Other No more early kits!! Joe!!!

[Tess]

I can not do anymore of these early drinking kits. To me they are all horrible. YUK!!
I cant do it. I rather make Dragons blood or skeeter pee!! My family likes it better anyway!!
Im now on the higher end kits as far as kits go!! I would like to make them as good as possible. I just got my Italian Brunello Wine Making Kit w/ Grape Skins. Tips please Joe!! Im cant find your thread. Where is it?

 

[Tess]

Winexpert !! lol

 

[Tess]

where did he put his thread "Good Wines gone bad"? I cant find it

 

[Pumpkinman]

Tess, Make sure that you age that Brunello, the wine will be so much better after aging a year, just remember to check your SO2 levels every few months.

 

[CBell]

http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/f6/when-good-wines-g-ne-bad-29481/index56.html#post454328

 

[Tess]

Thank you guys so much. Tom this is my most important batch because its a brunello. My favorite! I have extra oak chips. Thanks for tips!!

 

[Tess]

http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/f6/when-good-wines-g-ne-bad-29481/index56.html#post454328

Thanks Cbell!!

 

[derunner]

Have you been making early reds or white wines? I've had pretty good responses to my white wine kits that were only aged/cleared about 4 months before bottling. And the mist type kits that were similar ages have been popular. However I have to say that skeeterpee and dragons blood are great. I have to double my production of these in the coming months.

My "early drinking" reds have been a disappointment compared to the whites. I have several reds I don't plan to bottle until next summer.

 

[Tess]

As for me color does not matter. They all suck Im over it!!! I am soooo over it!! making my own wine from fruit of higher end kits!!!! If that dont work Im done!!

 

[Tess]

Iv done the add half up front then the end... Add extra sugar to up the ABV!!Uggg... Yuk!!

 

[cpfan]

Tess:

How old are wines from the 'early kits'? If you have drunk them all (or tossed them), hide the rest. Find a few at 6 months, some more at 12 months.

To me, there is no such thing as an 'early kit'. I like at least 6 months even on the 4-week kits. Although the mist wines are fine earlier.

Steve

 

[Tess]

yuk!!Just saying!!

 

[Tess]

I will not toss anything!! I can always use it. I can cook with it , whatever!! But I have not tasted any good early kits as of yet!! Just saying.. Im hoping I might save some people some money!! Yuk! is all I can say!!

 

[TomK-B]

I hope you'll enjoy those ports you've been making.

 

[Pumpkinman]

Tess,
I started a Cru Select Brunello kit that a buddy got me, I tasted his and was impressed. I started it in January of this year, I didn't add the sorbate because I had no intention of back sweetening it, and I did not add any fining agents, I let time clear my wine.

After aging in a carboy for 4 months, I racked it into an oak barrel, it has been aging in the barrel (Vadai) for just about 5 months, and it is incredible!

I'm looking to leave it in the barrel one more month and either racking it back into a carboy for a few more before bottling or just bottling and letting it age a few more months in barrel.

The wine has been getting better and better with age, I do realize that the barrel has helped, but age is the key.

I had a few other wines that I thought were total garbage, I'd come back to them after a few more months and they would be much better.

Don't give up hope, let them age, make sure to monitor your SO2 levels, if they drop too much they become a perfect breeding ground for spoilage bacteria.

You are already stepping up your game by buying better kits, I think that you will be pleasantly surprised with what a little more time and patience can do for you!

 

[Tess]

I will add oak spirals to the secondary for at least 6 weeks. I dont have a barrel. This one I do plan on aging a long time but I wanted to age it in the bottle. I dont have the carboys to tie up bulk aging that long or the space. Its gonna have to do. Barrels kinda scare me I need to learn more about them. How do you clean them from one use to the next? lol

 

[Tess]

I hope you'll enjoy those ports you've been making.

I hope so too. Its still in the carboy and thats not really what I consider an early drinker nor is it cheap. lol. Plan on drinking mine next Christmas

 

[jamesngalveston]

lots of folks steam clean the barrels, then a hot rinse followed by a cold rinse.

 

[Tess]

As I learn more as I go I might spring for one. right now I dont need to top off my reds. I'll just oak spirals till its reaches the desired level who need marbles!!!