WineXpert New Forza Kit

[opus345]

BM 4x4 or RC-212?

 

[joeswine]

What came with the kit? Go with that for your first time.are you going to tweak ?

 

[sour_grapes]

I vote BM4x4 for an Italian kit!

 

[Johnd]

BM 4x4 for sure!!!!

 

[opus345]

Thanks.
I started the new Forza today with BM 4x4 + GoFerm + Skins loose + 60 g Oak (Med & Heavy) Blend. 1.100 SG.

 

[dmguptill]

I just recently picked up this kit and was wondering the same thing about the yeast. As I understand this wine is supposed to have pretty high final ABV. Will RC-212 finish the job on its own? I thought it topped out around 14-15%. I'd rather not use the 1118, especially if it will dominate.

 

[Johnd]

I just recently picked up this kit and was wondering the same thing about the yeast. As I understand this wine is supposed to have pretty high final ABV. Will RC-212 finish the job on its own? I thought it topped out around 14-15%. I'd rather not use the 1118, especially if it will dominate.

Nope, it’s tolerance is 16%, plenty enough to do the job if you choose to use it.

 

[opus345]

My wife looked at me yesterday as I decided to punt the bag for the grape skins and oak blend and said, "Ya know, your gonna make a mess later!"

 

[dmguptill]

My wife looked at me yesterday as I decided to punt the bag for the grape skins and oak blend and said, "Ya know, your gonna make a mess later!"

Are you doing this as an extended maceration? If so, pretty much all that stuff should sink to the bottom.

 

[Mcjeff]

Just ordered the Forza kit from Label Peelers - also ordered the BM4x4. I didn't see the Go-Ferm on their site...do I need it? Or do they sell something similar, but a different name?

 

[jgmann67]

Just ordered the Forza kit from Label Peelers - also ordered the BM4x4. I didn't see the Go-Ferm on their site...do I need it? Or do they sell something similar, but a different name?

No. You’re fine.

 

[dmguptill]

I finally got around to mixing up this kit, ordered a few months ago. Had some whites/early drinking reds to make for Christmas gifts, using my wine making real estate!

Mixed up the juice to 1.084. After adding the skins and mixing a bit it's up to 1.106. A little cool in the basement, so I wrapped the heater around the bucket, and will check everything in the morning.

Planning a 6-8 week extended maceration. Can't wait!

 

[jgmann67]

I finally got around to mixing up this kit, ordered a few months ago. Had some whites/early drinking reds to make for Christmas gifts, using my wine making real estate!

Mixed up the juice to 1.084. After adding the skins and mixing a bit it's up to 1.106. A little cool in the basement, so I wrapped the heater around the bucket, and will check everything in the morning.

Planning a 6-8 week extended maceration. Can't wait!

If your temps are around 65* or better, I wouldn’t worry about the heater. It’ll generate some nice heat on it’s own and allow the wine to be on the skins a little longer.

 

[dmguptill]

If your temps are around 65* or better, I wouldn’t worry about the heater. It’ll generate some nice heat on it’s own and allow the wine to be on the skins a little longer.

I think the basement usually hovers at about 68° but for whatever reason the must was around 65 or 66 last night. The heater got it up to ~72° this morning so I pitched the RC-212. Ill probably pull the heater after about 24h, once it's gotten going. Official starting SG is 1.106.

 

[dmguptill]

Also, to those who made this kit in its original iteration, what was the oak situation? I read through the other forza thread and it sounded like it contained cubes but maybe ppl were just talking about their own cubes added as a tweak.

For reference, the kit I got had two bags of chips for the primary but no cubes.

 

[Boatboy24]

Also, to those who made this kit in its original iteration, what was the oak situation? I read through the other forza thread and it sounded like it contained cubes but maybe ppl were just talking about their own cubes added as a tweak.

For reference, the kit I got had two bags of chips for the primary but no cubes.

My notes say I added oak cubes, but I didn't indicate if they came with the kit or not.

 

[ceeaton]

Also, to those who made this kit in its original iteration, what was the oak situation? I read through the other forza thread and it sounded like it contained cubes but maybe ppl were just talking about their own cubes added as a tweak.

For reference, the kit I got had two bags of chips for the primary but no cubes.

My notes say I added 30 g of French oak cubes and the actual Forza directions say to add the bag(s) of cubes, so I believe that they came with the kit since I hadn't bought any cubes separately (had only been making wine for about 8 months at that point). I don't remember how many bags of sawdust it came with, but I know there was at least one.

 

[Brian55]

My notes specify that 30g of French oak cubes were included with the kit. Wasn't as specific on the chips, just says "one bag of oak chips".

 

[dmguptill]

Starting to see some airlock activity 12 hours after pitching the yeast. It smells yeasty and wonderful. The juice in this kit is unlike any other I've ever done. It's an odd red color (almost a brownish tint, such that at first I thought it might be spoiled), and smells amazing. This is the first eclipse kit I've done too, so I'm wondering if they're all more like this. (I'm used to cheaper kits, where the juice just smells like plain cheap sugary grape juice)

 

[crushday]

Starting to see some airlock activity 12 hours after pitching the yeast. It smells yeasty and wonderful. The juice in this kit is unlike any other I've ever done. It's an odd red color (almost a brownish tint, such that at first I thought it might be spoiled), and smells amazing. This is the first eclipse kit I've done too, so I'm wondering if they're all more like this. (I'm used to cheaper kits, where the juice just smells like plain cheap sugary grape juice)

I'm not sure what price point "cheaper" kits is but look at it this way. Vintner's Reserve = bottom shelf and $9-11 a bottle. Eclipse = top shelf and $25 a bottle. The price difference in making Eclipse over VR is about $2 a bottle or less. Seems like a great deal to always make Eclipse (or any premium) when you look at it that way. You'll simply have better wine!