Search results

I started my Chilean bucket (Pinot Grigio) a week ago with initial SG of 1.088. This morning it was 1.004 and I put it under airlock. If it gets down to 0.996, this will be ~12%ABV. I'm good with that. I'll probably sweeten it a little before I bottle.

Maybe I'm misusing the term mouth-feel. I just bottled FWK Strawberry Frutta. In addition to a wonderful Strawberry flavor, it tastes very "strong", which I assume is due to the higher %ABV. Compared to a boosted Island Mist kit, which doesn't have that. It's not quite a "burn", but it...

I have "fermented to dry" everything I have made so far and back-sweetened as needed. I have seen some recipes that call for stopping the fermentation at around 1.000 to keep it sweeter. It seems that this will result in a lower %ABV and a softer mouth-feel. Does this have other effects on the...

FYI - Matt from LP told me the FWK Blueberry Frutta kits should be back in stock in about a month.

My strawberry was at 14%. I then added the sweetener and topped up the carboy with water (per the directions).

Folks seem real happy with the Blackberry. I just bottled my strawberry and it's pretty good too. The must looked to be all strawberry (I thought it would be more grapey) and the smell is fantastic. I did add both sweetener packs plus 2 more cups of sugar. It still tastes a little tart but...

I also saw the blueberry on LP's website and then it was gone. Not sure if it sold out quickly or what. That's why I asked earlier if anybody had made it. There were no replies...

@GVV - Welcome to WMT! I haven't lived there in a long time, but I grew up near Buffalo and went to high school on Grand Island, not too far from Niagara Falls. Your story is a very good one. I started making wine a couple years ago and joined this forum shortly after. The folks here are...

Has anyone made the FWK Blueberry Frutta kit? That's the one I wanted, but it was sold out. I instead bought the strawberry; no regrets. It has amazing strawberry flavor and odor. I'll soon do the final sweetening and get ready to bottle. I expect this wine will blow away any Island Mist...

Great responses so far! Thanks for all the advice. @Rice_Guy - I mentioned that I have only done kits so far, so checking for pH, TA, H2S, YAN, etc., is a bit outside my wheelhouse. 🥴 I'll use this as an opportunity to read up on some of these topics. I'm hoping I haven't bitten off more...

It looks like this thread has been quiet for a while, but also looks like a good place for my post. I ordered a Chilean Pinot Grigio juice bucket, which should come in near the end of April. I've only made kits so far and want to give this a whirl. I plan to "make it like a kit" but also have...

Hey you Pittsburghers! I was at Ruffled Homebrewing in Oakmont on Saturday. They said they will be taking orders for Chilean juice buckets in March and deliver in April. I may give one a test drive. BTW, I'm located in Delmont.

Good call, Bryan. I added the whole pack this morning and things are definitely calmer tonight. After 2.5 days, SG went from 1.098 to 1.028. Maybe another day before I close the bucket. I have to admit, I was kinda freaking out! All good now...

Started a FWK Super Tuscan this weekend (w/single skin pack). Room temp is about 70F. Added the yeast starter on Sunday morning and the ferment is really going to town. After 36 hours, the SG has dropped roughly 30 points. When I lift the lid, there is foam and oak chips everywhere and the...

I am using a 7.9 gallon bucket, but there is an awful lot of activity; foam, bubbles and oak chips everywhere. I have just 1 skin pack which has swelled up quite a bit. If I had 2 in there, I think it might overflow. I'll probably add 1/2 of the nutrient packet in the morning and the rest...

Most excellent! I read through this thread and it was super helpful. I'm now kinda scared to add "Packet C", but it should be fun! My bucket looks like I put some Pop Rocks in there, but it smells really good. I'm just following the kit directions, as my sophistication level is low, but this...

Double aha! Thanks Rocky, this is good info. There is also a "Packet C" which is the 2nd dose of yeast nutrient, per the instructions.

Aha! I see from your website that you're using yeast nutrient and sugar in the overnight starter. Is the sugar an appetizer before the meal? I'll give this a try if it's been working well for you.

The real driver behind this question is that I've made lots of kits where I pitched dry yeast, but the other day I made my first FWK starter bottle. I'm now thinking I should make this a standard practice (even with WE kits). I don't know exactly what's in FWK "Packet B" but I'm guessing...

This is a super informative thread. I do read books and articles on winemaking, and that is a great starting point. But much like an engineering student with limited work experience, it's tough to apply what you've learned until you actually work in the field (or make some wine). As I gain...