Finer Wine Kit Finer Wine Kits

[oppyland]

I came across these things.. so explain, how do you bottle with the Speidel?

I don't plan to, just using mine for primary (and extended maceration). They do come with a plastic spigot though, which you could use for bottling. They also sell a metal (stainless?) one.

 

[Siwash]

I don't plan to, just using mine for primary (and extended maceration). They do come with a plastic spigot though, which you could use for bottling. They also sell a metal (stainless?) one.

So is the spigot's purpose for racking?

 

[Brian55]

So is the spigot's purpose for racking?

I use the Speidel for primary fermentation, and EM on reds with skins. I use the spigot for racking to glass carboys after primary and/or EM has finished. After bulk aging and several rackings between glass carboys, I rack back into it for bottling.
I recommend the stainless spigot if you decide to go this route.

 

[Siwash]

I use the Speidel for primary fermentation, and EM on reds with skins. I use the spigot for racking to glass carboys after primary and/or EM has finished. After bulk aging and several rackings between glass carboys, I rack back into it for bottling.
I recommend the stainless spigot if you decide to go this route.

Should the top be removed during primary fermentation?
And is this an easy bottling process? i.e. not a lot of spillage, easy to control the flow, etc? I currently use the tube-like wine bottle filler that is connected to a siphon hose and once depressed to the bottom of the wine bottle, wine flows. But, I find it rather messy and spills occur. If you accidentally touch the sides of the bottle when pulling out, wine spills. I am wondering if the spiedel spigot system is a clean, seamless bottling process?

The other option is buying the all-in-one but I am sticking to smaller batches these days and may not be worth it.

 

[Brian55]

Should the top be removed during primary fermentation?
And is this an easy bottling process? i.e. not a lot of spillage, easy to control the flow, etc? I currently use the tube-like wine bottle filler that is connected to a siphon hose and once depressed to the bottom of the wine bottle, wine flows. But, I find it rather messy and spills occur. If you accidentally touch the sides of the bottle when pulling out, wine spills. I am wondering if the spiedel spigot system is a clean, seamless bottling process?

The other option is buying the all-in-one but I am sticking to smaller batches these days and may not be worth it.

I just put a cloth or paper towel over the top during primary, then add the airlock for EM. You can use the threaded orange collar to hold the paper towel or cloth in place.
With the stainless spigot, you will lose a few drops to the floor a time or two during a 30 bottle run. The plastic one works, but it's not as smooth and precise.
I built a vacuum pump system and used it for some time, until I purchased my first Speidel. Now the vacuum pump only gets used for degassing after primary.

 

[oppyland]

Looks like @Brian55 covered everything perfectly! I just wanted to mention I don't use the spigot at all - I have an All-in-one Wine Pump, which I highly recommend even if you're like me and don't make a huge amount of wine. The savings in mess clean-up alone was worth the purchase price!

 

[cmason1957]

My wife and I bottled the Super Tuscan and Bordeaux kids I started back in Aprilt May today. 29 bottles from each and a half bottle we drank already. We both said this is the best tasting kit, at bottling we have ever made. Wonderful noise, great flavors, nothing to indicate this might have been from a kit and not from grapes. Time to order two more kits. I am down to 6 carboys with wine in them, that is far too few.

 

[Bmd2k1]

I came across these things.. so explain, how do you bottle with the Speidel? And, are you aging with them too?

I bottle my vinos directly via the spigot I use the spigot plus clear tubing to rack between Speidels. I bulk age All my vinos in 20L Speidels - fits 6gals perfectly!

Cheers!

 

[Kross]

My wife and I bottled the Super Tuscan and Bordeaux kids I started back in Aprilt May today. 29 bottles from each and a half bottle we drank already. We both said this is the best tasting kit, at bottling we have ever made. Wonderful noise, great flavors, nothing to indicate this might have been from a kit and not from grapes. Time to order two more kits. I am down to 6 carboys with wine in them, that is far too few.

 

[Kross]

When referring to the best tasting kit were you referring to the Super Tuscan or the Bordeaux? I’m considering making either of these FWK is there anyone that has a preference based on what you made?

 

[cmason1957]

When referring to the best tasting kit were you referring to the Super Tuscan or the Bordeaux?

I suppose I should have pluralized that. But really either one.

 

[Old Corker]

I suppose I should have pluralized that. But really either one.

Craig,
Did you do both the same, as in, single or double skins packs? How wold you describe the body of the wines? Full? Medium? Sorry for all the questions but I like having some medium Reds (walking-around wine as we call it) as well as full bodied.

 

[winemaker81]

@Old Corker, I made the Barbera, no skin packs, 1 oz oak cubes for 4 months. It was drinkable then (bottled last month). While it will improve in the next 6-12 months, I'm not concerned that any survive that duration. I made it as an early drinker and it is serving that purposes admirably.

I have a Super Tuscan and my own Rhone blend (Syrah, Petite Sirah, Merlot) that are 3 months old, Forte kits with 2 skin packs, 1 seed pack, and fermentation enzyme. While these are far from ready to drink, at the year mark I expect them to be amazing, and plan on not touching them (well, mostly not touch) for another year after that.

 

[cmason1957]

Both of them were the Tavola Style, since that's what the first few kits were. They were both done with double skins and the Super Tuscan had a six week extended maceration, the Bordeaux had no extended maceration. I added about a tablespoon of tannin during secondary. Bulk aged for about four or five months. Filtered to 5 micron a few weeks ago.

I asked my wife for her opinion on this and she agreed that they are very close to full bodied. If you wanted them to be medium, I would say no skin packs, no extra tannin. Light to no oak.

 

[oppyland]

My Forte Merlot kit is fermenting along nicely on Day 7 in spite of the low-ish temperature in my basement. SG is 1.004 as of this evening, so I installed the airlock for a couple/few week EM (haven't decided how long). Whatever magic dust they put in the starter and/or nutrient packs sure works great.

 

[cmason1957]

I suppose the best recommendation I can give today is, before bottling, my wife was saying, boy we really need to slow down some. After bottling and tasting tonight, she asked me when I was going to order some more of those kits. The answer: a Forte Zinfandel and Tavola Pinot Noir no skins are now on order. Probably here Wednesday or Thursday.

 

[Kross]

I’m going to be doing a FWK Bordeaux kit challenge against a friend. My plan is to use D254 yeast, and extended maceration. Any other tweaks to make this the best I can?

 

[She’sgonnakillme]

Perhaps try Avante yeast? Ft Rouge tannin? OptiRed? Llalzyme EV-V?

 

[winemaker81]

I’m going to be doing a FWK Bordeaux kit challenge against a friend. My plan is to use D254 yeast, and extended maceration. Any other tweaks to make this the best I can?

I've gotten great color and tannin extraction with ScottZyme ColorPro.

If possible, barrel age it. The concentration effect of evaporation cannot be produced by any other method.

 

[She’sgonnakillme]

As usual @winemaker81 is spot on, I have noticed that even in the few months of owning a couple barrels how much more “mature” my reds are once I pull them out of the barrel.