WineXpert Fast vs. Slow fermentation

[Rocky]

How many gallons was your primary? A gallon of wine base is a bit pricey.

That primary had two kits plus the gallon of wine base plus an extra 2.5 gallons of water, so about 16 or so gallons in total. The container is a 22 gallon Brute (food grade). I just checked the price at Label Peelers and the fruit base is now $31.77 (40% off sale). At Home Brew Ohio it is $54.99. Recall that I bought these kits in 2021 or 2022, at which time I bought the wine base. I just looked back at my order and I paid $44.99 for the wine base.

$44.99

1 × Vintners Best Fruit Wine Base - Blackberry​

I must have been a lot richer then!

 

[wineview]

That primary had two kits plus the gallon of wine base plus an extra 2.5 gallons of water, so about 16 or so gallons in total. The container is a 22 gallon Brute (food grade). I just checked the price at Label Peelers and the fruit base is now $31.77 (40% off sale). At Home Brew Ohio it is $54.99. Recall that I bought these kits in 2021 or 2022, at which time I bought the wine base. I just looked back at my order and I paid $44.99 for the wine base.

$44.99

1 × Vintners Best Fruit Wine Base - Blackberry​

I must have been a lot richer then!

Interesting that you bought the base four years ago. I did a quick google search and saw prices in the $70 range. So for a six gallon batch you would not use more than half gallon of wine base. In your opinion what does the base add to the wine.

 

[Rocky]

Interesting that you bought the base four years ago. I did a quick google search and saw prices in the $70 range. So for a six gallon batch you would not use more than half gallon of wine base. In your opinion what does the base add to the wine.

I am not sure we are talking about the same product. The instructions on the base I bought said to add 4 gallons of water to the base to yield 5 gallons of wine with an ABV of about 10%.

To wit: "A blend of juice concentrates, corn syrup, citric acid and natural flavor designed to make a fermentable base for blackberry wine blend at 18.9 Brix. Vintner's Best Fruit Wine Bases All natural and made with real fruit juice, our fruit wine bases are crafted from the same formulations used by commercial wineries. Vintner's Best Fruit Wine Bases make five gallons of high quality fruit wine at 10% ABV. Extremely easy and convenient to make, requiring no pH adjustments and no acid adjustments. Made from all natural fruit juice and do not need to be strained or placed into any sort of mesh bag! Simply dilute one gallon of Vintner's Best Fruit Wine Base with four gallons of water, pitch a fruit wine yeast of your choice and stir! Vintner's Best Fruit Wine Bases are a superior replacement for any fruit wine base on the market."

It is available today here in Ohio from at least two suppliers, Label Peelers in Ravenna, Ohio, on sale for $31.77 and from Home Brew Ohio in Sandusky, Ohio for $54.77.

As regards, what does it add, I feel it accentuates a background flavor of Blackberries in the wine.