RJ Spagnols Orchard Breezin Blueberry Shiraz

[JDL]

Started my first wine kit last weekend, thought I would post what I did and what has happend so far to see if anyone does anything different.

I have been following the kit instructions completely as I want to know a base before I mess with anything.

We mixed everything together as the instructions called for and ended up with it being way to warm, it came in at 92 degrees so we started the wait until it came down to the 77 degrees the instructions called for.

The wine sate for about 12 hours before it finally came down naturally and we sprinkled the yeast on top, although alot of people said to make a starter the instructions said to just sprinkle.

We are using a lid that does not snap and has a rubber seal that we just sit on top and put an airlock on top. We have an electric thermoter we cleaned and sanatized in the wine also with the wire running out to see how the room we are using is effecting the temperature.

After 48 hours we saw no movement in the airlock so we lifted the lid and the yeast definetly started, the entire top was covered and you could here it sizzling.

We are not 5 days in and the temperature had dropped to 73 so I was going to maybe turn the heat up in the room and it increased on its own to 77.

Anyone know any tricks or something to do different next time please let me know.

Thanks,
Jeff

 

[xanxer82]

You can snap your lid down and the airlock will bubble.
I have the same kit in secondary right now.

 

[JDL]

I got my kit from finevinewines and it seems to not snap, my friend who introduced me to wine making has a kit that the lid snaps but this kit does not.

I went back on the site and it says it specifically does not snap down. It has a rubber seal around it that keeps it from snapping.

Jeff

 

[Wade E]

Nothing else to do but wait, when the sg gets to around 1.020 I would snap down the lid though so that the layer of C02 protects the wine. you have to really push the lid down hard case its brand new, if it doesnt snap down call George and tell him because it should.

 

[Zoogie]

JDL I had the same thing happen to one of my formentor buckets...if its new the lid might be really tight press hard it will close

 

[Wade E]

By the way, Im getting this kit and 3 others of these Sat. and bumping the abv up to around 10% as my wife has been hnading them out like Halloween candy!

 

[PAwinedude]

Wade,

I don't want to hijack this thread, but could you provide some instructions on how to bump the ABV on the Orchard Breezin Kits?

 

[Julie]

Wade,

I don't want to hijack this thread, but could you provide some instructions on how to bump the ABV on the Orchard Breezin Kits?

If you haven't started the kit yet, add more sugar. Orchard Breezin kits normally have an SG of 1.050, you can add enough sugar to bump it up to 1.080. This will give you roughly about 11% ABV

Julie

 

[Wade E]

I just did that exact thing this morning with that exact kit and also a Green Apple Gewurtz, I kept the Green Apple down to 1.075 though.

 

[JDL]

As this was my first kit I left it alone and the S.G. of 1.052 when we pitched the yeast. We are not at day 7, we sealed the lid between day 2 and 3 and the airlock was working alot.

Now there is no airlock movement at all really and I have kept the temperature between 71 and 75 for the entire process so far.

This still moving the way it should be? I know I could open the lid and check the S.G. but was just going to let the directions run there course and check next week when I move from primary to carboy.

Jeff

 

[Julie]

It will be fine. I have made a couple of the Orchard Breezin and never had a problem. Your starting reading is only 1.052 so it is not going to take long to ferment dry.

You will like this, I did the Blueberry Shiraz and I loved it. I just wish I would have thought of bumping up the alcohol content when I made it. I thought of it probably a week after I started. I just think a country wine with an alcohol content of around 10% has a better taste to it than one that has a lower alcohol content.

 

[Wade E]

I agree leave it till desired amount of days without lifting the lid as that would remove the C02 blanket that is protecting your wine. Be ready when you do open it up to rack to carboy cause I guaranty its done fermenting. They can go pretty fast most of the time.

 

[JDL]

Tomorrow we pop the lid and rack it over to the carboy...

I am going to use an autosiphon and just run the tubing in the carboy, I am not sure of a reason to use the racking cane for this step.

One question I have is when I got all my equipment it was all new and I assumed the one step was for everything so when I washed it all I just did that, I did not actually sanitize it, then after reading more I dug through the kit and found some sodium metabisulfite. Once I use the stuff and sanitize it, how much rinsing do you guys do with it? Just a once over with running water good or do I have to sanitize the rinse water by boiling it or something?

Any other tips for the degasing and 14 day period for kits? I got a wine bottle pump a friend uses that I am going to try to make sure it is completely degassed.

Thanks in advance..

Jeff

 

[cpfan]

The autosiphon replaces the racking cane, so no reason to use the cane.

I sanitize with k-meta, hold it for a bit, and then shake off the excess. I don't rinse.

Steve

 

[Julie]

I never rinse after santizing. Same goes when it is time to bottle, I santize the bottles, let them drip for awhile then fill them.

Actually I wonder if rinsing with tap water would unsantize?

Julie

 

[Wade E]

Rinsing would introduce bacteria all over again!

 

[JDL]

Transfer over to carboy is complete...

When we popped the lid it was completely clear minus a spot about 1/2 the size of a dime that had white specs which I am taking is a little wild yeast? Not sure if it is even anything to worry about...

We transfered everything over with the auto siphon and added all the packets in the correct order then degassed for two different sessions, 5 minutes each.

Then when we got done with that we used a wine bottle pump and pumped it 4 times whcih pulled even more of the gas out of it...

We now have it in the dark at about 68 degrees where it will sit for 2 more weeks...at this point it says to bottle it then or some say to bulk age it, for the first time my plan is to bottle it and just follow the kits directions...

Would anyone worry about those white specs that were in one spot no larger then 1/2 a dime?

Thanks in advance...
Jeff

 

[Hillbilly Bill]

Transfer over to carboy is complete...

When we popped the lid it was completely clear minus a spot about 1/2 the size of a dime that had white specs which I am taking is a little wild yeast? Not sure if it is even anything to worry about...

Would anyone worry about those white specs that were in one spot no larger then 1/2 a dime?

Thanks in advance...
Jeff

Jeff... I really don't know how to identify what it was without having a visual, and even then it may be difficult. However, when you go to stabilize, the metabisulfite should take care of your problem.
HB

 

[cpfan]

HB:

Pretty sure that he already stabilized, so K-meta, K-sorbate, F-pack, and clearing agents already added.

Steve

 

[JDL]

When I transfered the wine to the carboy I added all the necessary packets so I already stabilized everything and added the sulfites...I added it in the order the directions stated exactly.

The little spot was when I opened it in the primary bucket before I siphoned it into the carboy...like I said it was not larger then half a dime and the rest of the top of wine was clear...

Thanks,
Jeff