WineXpert IM -- Blackberry Cabornet Question

[ffemtreed]

this is my second kit that I am attempting. My first kit is only 2 weeks old from starting but i am following those instructions to a T. I been doing this wine thing for about 18 months now, but I always made fresh fruit wines and concentrates, never used a kit until this month.

My question about the Island Mist kit is that the starting SG is only 1.045, that is a little low for what I like to start at. Can I modify the must by adding dissolved sugar water to raise the SG to around 1.085 without any problems?

I am specifically worried about those clarifying agents that included in the kit. I never had to use them before. The instructions make it sound if you mess at all with the recipe that the clarifers won't work. I know it will throw some of the timing off a tad bit, but I can watch and react accordingly as the hydrometer changes.

 

[Malkore]

Well, aside from beer and mead, I've only made wine once and it was a Wine Expert 'Chianti' kit, with similar instructions.

Honestly, I think it has more to do with the volume of wine than the gravity, since they premeasured all the fining agents for X gallons.

That said, the island mist kits are supposed to be bordering on a wine cooler, thus the lower ABV. Adding a lot of straight sugar will dry out the wine.

Does the island mist come with an F-pac?

 

[ffemtreed]

Yes it has an F pack with it.

Drying out the wine is exactly what I am trying to achieve. I don't want a wine cooler.

 

[cpfan]

If you didn't want a wine cooler, you have probably bought the wrong kit.

You can add the F-pack to the primary to boost the alcohol. You would probably need to add sugar as well. You will still get a somewhat light bodied wine, but it will be dry, and still have the blackberry flavour.

Steve

 

[Wade E]

I usually add around 3-3.5 lbs of sugar to get these kits up to 1.085 and they work out great. If they are very sweet kits then some people will add 1/2 the f-pac up front and less sugar to get all the taste and then add the remainder of the pac at the end to give it just that little sweetness. This is 1 of the sweeter kits IMO.

 

[fuzzmeister]

Wade if I understand you correctly your saying I could add 3 to 3.5 lbs of surgar to the primary to get it up to 1.085 and add the whole f-pack at the end. I am kind of curious as to how the alchol, and sweetness, would balance out? I made a niagra mist kit a while back, where I added 4 cups of surgar in the primary, and it did not change the taste of it a whole lot, compared to doing a kit the way instructions state.

 

[Tom]

Understand what a f-pac is (A FLAVOR PAC).
To add flavor at the end. If you like alot of flavor add the f-pac AFTER you add k-meta and Sorbate following the directions.
I see no problem adding the sugar to boost the alcohol then adding the f-pac at the end.

 

[Wade E]

Fuzz, thats what I did and the abv still isnt that high but just enough to help it become more stable and stay on your shelf longer. The taste is the same pretty much this way with just a little bit more boost in the alc which makes it better IMO. Im not one to go big on abv with fruit wines as I like taste not huge alc but they marry quite nicely with this added abv.

 

[ffemtreed]

Thanks everyone, sounds like I'll add enough sugar to get it where I want it and add the whole F-pack after its stabilized.

 

[cpfan]

Hey dudes
i m using BB 8900 curve but i want to unlock it and i dont know how to unlock it i dont have any idea for unlock tricks... Plz i need your help i m waiting for your positive reply... Plz help me out from this one.....plz......

Try soaking it in some Blackberry wine.

 

[diggerdan17]

hey dudes
i m using bb 8900 curve but i want to unlock it and i dont know how to unlock it i dont have any idea for unlock tricks... Plz i need your help i m waiting for your positive reply... Plz help me out from this one.....plz......

what are you trying to say?

 

[St Allie]

Hundelts post was removed due to spam link content.

Allie

 

[ffemtreed]

Just getting ready to bottle this wine tomorow. I'll let everyone know how it is!!!

 

[Midwest Vintner]

Thanks everyone, sounds like I'll add enough sugar to get it where I want it and add the whole F-pack after its stabilized.

i have not used an f-pack, but if it's a flavored syrup, from what i've read, then you might not want to add the whole thing. try doing 1/3 and see how it tastes. even with a kit, i would make to your own liking. it's not hard to add, but you CAN'T take it out! We (me and my dad) always tweak the wine before bottling. i also try to remember that, with age, a wine with not only smooth out, but become slightly sweeter. this doesn't come into play so much if the batch is gone in 6~8 months. each wine is different and some change more than others (such as blackberry, reds, etc, compared to say pineapple). you can make an ok wine good or sometimes fantastic, just by playing with it some. we have even just let it sit and make another wine to blend with the first. you can leave it sealed after meta and sorbate just like it's in a bottle. it will age just the same.

blackberry and red wine do well together. good choice.

 

[ffemtreed]

well its all bottled now. drank a good sample and I give it about a 5. I think I went a little high on the sugar, its seems out of balance. the blackberry flavor is definitely there and good. This wine is also very light bodied, if I make it again I will probably add some glycerin to it and start the sugar at 1.075 instead of 1.085.