Newbie Error - Question

[trucknut]

First time into making wine from a kit, and yes I screwed it up. I added too much water and the only way I can see to correct it, is by adding anther kit. At this point NO YEAST has been added, just the water and one kit.
Problem is the store won't open till Monday - 37hrs just sitting in the Fermenter container. Not sure if I should just dump it or wait till Monday and add the second kit - yeast. Any comments?

thanks,

 

[CGish]

How much is too much?

As for the time delay, this thread may help: http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?p=583948#post583948

 

[Arne]

Don't sweat it, just use the yeast from the other kit, get some different yeast and use for the second kit. And welcome to to forum. Arne.

 

[trucknut]

9 liters over

It is a 23 liter kit, and I added 9 liters over. Still have the yeast (not added) just thought I would hold off till some could advise me!

 

[trucknut]

Thanks for the fast response - let you know how it turned out

 

[Jc5066]

Are you sure you added that much extra water. I can't see how you would fit that much extra water in your bucket.

 

[Thig]

Are you sure you added that much extra water. I can't see how you would fit that much extra water in your bucket.

Where does it say what size primary he is using?

 

[bkisel]

Welcome to the forum!

I think that could be more of a "brain fart" error than a newbie error. Almost three years now into this wine making stuff and I'll still manage to make a goof every now and then. Fortunately I've not lost much wine as a result. Hang in there, you'll recover from this error and go on to greater wine making success.

 

[trucknut]

Brain Fart!

Yea, that would describe the error.
I have a 40liter bucket as the original kit bucket is broken. I added the water first, not calculating the 10 liters for the wine kit, catching the error when the total volumes were 8 liters over ( not 9 liters as earlier stated ). I now have moved the contents into a 72 liter bucket and added the yeast.
I have two options: 1. Leave the kit with 8 liters to much. 2. Add a second kit Monday morning ( correcting the water volumes ) when the supply store opens 37 hours later - and hope for the best.
My plans are to use option 2, and hope this works. I really hate to go thru this and wind up with 60 bottles of bad wine and minus the $.

 

[heatherd]

Yea, that would describe the error.
I have a 40liter bucket as the original kit bucket is broken. I added the water first, not calculating the 10 liters for the wine kit, catching the error when the total volumes were 8 liters over ( not 9 liters as earlier stated ). I now have moved the contents into a 72 liter bucket and added the yeast.
I have two options: 1. Leave the kit with 8 liters to much. 2. Add a second kit Monday morning ( correcting the water volumes ) when the supply store opens 37 hours later - and hope for the best.
My plans are to use option 2, and hope this works. I really hate to go thru this and wind up with 60 bottles of bad wine and minus the $.

Option 2 sounds logical.

 

[ceeaton]

I really hate to go thru this and wind up with 60 bottles of bad wine and minus the $.

Which kit did you use? Most of them will make very drinkable wine, just maybe not a $20 one, which I ususally can't afford anyway. Just think of it as an attempt to get your wine cellar stocked up from the get go. In a way that is a very smart move!

I could use that one with the wife..."Honey, I added to much water to this kit. The only way to fix it is to go get another kit and add it. Either that or this wine will be very weak, and you wouldn't want a weak wine, would you?" Wife: "Go ahead honey, do what you think is best!"

And he could...go...all...the....way...Score!

 

[trucknut]

My very first attempt on homemade wine is a "Kenridge" Classic the 4 week model, recommended by the sales person. Certainly didn't plan this larger batch, as a beginner - hopefully it turns out and pleases the palate.
My choice of wine is always a red, but to please the wife a sweeter white is what pleases her taste. First I need to prove I can make a successful decent red wine before I move on to please her fussy palate.

Impressed by the response on the site.

 

[heatherd]

My very first attempt on homemade wine is a "Kenridge" Classic the 4 week model, recommended by the sales person. Certainly didn't plan this larger batch, as a beginner - hopefully it turns out and pleases the palate.
My choice of wine is always a red, but to please the wife a sweeter white is what pleases her taste. First I need to prove I can make a successful decent red wine before I move on to please her fussy palate.

Impressed by the response on the site.

Which red is it?

Can I make a couple of suggestions since your first batch is under pressure to succeed?

Suggestion one: Age the wine in a carboy before you bottle it. This is called bulk aging. Then also age the wine in a bottle. 3-6 months in the carboy and 3-6 months in the bottle is good for a red. Add potassium metabisulfate in the amount of 1/4 teaspoon per 6 gallons every three months while bulk aging.

Suggestion two: Add oak in the form of sticks or chips while the wine is bulk aging.

Suggestion three: Purchase some type of tannin powder, like tannin riche by scott labs. Add 1 teaspoon during the bulk aging process. Give it a week or so to blend into the flavor of your wine. I use a tablespoon for a red but you'll have to taste and see, add yours incrementally.

Suggestion four: Omit the potassium sorbate that's in your kit. This is used when you're working with a sweet wine so not needed for a dry red.

I know it's really, really hard to wait four weeks let alone a year, but your wine will be better with time. All of these extra steps and ingredients will make your wine much, much better and have it taste more like a commercial wine. Better to have something really good since you'll have 60 bottles!

Good luck!
Heather

 

[sour_grapes]

My choice of wine is always a red, but to please the wife a sweeter white is what pleases her taste. First I need to prove I can make a successful decent red wine before I move on to please her fussy palate.

You may have this the other way around. It is MUCH easier and faster to make an enjoyable sweet white wine from a kit than it is to make a dry red. Might it make sense (after you finish out this double batch) to make a off-dry white for SWMBO, which will be ready much sooner than your red, and hook her before the reality of waiting for your red to mature sets in?

 

[Jc5066]

My choice of wine is always a red, but to please the wife a sweeter white is what pleases her taste. First I need to prove I can make a successful decent red wine before I move on to please her fussy palate.



.

You must be a newlywed. Any married man knows a happy wife is a happy husband LOL

Like sour grapes suggested, Impress her with a quick turnaround sweet wine first! Then spend the money a couple nice reds that you will want to age for a year or so! (Plus the carboys, and all the other equipment)

Keep us up to date and good luck. It's addicting, fun, and rewarding. You will also find new best friends that want your wine!

 

[trucknut]

Heather your breaking my heart - having to wait a year before I can enjoy my wine. LOL
The Kenridge kit is a Cab/Shir.
Seriously, I will follow your advice - this is great.
Thanks for taking the time to help out!!!

Tim

 

[trucknut]

A friend has given me 3 glass carboys and all the starter equipment, as he never used it. He knows this kind act will generate payback, rather than have the equipment sit idle. I like the idea of carboy aging, and will have to pick up a few more carboys.
Then I can try a white wine for the wife, will my reds are aging. For now that is the plan.

 

[DoctorCAD]

A friend has given me 3 glass carboys and all the starter equipment, as he never used it. He knows this kind act will generate payback, rather than have the equipment sit idle. I like the idea of carboy aging, and will have to pick up a few more carboys.
Then I can try a white wine for the wife, will my reds are aging. For now that is the plan.

If she really likes sweet whites, go with the Island Mist kits. Follow the directions on the first kit so you see how it comes out. The peach chardonnay is a huge favorite. Very little waiting time after the initial 4 weeks, maybe 2 weeks. They do get a bit better with age, but not enough to make it worth waiting. They are low alcohol, so that is why they don't need to mellow.

 

[heatherd]

I agree with DoctorCAD, the Island Mist Peach Apricot Chardonnay is really good, easy to make well, and quick turn around. You and the wife can be drinking that stuff while your red is aging.

 

[trucknut]

Nov 2015 to Aug 2016

Back in Nov. 2015: The error of adding to much water was corrected by going to a double batch and adjusting the water to the correct level. On the advice from heatherd, I added 2 tsp of grape tannins & and 2 extra powder oak packs to the double batch.
After 3 months the wine really didn't taste that good and I thought this wine would likely be for me only.
Now at 9 months the wine tastes very good and yes the relatives can enjoy it as well.
I have made of few wine kits since this batch, but really only starting to learn what aging does to wine.
Thanks for taking care of the newibie when it was most needed!