WineXpert Kit Has No Oak Powder

[davek]

Hi!

So we started our first kit last night- a Christmas present of Zin from WineXperts. I am very excited. I have made beer before, so this was simple (don't shoot me- it IS much easier so far than beer!)

Anyway, we had it started and realized I have no wood powder. I have the cubes, though.

Should I take and powder a coulpe cubes and stick in the wine... or wait until tomorrow and go to the wine store and see ifg they might have a pack of oak powder?

OR!!!! Just not care and put the cubes in later when the instructions say to.....

OR!!! Put in some or all of the cubes now?

Got off to a nice start other than that. 12 hours later I see indications of off-gassing so the fermentation has started (the airlock is pushed upso gas is coming off). Temp is a little low- 70 degrees- so we put a space heater in the room to help warm it up some... it IS winter here!

This is my first kit, ad I am excited!

 

[jumby]

That kit doesn't come with any powder. It only requires cubes. Add the cubes when racking per the instructions and it will come out fine. The only thing I would recommend is to bulk age in the carboy for at least 6 months. Enjoy!

 

[davek]

Thanks for your answer! It had me scared because the instructions specifically list the powder as "In This Kit" as well as instruct me to add them just before the yeast.

Six months in the carboy. OK, I can do that. I have two, just for this sort of thing. I realize Zin is a bit of a heavier wine, and I had planned on storing in bottles long... I was picturing not opening until next January. If I keep in a carboy until June/July and bottle then, should I push back opening until mid-2016?

THANK YOU for your help- I know NOTHING!

Dave

 

[DoctorCAD]

You are correct, wine is easier than beer to make. The big difference is that with wine, you dont need to sweat the small stuff. No worries about temperature, if you are comfortable the wine yeast will work. Open primary, no big deal. Extra couple of days or weeks missing a step, wine wont care. Stir or dont stir, its up to you.

So, powder or cubes? Guess what...it doesnt really matter. If you have cubes, use them. If you need an excuse to go to a supply store, get powder. Just taste test until the oak is good to you and rack off of the oak.


Enjoy your new hobby.

 

[jumby]

The instructions are pretty generic. They use the same instructions for a lot of their kits. The wine will be drinkable and quite good at bottling but will only get better over time. The choice is yours as to when to drink it.

 

[Brian55]

Thanks for your answer! It had me scared because the instructions specifically list the powder as "In This Kit" as well as instruct me to add them just before the yeast.

Six months in the carboy. OK, I can do that. I have two, just for this sort of thing. I realize Zin is a bit of a heavier wine, and I had planned on storing in bottles long... I was picturing not opening until next January. If I keep in a carboy until June/July and bottle then, should I push back opening until mid-2016?

THANK YOU for your help- I know NOTHING!

Dave

The only real mistakes we've made in the three+ years we've been at this were rushing the process, and not letting it age long enough when we first started out. We blew through a lot of wine in the first year or so that just plain wasn't ready to drink. I haven't found anything less than 12 months old to be all that drinkable. Bulk age 6-12 months, bottle and let it sit for at least a couple more, sample a bottle now and then, but don't blow through your inventory, they will get better. 18+ is when they typically start to get good, 24+ they get even better. How many commercial bottles do you see on store shelves that are less than two years old?

 

[davek]

The only real mistakes we've made in the three+ years we've been at this were rushing the process, and not letting it age long enough when we first started out. We blew through a lot of wine in the first year or so that just plain wasn't ready to drink. I haven't found anything less than 12 months old to be all that drinkable. Bulk age 6-12 months, bottle and let it sit for at least a couple more, sample a bottle now and then, but don't blow through your inventory, they will get better. 18+ is when they typically start to get good, 24+ they get even better. How many commercial bottles do you see on store shelves that are less than two years old?

Thanks for your advice- I want to make sure I am understanding correctly...

First, do you mean reds, or ALL wines? I am hoping to start a second batch in a month- a dry summer wine like a Pinot Gris or Sauvignon blanc, and I was hoping that would be drinkable July or August....

>>> Bulk age 6-12 months- do you mean in a carboy, prior to bottling, or in a bottle? So you are saying do the second rack to a carboy and then just hold that a year before bottling? And then age what, a year or so, in bottle?

I have no problem aging, I am good at waiting. I opened a 1996 two buck chuck last year- it was incredible!

 

[GaDawg]

I would not add the oak cubes as per instructions! I would add the oak after you clear. If you add oak to the aging process you can control how much oak you want and how long you want the oak on the wine.

 

[Brian55]

Thanks for your advice- I want to make sure I am understanding correctly...

First, do you mean reds, or ALL wines? I am hoping to start a second batch in a month- a dry summer wine like a Pinot Gris or Sauvignon blanc, and I was hoping that would be drinkable July or August....

>>> Bulk age 6-12 months- do you mean in a carboy, prior to bottling, or in a bottle? So you are saying do the second rack to a carboy and then just hold that a year before bottling? And then age what, a year or so, in bottle?

I have no problem aging, I am good at waiting. I opened a 1996 two buck chuck last year- it was incredible!

Reds. Whites don't need nearly as much aging to be enjoyable.

Yes, bulk age in a carboy or barrel 6-12 (try to shoot for 10-12) before bottling, then at least 2 more months in the bottle before you start to open the occasional bottle.

If you're good at waiting, you'll do well with this hobby.

 

[davek]

>>> I would not add the oak cubes as per instructions! I would add the oak after you clear. If you add oak to the aging process you can control how much oak you want and how long you want the oak on the wine.

How do you know how much oak? I assume it is by taste. I dont know what to taste for....

SO if I bottle next december I can give as gifts and have people drink in may!

 

[GaDawg]

I like oak, so I add it all The oak cubes will take about 6 weeks to give up almost all the flavor. I start my QA (taste) after about 2 weeks. When it taste like it has a little much oak I rack it off It will calm down with age.

 

[Brian55]

>>> I would not add the oak cubes as per instructions! I would add the oak after you clear. If you add oak to the aging process you can control how much oak you want and how long you want the oak on the wine.

How do you know how much oak? I assume it is by taste. I dont know what to taste for....

SO if I bottle next december I can give as gifts and have people drink in may!

Start with a little bit, you can always add more. It's a lot more work to dilute over-oaked wine.

I won't give away anything homemade as gifts, except to a select few friends and family who I know will actually enjoy them. In this processed and pasteurized world we live in, too many people are afraid of anything home-made, and will most likely just toss it in the trash or dump it down the drain, since it lacks a stamp of approval from one of the many government agencies that they've been conditioned to trust. Sad, but true...

 

[Norton]

I had the same kit and I called them about the lack of oak powder. They said that oak powder does not come with that kit and to ignore that part of the instructions. Now why they couldn't mention that in the instructions...

 

[Brian55]

I had the same kit and I called them about the lack of oak powder. They said that oak powder does not come with that kit and to ignore that part of the instructions. Now why they couldn't mention that in the instructions...

The instructions included with kits are pretty generic. Most kits I've made (three different brands so far) contain a copy of almost the exact same instructions. This is where kit manufacturers are likely selling the final product a bit short. Different varietals could most likely benefit from variations on timing, suggested additions, and such. The manufacturers seem to be skimping in this regard. How much more would it really cost to print out a few variations of the suggested process, in order to help make the final product as good as it can be? They take the time and effort to print out original labels for each varietal, how much more would it take to include original instructions for each varietal?

 

[wineh]

Read the instructions

Under "before you begin":
first bullet: Please read all instructions before starting
sixth bullet: This kit "(may contain)" two different types of oak, fine shavings or chips, and larger cubes. Do not add oak cubes to the fermenter on the first day.

I know, most guys think instructions are for geeks, but in the case of kit winemaking, they're wrong. In order to know which rules you can break, you have to know what the rules are: Read the instructions.
I have made this kit a couple of times, and quite frankly, I like that there is no oak powder or chips, and I wish they would all go to post fermentation cubes. It's tidier.

 

[jumby]

Under "before you begin":
first bullet: Please read all instructions before starting
sixth bullet: This kit "(may contain)" two different types of oak, fine shavings or chips, and larger cubes. Do not add oak cubes to the fermenter on the first day.

I know, most guys think instructions are for geeks, but in the case of kit winemaking, they're wrong. In order to know which rules you can break, you have to know what the rules are: Read the instructions.
I have made this kit a couple of times, and quite frankly, I like that there is no oak powder or chips, and I wish they would all go to post fermentation cubes. It's tidier.

How did you like it? I just put mine up to bulk age for 6 months. How long did you age yours before drinking it?

 

[wineh]

How did you like it? I just put mine up to bulk age for 6 months. How long did you age yours before drinking it?

I just dug in to a case that's a year old, and it is quite delicious. I'm not a super taster like some who frequent this site, but aromas of cherry, vanilla and currants. currants and cherries on the tongue, with tannins that get to the back of my throat a bit. A bit less tannic and a bit lighter in color than I was hoping for, but we like it, and that case is not going to last long. Unlike many, I get most of my kits to bottle in 10 weeks, as my production line cannot tolerate a 6 month bulk aging. The "loose six" usually go in the first 6 months. I try to get 2 cases to 6 months, and one case to a year, but sometimes that doesn't work too well either . I always get a couple of bottles to two years, and a few lucky ones make it to three.

 

[bakervinyard]

Six months in the carboy. OK, I can do that. I have two, just for this sort of thing. ?


Dave, you say that you have 2 carboys. I don't want to be the bearer of bad news but once you get bitten by this obsession you're going to easily need a couple dozen more. LOL, Bakervinyard