Kit question

[Huba Huba]

My fermentation experience is a little bit backwards since I think most people start with kits. I started making meads and have only recently tried making wine kits. Recently I have made a RJS Amarone and FWK super tuscan forte, both aging in their carboys. I am soon going to start a RJS Coffee Port/dessert wine. The kit instructions seem to commonly recommend adding yeast then covering/putting under airlock for 14 days. I am in the habit of adding oxygen/stirring at least for the first few days (until 1/3 sugar break) after fermentation starts and not putting under an airlock until 1.020-1.010. I also usually make a starter or at least hydrate the yeast prior to pitching. Are these not a good ideas for kits? Are the kit instructions just trying to minimize contamination and make it fool proof, or is there another reason? I don't want to mess up the kit and I realize that I often want to "do" more than is sometimes needed.
Concerning the coffee port; I plan on adding 1 Tbs tannin to the primary and 1 Tbs instant coffee to the secondary as per @joeswine suggestion. Any other suggestions?

 

[salcoco]

your procedures are sound

 

[ratflinger]

Kit instructions are basically for beginners. I doubt if any members here 'follow the directions' anymore. Salcoco's comment is correct.

 

[QuiQuog]

I think there have been some recent changes in kit instructions to simplify the process, which encourages more people to try it out or buy a second kit.. They must have determined that the risks associated with too little oxygen were minimal, or formulated the kits to reduce the risks. I've always stirred the first few days as well, and will continue to do so. But I don't always rack into secondary any longer. I like that change. As far as making a starter? I haven't found a good reason to hydrate before pitching yeast. I've done both, and both work. I've yet to wake up the next day and not see fermentation taken off already. Why bother with a starter?
But the process of making wine is a labor of love. You use the process as you wish to get the best results you can get. For some it means following the directions to a T, for some it means making changes. There are very many rights, and not as many wrongs.

 

[BernardSmith]

I think there have been some recent changes in kit instructions to simplify the process, which encourages more people to try it out or buy a second kit.. They must have determined that the risks associated with too little oxygen were minimal, or formulated the kits to reduce the risks. I've always stirred the first few days as well, and will continue to do so. But I don't always rack into secondary any longer. I like that change. As far as making a starter? I haven't found a good reason to hydrate before pitching yeast. I've done both, and both work. I've yet to wake up the next day and not see fermentation taken off already. Why bother with a starter?
But the process of making wine is a labor of love. You use the process as you wish to get the best results you can get. For some it means following the directions to a T, for some it means making changes. There are very many rights, and not as many wrongs.

Aging in the primary CAN be a problem with some /many yeasts. Dead yeast cells are apt to burst open and when they spill their guts you can find off flavors that you really do not want in your wines, If you are not aging for months or longer, not really a problem but if you treat every wine you make as likely to be improved with bulk aging then racking off gross lees is good practice and certainly, in my opinion, you never want to bottle from a container that has an inch or so of gross lees. Never the best approach to ensuring that the wine you bottle is bright and clear with minimal sediment forming inside the bottle forcing you to decant the wine before you pour or having to toss away the last glass because it is murky.

 

[QuiQuog]

Aging in the primary CAN be a problem with some /many yeasts. Dead yeast cells are apt to burst open and when they spill their guts you can find off flavors that you really do not want in your wines, If you are not aging for months or longer, not really a problem but if you treat every wine you make as likely to be improved with bulk aging then racking off gross lees is good practice and certainly, in my opinion, you never want to bottle from a container that has an inch or so of gross lees. Never the best approach to ensuring that the wine you bottle is bright and clear with minimal sediment forming inside the bottle forcing you to decant the wine before you pour or having to toss away the last glass because it is murky.

To be clear, I wasn't suggesting bottling from the primary, or aging on gross lees. I was only refering to fermenting in primary until dry. I still rack into a carboy for clearing and aging.

 

[joeswine]

Follow my thread if you can , adding tannins and instant coffee the real key is aging time at least 1year

 

[ratflinger]

@joeswine - Which thread please, must have missed this one as I usually find your threads both informative and entertaining.

 

[joeswine]

I no this sounds like a pain it’s been posted many times in all my threads , I’m having problems posting files as of late .
What questions do you have?
Look tonight on tweaking cheap wine kits I’ll put the whole file on it, ok?

 

[Huba Huba]

Can anyone confirm the amount of tannin and instant coffee to add to this Coffee Port Kit? I wanted to confirm the amounts but have spent the last 3 nights searching, I can find dozens of instances where @joeswine recommends adding both and even several pictures showing what to add but cannot find the amounts of either. I think I got the one tablespoon of tannin from the picture, it looks like a tablespoon, but can't find the amount. I have also found references of adding anywhere from a teaspoon to several tablespoons of coffee, (none of these were @joeswine). Thanks in advance!

 

[joeswine]

One teaspoon per 3 gallon batch .

 

[joeswine]

Go on tweaking cheap wine kits and I’ll place the process ther around 8 est

 

[Huba Huba]

thank you

 

[joeswine]

@joeswine - Which thread please, must have missed this one as I usually find your threads both informative and entertaining.

Tweaking cheap wine kits (last night)

 

[GaDawg]

What I do, and this is not a recommendation!
I follow the kit instructions on the 1st one to get a bese line.
I don’t know if my tweets are beneficial if I don’t have anything to compare

 

[GaDawg]

Oh, and I will recommend you read anything joeswine shares with us!