiiice about the package, I didn't realize Midwest shipped to Alaska.


----------



## cpfan (May 17, 2009)

WildSeedGrrrl said:


> I have been tinkering with the idea of adding couple pounds of sugar to up the ABV on the pinot blanc I'm making to get it to at least 10%.
> .


Vintner's Reserve Pinot Blanc ??? A Winexpert kit? It should be over 11% out of the box (although I haven't made it). What did you get for starting sg?

Steve


----------



## Wade E (May 17, 2009)

I agree with cpfan, unless this is a mist style kit I would never up the abv of a kit using sugar. I would play around with raisins or something only on a smaller size kit and dont think I would even do that with a whte wine kit as they are usually pretty decent, the red kits usually need some help though!


----------



## WildSeedGrrrl (May 17, 2009)

Cpfan: nope that one was a straight up 9% so was the red I did a few months back. I mean it gave a hydrometer reading range and I was definitely on the low end. 

ok so no sugar for kits..check. Raisins, are the thing. Ok I can manage that, but liike I said i probably won't make any changes to this one.


----------



## Wade E (May 17, 2009)

What was the sg reading you got on these and are you sure your primary bucket is accurate to where you are filling these? Thas kind of a low sg I agree and some buckets just like carboys arent accurate!


----------



## cpfan (May 17, 2009)

WSG:

Just to confirm...this is a Winexpert Vintner's Reserve Pinot Blanc. Right?

How do you know it was 9%? Specific gravity readings? Vinometer? A friend told you?

Steve


----------



## Wade E (May 17, 2009)

Was just looking at the instructions for this kit and the beginning sg range is 1.070-1.085. If you were at 1.070 you would have 9.5% and yes thats a little low. If thats the case and you had this very low sg then maybe I would add a tad of sugar but beware this will void the warranty as will ant adjustments to this kit. I think if I were to do this kit for a second time I would add water to a lower level like say 5.5 gallons and use a 5 gallon carboy and a 1500ml magnum to store the rest for topping off later. What was your starting sg?


----------



## WildSeedGrrrl (May 18, 2009)

cpfan-i took a hydrometer and a refractometer reading and got the same range of eadings twice w each. i took the readings from different points in the primary, just to be sure it wasn't due to differing temps. oh and i hadn't addred the yeast, so it is the OG which was 1.070. Yes, it's the WineExpert's VR Pinot Blanc.

I think they might give the range due to differing batches and crop and covers their bases. Plus, now that I think about it Wade, had i added less water (I went to 6gal, cause I was following the instructions) I might have had less dilution.

Wade-I'm ok with the low alcohol I make other wines with higher alcohol. I like the kits for the drinkability but I noted in my log your advice about how to adjust this without voiding the warranty but increasing the alcohol...less water.


----------



## cpfan (May 18, 2009)

WSG:

As I said earlier, I have not made this specific kit. I am surprised at the low starting sg reading. I would have expected at least 1.080.

Warranty? Less water? Added sugar? I don't think that there is a written warranty to see if either of these voids the warranty.

Today is a holiday in Canada. Perhaps you should contact the WE help desk on Tuesday.

Steve


----------



## Wade E (May 18, 2009)

I think varing from the instructions in any way will void the warranty actually.


----------



## arcticsid (May 19, 2009)

As you all know I am not a kit maker, I do however have to ask about this warranty business, what do you do if things don't go as planned, send them the "mistake"?
Maybe they will fly someone over to see for themselves.
Just wondering.


----------



## Wade E (May 19, 2009)

Call them or email them and as long as you have the code that came on the kit they will send you a replacement! Ive had this happen twice, once with my Peach Ice wine as the Juice bag had leaked a bit and the other with a Orange Chocolate Port kit as it came with the wrong f- pac and I didnt notice until after I poured it in. Both of these kits were replaced and i kept what i already had. The Peach Ice wine I replaced what was missing with 3 Welches froz. concentrates and the port kit just tastes a little different, not bad but when you pay over $100 for 3 gallons youd better get what you pay for1


----------



## Ceegar (May 25, 2009)

*Vintner's Loganberry - which yeast?*

I have been wondering if these Vintenr's Harvest fruit bases are any good. I have a can of Loganberry and now I'm waiting for my fermenting buckets to arrive on Wednesday and I'll be giving this a ride for my first time. I want to do a 3 gal batch to keep it full bodied, but I'm unsure of which yeast would do best using this Loganberry. Does anyone have any suggestions? My palette hasn't evolved yet so I like my wines with a 5-6% RS


----------



## Wade E (May 25, 2009)

I like the Cotes Des Blanc, Montrachet or Pastuer Red. Any of these would be fine but if using the Montrachet use both energizer and nutrient as Montrachet has a tendency to produce H2S if not enough nutrients are used but this yeast does a nice job when fed properly. Welcome to the forum! please take a minute when you get a chance to fill in where you live in the profile area under location so we can help you better.


----------



## Madriver Wines (May 25, 2009)

Ceegar said:


> I have been wondering if these Vintenr's Harvest fruit bases are any good. I have a can of Loganberry and now I'm waiting for my fermenting buckets to arrive on Wednesday and I'll be giving this a ride for my first time. I want to do a 3 gal batch to keep it full bodied, but I'm unsure of which yeast would do best using this Loganberry. Does anyone have any suggestions? My palette hasn't evolved yet so I like my wines with a 5-6% RS


 I have a Loganberry going now. It is about a month from bottling. I went with the 5gal recipe and now wish I had done the 3 gal. The color is good so I hope the flavor is too, the last time I tasted it it was pretty good so here's hoping. There is an great thread on here about yeasts. Check it out and good luck.


----------

