RJ Spagnols First Kit: Banana Pineapple Viognier

[jeepbabe]

Hi Everyone!<?amespace prefix = o ns = "urnchemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" />

I am a newbie here in the winemaking world. I am about to make my first kit: Banana Pineapple Viognier and wanted to know if anyone has made this kit before and how it came out for you. I am also debating increasing the alcohol content on this kit but am not sure if I should go there since it is my first go at wine making. I want this to be my summer patio wine.

Any thoughts or words of wisdom for my first kit? By the way, after this kit I am going to make the OB Peach Chardonnay, CC Gruner Veltliner and the Renaissance Viognier. </PRE></PRE></PRE>

 

[vcasey]

I just finished this kit. Here is a link to my threadhttp://forum.finevinewines.com//forum_posts.asp?TID=9520
As you can see I did not increase the alcohol, well at least by adding sugar. Welcome.

 

[Jackie]

Some folks do add sugar to these kits but if you do that on your first one and don't like it, you won't know if it was the kit or the change you made to it. I think it's best to do the first one according to directions and save the tweaking for later.


If you have the equipment for it and want to experiment, you could split it in half and add sugar to one and not the other but that would require another fermentor and 3 gallon carboys.


If you do add sugar, I wouldn't shoot for over about 9% alcohol--too much alcohol and they can taste "hot" (they were not designed to be 12-13% alcohol).

 

[jeepbabe]

Thank you both for your replies. Today I made the kit according to the directions like Jackie suggested. Everything went well and now I am just waiting to proceed to the next step. I am already thinking about my next kit but am only making one at a time- at least for now! I will start the Peach Chardonnay after I am finished with this one. That way I will have two choices for my summer wine.

 

[Goodfella]

Glad to hear it went ok for you. Keep us posted as it goes. This is a great hobby, you will enjoy it.
Welcome to the forum

 

[Wade E]

I made this and upped the sg to 1.080 and it came out great. I up them all now because otherwise they are just way to cheesy like a wine cooler. If you liked Bartles & James then by all means keep it original but if you dont like a watered down wine then up it and know that doing so will void the warranty but I havent seen or heard of any of these ever failing to ferment out.

 

[jeepbabe]

My Banana Pineapple Viognier got lonely so I started the Peach Chardonnay yesterday so he can have a friend to ferment with. I added 2 lbs of corn sugar to the Peach Chardonnay to boost the sg to about 1.075. Now I have two very happy wines bubbling away. My husband even decided to make some honey mead to add to the bunch. He also has a few batches of beer going as well. This summer is looking better and better!

 

[vcasey]

They do ferment better together! Make sure you label them - really good habit. My husband had a couple of bottled mystery beers he could never figure out what he made. He has since become much better of labeling and keeping records.
I also make a few meads, what is your hubby making?

 

[jeepbabe]

Thanks for the labeling advice. We have them in two different looking primary buckets so that helps.

My husband is making this mead from George's recipe link:http://www.finevinewines.com/Honey_wine_sweet_Recipe.htm

He is a little concerned that the sg is very high (1.122) and hasn't pitched the yeast yet. Do you think the mead will be ok? This is his first mead so he is unsure if it is going to be ok.

 

[vcasey]

He can add water to dilute it to around 13 - 14%. A lot of times you can try and out smart the yeast by raising the SG level over the alcohol tolerance of the yeast but sometimes and especially with smaller batches the yeast will keep right on fermenting so its easier to go a bit lower and sweeten after it stabilized. Meads can take a little high alcohol and they take really well to oak and spices so be creative and have fun.

 

[Wade E]

What yeast is he using on this cause the yeast that is listed is designed to die off early with the lower sg and with the much higher sg he has it would be very very sweet, cloying!!!! Get that sg down by diluting it.

 

[jeepbabe]

Wade- He pitched the Red Star Champagne yeast so the mead experiment is on. This is his first try at making one. He is wanting to make a sweet mead.

 

[vcasey]

Tell your hubby to please be patient, meads can take a long while to mature. In fact there is a saying "If you don't like it, out it away for a year or so, and if you still don't like it, put it away for another year or so. Sweet meads do tend to be ready earlier.
Here is a link to one of the very best books on mead

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The Compleat Meadmaker (Ken
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[Goodfella]

Do you use solid bungs for your carboys when you put them away for a year?

 

[vcasey]

No, and I fill the air locks with either kmeta or vodka. The ones stored in kegs are sealed topped off with nitrogen. For hubby's beers that are aging he has a top for the kegs that you can put in a bung for the airlock.

 

[Goodfella]

I talked to George the other day, He said if you use solid bungs during bulk aging... there is no need to add k-meta every 3 months.

 

[grapeman]

That's because they don't breathe in and out air so there is no need to replace S02 since it isn't lost. That's why I keep mentioning for folks to check the S02 level before just adding it every 2-3 months. Too many additions can lead to high levels which can be detected and take many months to reduce to an acceptable level.

 

[vcasey]

I think its just a comfort level. Besides it gives me a chance to taste a bit before I add the kmeta..................

 

[Goodfella]

That's because they don't breathe in and out air so there is no need to replace S02 since it isn't lost. That's why I keep mentioning for folks to check the S02 level before just adding it every 2-3 months. Too many additions can lead to high levels which can be detected and take many months to reduce to an acceptable level.

Do you use the accuvin tests? or is there a better way?

 

[grapeman]

The Accuvin is the easiest test to use for a quick check - 10 tests for about $20 and is good enough for a quick check. For a bit more accuracy of free S02 you can use the Acidometer with some iodic solution-George sells them. If you want to get complicated you can make an AO test setup. That uses chemical reactions to test the S02.


Here is a presentation Masta made a few years back at Winestock.
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