Other Need some good early drinkers

[thruhike00]

Six dinner parties, some planned...some spontaneous combustion has depleted all my good forward thinking for building a cellar. These winos destroyed 30 bottles of malbec, 25 bottles of merlot (five were hidden for aging), 16 bottles or pinot noir, 8 bottles of sangiovese that was just bottled and frankly tasted like turd water (cannot believe they even opened another after the first bottle), and I cannot count how many bottle of sauvignon blanc and pinot grigio. The damage was not fully realized until tonight when I went to get a bottle of malbec and all were toast. Asked the wife WTF happened and she said everyone had a good time... I really need some help on good tasting early drinkers. I am going to bottle these immediately after fermenting is finished. I do not use sorbate ( I think its the main ingredient in KT), but may have to use to prohibit bottle bombs. I have a WE 10L Chilean malbec and a WE CA trinity red that got delivered today. These are my first WE kits and based on what I have read on the forums here, WE kits take a long time to ready for consumption.

I need some good kit recommendations for both white and red that are ready early. 8-12 weeks from start to ready would be great. I know I am asking a lot, but beggars (and a guy who doesn't want to go to total wine) can't be to discriminating.

I learned a valuable lesson in all this carnage. We have wine stored all over the house as I do not have a cellar. If guests can see, they want to open it. If its in a bottle they will open it. If its in a carboy its safe. I am going to build a wine cellar under the house that only a few know about and can be locked. I have two amarone kits in carboys and I would be beyond pissed off if they were bottled and opened early by these so called friends. Thanks for any advice on some early drinkers!!!

 

[cpfan]

My favourite early drinking red is the Ken Ridge Classic Merlot. Many whites can be drunk early, and I really like the Ken Ridge Showcase German Gewurztraminer (we make it dry). Unfortunately, I don't think Ken Ridge kits are readily available in the USA.

Steve

 

[barbiek]

LMAO this happened to me this past Christmas it wasn't my guest finding the wine it was my generosity! I tend to get overly generous when receiving compliments and a lil tipsy lol. Grand Cru Beaojolais is a good one

 

[Dhaynes]

I think you need a better class of friend The best early drinkers I know of are the Island Mist & Orchard Breezin kits. They can be ready to drink 2-3 months after starting the kit. They have a traditional wine as a base to which you add a flavor pack that adds fruit flavors and some extra sugar. The fruit and the sugar help mask the harshness of a newly fermented wine so they taste good early. They have a low ABV that also helps with the early drink ability although most people add about 3 lbs of sugar up front to bump the ABV up some. Skeeter pee is also an early drinker.

 

[thruhike00]

I think you need a better class of friend The best early drinkers I know of are the Island Mist & Orchard Breezin kits. They can be ready to drink 2-3 months after starting the kit. They have a traditional wine as a base to which you add a flavor pack that adds fruit flavors and some extra sugar. The fruit and the sugar help mask the harshness of a newly fermented wine so they taste good early. They have a low ABV that also helps with the early drink ability although most people add about 3 lbs of sugar up front to bump the ABV up some. Skeeter pee is also an early drinker.

Can you make these at all drier than what the directions call for? Not a big sweet wine fan and they all are listed as sweet.

I have been traveling quite a bit during the week since Christmas. Wife confessed that she had the girls over several nights while I was out of town and they basically destroyed the malbec.

 

[thruhike00]

My favourite early drinking red is the Ken Ridge Classic Merlot. Many whites can be drunk early, and I really like the Ken Ridge Showcase German Gewurztraminer (we make it dry). Unfortunately, I don't think Ken Ridge kits are readily available in the USA.

Steve

I don't believe I can buy the KR kits. I do have the cheeky monkey kits available from grapestompers. Would this be a comparable kit and about how long from start to drinking? Thanks.

 

[ceeaton]

Can you make these at all drier than what the directions call for? Not a big sweet wine fan and they all are listed as sweet.

I have been traveling quite a bit during the week since Christmas. Wife confessed that she had the girls over several nights while I was out of town and they basically destroyed the malbec.

I made a few of the Orchard Breezin kits and put 1/2 of the f-pack in the primary once most of the fermentation is done, but before racking/clarifying etc (there is some sorbate in the f-packs). Then after it went dry and I stabilized it, I'd bench test and add a small amount of the f-pack to a measured sample and let my wife sample. When it got where she liked it, took a SG reading and aimed a little lower. Left it in the carboy for about a week and had her retry and reminded her that they seem to have the sweetness come forward with a little aging.

She loves the wines as do her friends, co-workers etc, etc. Not my favorite since I prefer dry to off-dry wines, especially reds.

PS. 1.002 seems to be the sweet spot for her taste buds.

 

[richmke]

Can you make these at all drier than what the directions call for? Not a big sweet wine fan and they all are listed as sweet.

I have added 1/2 of the F-Pack into the primary during fermentation. Those wines are still too sweet for my taste. Maybe 3/4 next time.

If you are concerned about the k-sorbate in the f-pack, then add the f-pack in around day 4.

 

[manelson]

I would highly recommend the cheeky monkey series for exactly your needs. I always have a few kits for parties and everyday wine. They are very smooth after one month but won't get much better after a year. I have had the malbec and merlot. I also have had the Ken classic Shiraz. Took a little longer, very comparable. Make a few of these kits then u can get the high end kits later to store . cheers Mike

 

[barbiek]

I add at least 1/2 the f-pack to fermentation bucket on day 1, some fresh fruit and raisins. By day 2 it's fermenting away.