Another new kit from WE - Whisky Barrel Cab/Merlot

[vineyarddog]

Northern Brewer website lists it as the November 2019 Limited Release

 

[cmason1957]

I think it was originally released as a limited edition kit and then added to the regular rotation. I did find this article about the kit from August of 2018, which would seem to be about when I would have ordered it:

https://www.justfinewine.ca/whats-new-cpt/better-with-bourbon-straight-up/

 

[vineyarddog]

I think it was originally released as a limited edition kit and then added to the regular rotation. I did find this article about the kit from August of 2018, which would seem to be about when I would have ordered it:

https://www.justfinewine.ca/whats-new-cpt/better-with-bourbon-straight-up/

Which blend did you do? There seems to be at least 3 (which is probably what originally led me to believe these were annual release), Cab/Merlot, Cab/Syrah & Zin/Cab

 

[Grabo]

If I remember correctly, Winexpert went on a whiskey barrel kick. First they released the Eclipse Bourbon Barrel Zinfandel/Cabernet (w/skins) in 2018, then the Selection Whiskey Barrel Cabernet/Merlot (no skins) in 2019, then the mentioned Selection Cabernet/Syrah (no skins) in late 2019.

I only purchased 2x bourbon barrel Eclipse kit, since I have limited carboy space. Just bottled it over this passed weekend, and it is one of my favorite Winexpert kits already. I'm partial to their Old Vine Zinfandel kit, and to bourbon, so I have a bias.

 

[cmason1957]

Which blend did you do? There seems to be at least 3 (which is probably what originally led me to believe these were annual release), Cab/Merlot, Cab/Syrah & Zin/Cab

I'm pretty sure I did the first one Zinfandel Cabernet. I probably didn't pay enough attention to it after that first one. I thought I ordered it from Labelpeelers, but I didn't find a record of it there, I suppose I could walk down to wine tracks and find one to verify, but I'm lazy tonight.

 

[Cellar Door]

Thanks for the reply! Seems odd they would still have such old kits in stock --I imagine they wouldn't send an expired kit, right? We'll find out soon, I just got the email that my order has shipped already

I made this kit in early 2019. It is a very nice kit, and until recently was sold out. After seeing this thread, I bought two kits. i agree with Craig, a bit more whisky labor would be nice, but it is a fine kit as is.

 

[vineyarddog]

Thanks to everyone for the replies. Kit is out for delivery already (ordered from Label Peelers at around noon yesterday). I have a small whiskey barrel that I‘ve only used one time to age a white whiskey from a local distillery, maybe this kit will spend some time in there!

 

[vineyarddog]

Started this morning! Came with EC 1118 and RC 212. This is my first kit with two yeasts and I used both per the instructions

 

[Johnd]

Started this morning! Came with EC 1118 and RC 212. This is my first kit with two yeasts and I used both per the instructions

I'm fairly sure that EC-1118 has a very high competitive factor, whereas RC-212 is neutral, meaning that the EC-1118 will out compete the 212 and take over the fermentation. When I was doing wine kits, I'd use the RC-212 to conduct fermentation and hang on to the EC-1118 in case the RC-212 quit working, but that never happened. Nothing bad will come from using both yeasts, but the EC-1118 will be the one bringing home the bacon. Not sure why kit makers instruct the use of both.......................

 

[sour_grapes]

I'm fairly sure that EC-1118 has a very high competitive factor, whereas RC-212 is neutral, meaning that the EC-1118 will out compete the 212 and take over the fermentation. When I was doing wine kits, I'd use the RC-212 to conduct fermentation and hang on to the EC-1118 in case the RC-212 quit working, but that never happened. Nothing bad will come from using both yeasts, but the EC-1118 will be the one bringing home the bacon. Not sure why kit makers instruct the use of both.......................

It's worse than that! RC212 is sensitive to the killer factor, not neutral. So I agree with your overall sentiments. https://www.lallemandwine.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Quick-Yeast-References-Chart_2018_LR.pdf

 

[Swedeman]

It's worse than that! RC212 is sensitive to the killer factor, not neutral. So I agree with your overall sentiments. https://www.lallemandwine.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Quick-Yeast-References-Chart_2018_LR.pdf

For this very reason, I can't understand why WE is providing both RC212 and EC1118 in the same kit.

 

[vineyarddog]

Thanks for the insight. I often see posts where only one is used but hey, I’m new and followed the instructions. Glad to know nothing worse than a waste of yeast will happen!

 

[Johnd]

Thanks for the insight. I often see posts where only one is used but hey, I’m new and followed the instructions. Glad to know nothing worse than a waste of yeast will happen!

Agreed. It’s just so puzzling how these manufacturers can produce these kits, which are a great product IMHO, but foul the directions so badly. I wonder if there are even winemakers on staff to offer advice in the instructions, like, “We’ve included two yeasts, try one or the other, but don’t put them together, since the EC-1118 will kill the RC-212.”

Then again, this is from the group who decided that moving wine at the end of alcoholic fermentation from a bucket to a carboy would be called “secondary fermentation”. Just to be clear, secondary fermentation, or second fermentation, traditionally refers to malolactic fermentation, and it’s been that way for a long time prior to kits hitting the scene. If I had a buck for every unwinding of that knot........

 

[Old Corker]

Then again, this is from the group who decided that moving wine at the end of alcoholic fermentation from a bucket to a carboy would be called “secondary fermentation”. Just to be clear, secondary fermentation, or second fermentation, traditionally refers to malolactic fermentation, and it’s been that way for a long time prior to kits hitting the scene. If I had a buck for every unwinding of that knot........

I've been wondering about that. My only winemaking experience is with kits so my general knowledge is limited. My question: If transferring from the primary fermentation bucket to a carboy is not related to fermentation, what is the reason? Is it just to get the wine into the more protected environment of the carboy? Kit instructions actually don't tell you to rack to the carboy until the fermentation is complete and you are ready to stabilize and degas.

 

[cmason1957]

I've been wondering about that. My only winemaking experience is with kits so my general knowledge is limited. My question: If transferring from the primary fermentation bucket to a carboy is not related to fermentation, what is the reason? Is it just to get the wine into the more protected environment of the carboy? Kit instructions actually don't tell you to rack to the carboy until the fermentation is complete and you are ready to stabilize and degas.

Kit instructions prior to about two years ago (if memory works, which is doubtful, might be three, might be one), indicated that at about 1.020 or so you should rack from the bucket to the carboy and finish, perform what they called secondary fermentation. I believe they have now omitted the step and say to complete fermentation in the bucket. As to why they had you do this, I believe it was to ensure that as fermentation completed and CO2 production dropped off the wine was in a carboy, which has generally less surface area exposed to air/oxygen. I always thought they should have had it worded something like, rack to a carboy to allow the fermentation to complete in a controlled environment or something like that, I don't write for a living.

 

[Johnd]

I've been wondering about that. My only winemaking experience is with kits so my general knowledge is limited. My question: If transferring from the primary fermentation bucket to a carboy is not related to fermentation, what is the reason? Is it just to get the wine into the more protected environment of the carboy? Kit instructions actually don't tell you to rack to the carboy until the fermentation is complete and you are ready to stabilize and degas.

Transferring from bucket to carboy is certainly related to fermentation, alcoholic fermentation, but it doesn’t have to be transferred in order for alcoholic fermentation to complete, it’ll finish up just fine in a bucket. Many folks actually do it that way. What transferring does do, as @cmason1957 said, is get the wine into a more protected environment where oxygen exposure can be more easily managed.