Finer Wine Kit Finer Wine Kits

[hamish]

I'm making FWK's Riesling. There is a sweetener included in the kit for back sweetening. However there aren't any suggested guidelines around how much to use to achieve semi-sweet vs sweet. Does anyone have any experience with this?

 

[winemaker81]

I'm making FWK's Riesling. There is a sweetener included in the kit for back sweetening. However there aren't any suggested guidelines around how much to use to achieve semi-sweet vs sweet. Does anyone have any experience with this?

My son & I just bottled his Riesling. We used 6 oz of the sweetening pack and 4 oz glycerin. The adjusted FG was 1.000. The wine is off-dry and the sugar balanced the acid to our satisfaction.

Kits intended for backsweetening should be higher in acid to balance the added sugar, so in the carboy it's likely to be sharp tasting.

Do not use our numbers -- I suggest you reserve 8 oz of the base wine for comparison, then add 4 oz of the sweetening pack to the carboy, stir well, and taste. Add more in 2 to 4 oz amounts, stirring very well in between and then tasting, until you think it needs just a bit more. Stop at that point.

IMO we could have added another 4 oz sweetening pack and the sugar/acid balance would have been fine. My son loves dry to off-dry Riesling, so we stayed on the dry side. Others might want it sweeter. YMMV

 

[She’sgonnakillme]

And add it at bottling time.

 

[hamish]

Ah, @She’sgonnakillme that was going to be my next question. The instruction say to add the sweetener when racking after fermenting.

@winemaker81 did you add the sweetener at bottling time?

 

[She’sgonnakillme]

Ah, @She’sgonnakillme that was going to be my next question. The instruction say to add the sweetener when racking after fermenting.

@winemaker81 did you add the sweetener at bottling time?

No reason to add before bottling, FWK is likely to change those instructions as it can interfere with the clearing process.

 

[winemaker81]

@winemaker81 did you add the sweetener at bottling time?

Yup -- we backsweeten -n- bottle. Some folks report they've had clarity or sediment problems after backsweetening, but I have not experienced that.

 

[bstnh1]

I added packet "C" nutrient to the FWK Sauvignon Blanc I started a couple of days ago at noon yesterday. I didn't get any foam to speak of right after adding the packet. But this morning all the head space in my Fermonster was full of large foam bubbles and you can see where it bubbled up and out of the Fermonster sometime during the bight. First time I've ever seen foam with huge, airy bubbles like that.

 

[iagowasframed]

Same kit same results for me, it did fizz when I added "C" but I put it in a little at a time to avoid a boildover.

I added packet "C" nutrient to the FWK Sauvignon Blanc I started a couple of days ago at noon yesterday. I didn't get any foam to speak of right after adding the packet. But this morning all the head space in my Fermonster was full of large foam bubbles and you can see where it bubbled up and out of the Fermonster sometime during the bight. First time I've ever seen foam with huge, airy bubbles like that.
View attachment 89003

 

[jgmann67]

My order from LP is still in "awaiting shipment" status. Anyone who ordered during last week's sale showing anything different?

 

[Matteo_Lahm]

My order from LP is still in "awaiting shipment" status. Anyone who ordered during last week's sale showing anything different?

It’s been hot and we like to ship orders in the beginning of the week during the warmer months because they tend to get there faster. It will likely go out today.

 

[jgmann67]

It’s been hot and we like to ship orders in the beginning of the week during the warmer months because they tend to get there faster. It will likely go out today.

Makes good sense. I usually get mine in a day. I just figured you guys got slammed with the rush.
Thanks Matteo!

 

[Brant]

@Matteo_Lahm
Whatever LP did on the Super Tuscan they shipped me a week ago was great. It arrived cool (around 50F). The two previous FWK I had shipped were both received warm (near 70F). The previous kits were also shipped independent of one another so a similar shipping process must have been followed. Additionally, the two previous kits were shipped when the weather was significantly cooler. Not sure what was done different in the shipping process this last time around but it made a huge difference in the receiving temperature. BTW, I live in TX and when LP ships on Monday, I receive on Thursday, so three days in transit. Obviously if LP follows the correct process, the integrity of these kits is not compromised on a three day transit to hot a$$ TX.

Please pass this on to LP management as it might be helpful in staff training.

 

[wineview]

It’s been hot and we like to ship orders in the beginning of the week during the warmer months because they tend to get there faster. It will likely go out today.

I am always concerned about warmer weather when ordering juice kits or yeast. You never know how hot warehouses get or how long the product may be in a trailer. The freeze packs often come melted and warm.

 

[cmason1957]

What showed up at my house today courtesy of FedEx?? A Forte Zinfandel and A Forte Sryah. Ordered during the BOGO sale. Shipped out Wednesday late in the day, arrived today in their nice foam packaging, still kinda chilled, even though the temp has approached 80 F around the middle states of America these past few days. They will wait for starting until tomorrow, tonight my wife and I are going to see three old fart bands in concert - REO Speedwagon and Styx with Loverboy: Live and Unzoomed. This marks the fourth or fifth time I have seen REO in concert and third for Styx.

 

[VinesnBines]

So I got a Zin and Syrah yesterday. My son had to unpack for me and refrigerate. One of the Zin skin packs had a hole it it and so the Zin juice bag has little bits of skins on it. Now I don’t know which skin packs the other three are. Are the skins just “red skins” or are they matched to the varietal? I’m not too bothered because the skins will only add body and tannins rather than significant flavor.

 

[Brian55]

So I got a Zin and Syrah yesterday. My son had to unpack for me and refrigerate. One of the Zin skin packs had a hole it it and so the Zin juice bag has little bits of skins on it. Now I don’t know which skin packs the other three are. Are the skins just “red skins” or are they matched to the varietal? I’m not too bothered because the skins will only add body and tannins rather than significant flavor.

Skins are just red skins, not matched, likely Merlot.

 

[Jovimaple]

What showed up at my house today courtesy of FedEx?? A Forte Zinfandel and A Forte Sryah. Ordered during the BOGO sale. Shipped out Wednesday late in the day, arrived today in their nice foam packaging, still kinda chilled, even though the temp has approached 80 F around the middle states of America these past few days. They will wait for starting until tomorrow, tonight my wife and I are going to see three old fart bands in concert - REO Speedwagon and Styx with Loverboy: Live and Unzoomed. This marks the fourth or fifth time I have seen REO in concert and third for Styx.

Sounds like a great concert!

 

[Jovimaple]

I received my BOGO kits today, too. Kiwi and Strawberry in the fridge now. I haven't decided if I will do them at the same time or one at a time. I need to bottle a couple of Orchard Breezin' winecooler kits I have been procrastinating on for a month. I need the space for the FWKs!!

 

[Bmd2k1]

What showed up at my house today courtesy of FedEx?? A Forte Zinfandel and A Forte Sryah. Ordered during the BOGO sale. Shipped out Wednesday late in the day, arrived today in their nice foam packaging, still kinda chilled, even though the temp has approached 80 F around the middle states of America these past few days. They will wait for starting until tomorrow, tonight my wife and I are going to see three old fart bands in concert - REO Speedwagon and Styx with Loverboy: Live and Unzoomed. This marks the fourth or fifth time I have seen REO in concert and third for Styx.

Seeing em next Wed at Pine Knob....in Michigan ✌

 

[VinesnBines]

Skins are just red skins, not matched, likely Merlot.

That’s what I thought. Thanks!