Other Do wine kits expire? - old unopened kit

[Shurt1073]

It appears the big mystery date on the kit is OVER .... yeast packet date (didn't know it even had a date on it) says 2014 but its very hard to read.

Now the question is how they got a 2014 yeast into a 1992 kit? Kidding of course! The kit is somewhere around 2014 and I'm going for it (aka: BigDaveK term), but with different chemicals. 2014 juice looks fine from the outside bag. I had never heard of Valpolicella wine or this kit and spent an hour last night looking it up. It was basically gifted to me. School is back in session and I'm learning about Winexpert Vintner Reserve Valpolicella.

 

[cmason1957]

Valpolicella can be a wonderful wine. Generally a heavy dark red, but can be lighter, depending on the grapes used to make it. It is the baby brother to one of my favorite red wines Amarone. Enjoy this one, but it needs to have some time spent with it.

 

[Rocky]

It appears the big mystery date on the kit is OVER .... yeast packet date (didn't know it even had a date on it) says 2014 but its very hard to read.

Now the question is how they got a 2014 yeast into a 1992 kit? Kidding of course! The kit is somewhere around 2014 and I'm going for it (aka: BigDaveK term), but with different chemicals. 2014 juice looks fine from the outside bag. I had never heard of Valpolicella wine or this kit and spent an hour last night looking it up. It was basically gifted to me. School is back in session and I'm learning about Winexpert Vintner Reserve Valpolicella.

A yeast packet with a 2014 expiration date would indicate a kit from 2012 or 2013. Looking at the label, the only sense I can make of the codes would be the 192nd day of 2013

 

[Shurt1073]

I appreciate the input ... wish me luck. I'm gonna start it in the next couple of weeks.

 

[Rocky]

I appreciate the input ... wish me luck. I'm gonna start it in the next couple of weeks.

I know I am a nut (my bride calls me Mr. Monk) because once I get onto something, I cannot let it go until I am satisfied with the answer. This whole issue had me baffled so I cheated and called Wine Expert in Canada and spoke with a very nice young lady who was very helpful. My question sent her into the archives and even they did not go back that far because they only warrant the kits for 1 year after production. However, she did tell me that the code on the first line is a Julian date and "013192" translates to the "192 day of 2013" which would have been July 11, 2013! Now I can sleep.

 

[winemaker81]

My question sent her into the archives and even they did not go back that far because they only warrant the kits for 1 year after production.

That's good to know, but a bit disconcerting. OTOH, I've made 3 yo kits that came out great, so it hasn't been a problem so far.

 

[cmason1957]

I know I am a nut (my bride calls me Mr. Monk) because once I get onto something, I cannot let it go until I am satisfied with the answer. This whole issue had me baffled so I cheated and called Wine Expert in Canada and spoke with a very nice young lady who was very helpful. My question sent her into the archives and even they did not go back that far because they only warrant the kits for 1 year after production. However, she did tell me that the code on the first line is a Julian date and "013192" translates to the "192 day of 2013" which would have been July 11, 2013! Now I can sleep.

Which was the same answer you had come to based off the yeast expiration date of 2014. I couldn't remember exactly what the old post used to say about deciphering those labels, but I remembered something about Julian date being encoded in there somewhere. So this is a 10 year old kit. Being a red, if it didn't have any noticeable browning, I'd probably make it, but not expect great things from it. given that there is no idea how it has been stored for 10 years.

 

[Shurt1073]

I know I am a nut (my bride calls me Mr. Monk) because once I get onto something, I cannot let it go until I am satisfied with the answer. This whole issue had me baffled so I cheated and called Wine Expert in Canada and spoke with a very nice young lady who was very helpful. My question sent her into the archives and even they did not go back that far because they only warrant the kits for 1 year after production. However, she did tell me that the code on the first line is a Julian date and "013192" translates to the "192 day of 2013" which would have been July 11, 2013! Now I can sleep.

HEY (yelling) ... you are pretty great Rocky! Thanks for solving the mystery and you've given me another wine story to share with my family.

The kit was purchased from a family friend. His wife died a couple months ago and he's moving into a condo selling everything in the house, so I know the kit was stored in a dry cool room in his basement. Honestly, I know about the WE kits but never made one myself and didn't know what Valpolicella wine was until I looked it up. Figured it was old because he offered it to me but also said if I didn't want it to throw it away. It was all wrapped up in plastic. Juice looks good. Stay tuned!

 

[Mdrew]

My kit parts are only a little expired. IMO.

I should probably just head to local store and get replacement fresh: potassium sorbate, sulphite, Kieselsol, and Chitosan ya?

 

[winemaker81]

My kit parts are only a little expired. IMO.

I should probably just head to local store and get replacement fresh: potassium sorbate, sulphite, Kieselsol, and Chitosan ya?

What is the kit? If it's a dry red or white, there's no need for sorbate.

Yeah, get fresh K-meta.

How long will you bulk age? If it's 6+ months, you can skip the K&C.

 

[Mdrew]

It’s a Cru International California “Cabernet Sauvignon Style”

I got carried away and pitched the expired yeast last night too before I sobered up to see what I wrought this morning.

Yeast exp 03/2023
Bentonite exp 12/2022

 

[winemaker81]

It’s a Cru International California “Cabernet Sauvignon Style”

I got carried away and pitched the expired yeast last night too before I sobered up to see what I wrought this morning.

Yeast exp 03/2023
Bentonite exp 12/2022

CS "style"? No need for sorbate unless you're backsweetening.

Bentonite is clay, AFAIK, it won't expire before I do.

Kit probably came with EC-1118. I'd buy something else, pretty much any red wine yeast from Lalvin or Red Star.

 

[Mdrew]

Thank you @winemaker81 !
What would happen if I threw fresh Lalvin right over the top of the old EC1118 from last night?

 

[winemaker81]

What would happen if I threw fresh Lalvin right over the top of the old EC1118 from last night?

I managed to miss that fact that you pitched the old yeast.

Even if it's expired by a year or two, the EC-1118 is probably still viable. If the ferment takes off, don't bother adding another strain as EC-1118 will stomp out most other strains.

 

[Mdrew]

I'm sorry, I'm not good with these slang terms for stuff! I looked up k-meta = potassium-metabisulfate.

I have potassium sorbate, I assume that's the same thing as k-meta and potassium metabisulfate?

you said get fresh k-meta, but than also no need for sorbate unless back-sweetening.

Which of these items should I replace?:

potassium sorbate exp 01/2023
sulphite exp12/2022
Kieselsol exp12/2022
Chitosan exp 12/2022

I am NOT planning on aging this 6 months. I'm more of a make it drink it sorta dude.

 

[winemaker81]

I have potassium sorbate, I assume that's the same thing as k-meta and potassium metabisulfate?

K-meta is short for potassium metabisulfite. "K" is the atomic symbol for potassium and "meta" is short hand for metabisulfite.

Potassium sorbate is commonly referred to as just "sorbate".

Buy more K-meta, as you'll use it in future batches and in making a sanitizing solution.

Don't buy sorbate, you don't need it for this kit. All kits include sorbate (as a preventative for bottle-volcanoes) so if future kits need it, they will include it.

The K&C are probably ok. I'd try the ones you have.

 

[Mdrew]

well this kit doesn't even use k-meta then! Is that possible?

potassium sorbate exp 01/2023 = aka sorbate, "don't buy it, don't need it for this kit."
sulphite exp12/2022 <----ahhhh is this the K-meta?
Kieselsol exp12/2022 the K&C are probably ok.
Chitosan exp 12/2022 the K&C are probably ok.

PS: nice website! I'll spend some time over there reading your articles. Thanks for sharing all that knowledge!

 

[winemaker81]

sulphite exp12/2022 <----ahhhh is this the K-meta?

Yup. potassium metabisulphite

Funny, on the forum we're so used to certain terms that it's easy to forget that to others it's Sanskrit.

 

[Rice_Guy]

Metabisulphite is a sealed pouch should be OK. The chemistry only changes when it picks up moisture.
You will probably see that the yeast you pitched are working. 2023 was a few months ago, food processors put safely factor in. If you held the yeast at 110F they will be dead.
Sorbate will break down with heat or moisture.
The juice will lose some of the fresh fruity aromatics