Other FWK Kool Kiwi

[Kreigle]

I just opened a Kool Kiwi kit I received yesterday and had a question.

There is no mention in the instructions, but my kit came with a carbon pack and bentonite that is included with white/rose kits. I was wondering if I should be using these since they are not mentioned in the Frutta introduction book that came with the kit.

 

[winemaker81]

There is no mention in the instructions, but my kit came with a carbon pack and bentonite that is included with white/rose kits. I was wondering if I should be using these since they are not mentioned in the Frutta introduction book that came with the kit.

You received the wrong instruction book. I received a Blackberry and Strawberry last night. The Blackberry came with the Frutta book, which doesn't mention bentonite or carbon, and the kit does not include them.

The Strawberry came with the Tavola Whites, Blushes, and Roses book, which describes Packet X (carbon) and Packet Y (bentonite), and the kit includes both. When I saw the book I assume the packer at LP screwed up, but they didn't. Although the book is labeled wrong for my kit, it contains the correct instructions. I chalk this up to growing pains at FWK and a rush to get hundreds of kits out the door at LP.

Step2, Item 1 reads:

Empty packet X and packet Y into 1 gallon of distilled water in your primary fermentation bucket BEFORE adding the juice concentrate. Stir thoroughly and allow to sit for a minimum of 10 minutes. This will allow the bentonite to bond with the carbon and expedite the clearing process.

 

[Kreigle]

You received the wrong instruction book. I received a Blackberry and Strawberry last night. The Blackberry came with the Frutta book, which doesn't mention bentonite or carbon, and the kit does not include them.

The Strawberry came with the Tavola Whites, Blushes, and Roses book, which describes Packet X (carbon) and Packet Y (bentonite), and the kit includes both.

Thanks for confirming my thoughts. I figured since it appears to be a 'white' wine that I was supposed to use it. I do already have a Whites, Blushes and Roses book on hand to follow from another kit, so there's that at least.

 

[winemaker81]

AFAIK, the Kiwi and Strawberry get the carbon treatment as they're light wines, subject to browning, while the Blackberry is not.

With the carbon, both look alike in the fermenter!

 

[Kreigle]

View attachment 20220614_135454.jpg
10 days later still going strong. Fermenting this one in cellar where temp seems to be around 64⁰F.

 

[Kreigle]

Gravity check today shows it still around 1.040 at 14 days. This started off at 1.106 and as my 3rd kit is the slowest ferment yet.

Smells like a bin of overripe fruit with really strong alcohol smell, so I guess I will just warm it up some to rouse the yeast more and see what happens.

 

[Kreigle]

OK, since it is the two week mark I went ahead and racked it off into another carboy, added another tsp of yeast energizer and popped in another package of yeast.

I will also leave it upstairs where the temp is around 73 to see what happens. Initial tasting is still very sweet but also quite sour.

 

[Kreigle]

Checked SG again today. Not sure if this will ever finish fermenting. View attachment 20220626_115021.jpg

 

[winemaker81]

Checked SG again today. Not sure if this will ever finish fermenting.

It's under airlock? Ignore it for 2 to 4 weeks. Patience -- it will either go or it won't. Either way, you're going to backsweeten, so a minor bit of residual sugar won't make any difference.

A few years back I had a wine stop right at 1.000. I could taste a bit of sugar, but nothing I did got it to budge. So I started bulk aging. A bit over 3 months later, the ferment kicked in and it finished at 0.992.

Mother Nature and Dionysus are in charge, and they're making sure you know that ...

 

[Kreigle]

I noticed last weekend that it finally cleared. Racked it off the carbon today and SG looks like 1.010.

Unfortunately for the wife, it does not taste much like kiwi right now so just going to let it sit while I decide whether to use conditioning packs that came with it or try source some kiwi juice for the back sweetening. View attachment 20220802_214615.jpgView attachment 20220802_182240.jpg