RJ Spagnols Black Raspbery Merlot

[Sammyk]

Black Raspberry Merlot

I will be starting this kit tonight or tomorrow. Any suggestions from those who have made it? How did you like it?

I would like to bump the ABV as I have read here? How much should I bump it so that it will last longer. The 2 of us will not be able to drink it so I would like to be able to store it for a couple of years.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Sammyk]

After doing some reading here.......Do you still recommend adding 1/2 the fpak AND 4 pounds of sugar? What do you do with the rest of the fpak until you are ready to use it?
Should the SG be 1.085 as I have read?

 

[robie]

I assume it is an RJS Orchard Breezin' kit.

A lot of people put half the F pack in the fermenter with the must and add the other half after secondary.

The sugar in the F pack can help the wine last a little longer. The sugar is a preservative to an extent. If you don't use all the F pack when instructed, it obviously won' t be as sweet.

If you add 3.5 to 4 pounds of sugar to the fermenter, the resulting extra alcohol will also help the wine taste better and last longer.

These summer wines, of which I make 3 or 4 each year, are not going to be late drinkers. However, they likely can last 2 years if you make sure the sulphite level is correct when you bottle them and keep them in a cool place.

If you can't measure for free SO2 levels, I would be sure to add 1/8th teaspoon of Kmeta a few days before you bottle and stir it in really well.

My suggestion - Make one now and drink it within a year. Make another in a year or so. They are fun to make and not as expensive as most other kits.

 

[Sammyk]

Sorry, I forgot to say it is an Island Mist kit

 

[DoctorCAD]

Those kinds of wine kits are not intended to last a long time, and when you drink the first glass, you will know why...THEY ARE DELICIOUS!!!!

Perfect as a summer pool-side drink. Not too high in alcohol, sweet, but still have a merlot taste, very refreshing and way too easy to shoot a couple of bottles at a time.

Follow the directions on the first one and try messing around on the next couple.

 

[robie]

Those kinds of wine kits are not intended to last a long time, and when you drink the first glass, you will know why...THEY ARE DELICIOUS!!!!

Perfect as a summer pool-side drink. Not too high in alcohol, sweet, but still have a merlot taste, very refreshing and way too easy to shoot a couple of bottles at a time.

Follow the directions on the first one and try messing around on the next couple.

I try to make two (one red, one white) every summer. Lately I have helped friends make theirs, too.
Mine don't last more than 4 or 5 months, so I just put most of each batch in the Wine-On-Tap bags and use their handy dispenser. As I said, it goes fast.

I put some in bottles each time. I have tried the bottled version 18 months afterward and they were still pretty good. 2 years is pressing it, but they could still be OK.