RJ Spagnols RJS CC Amarone

[joeswine]

adding to the mix

leave in till the wine has gone dry then remove no other work is required by the raisins..are you going to capitalize??

 

[Steve_M]

Joe,
No, on the capitalization first kit wanted to not tweak.
The S.G. is 0.994, my question is, I racked from primary on 1/16/15 adding raisins at this time so really raisins have only been in for 4 days. Could I leave wine at levels they are in right now to extract anything further from them for another week or two?

Thanks,

Steve

 

[joeswine]

Amarone in the flow

YES............. CONTINUE TO CHECK THE SG FOR A SLITE RISE BEFORE RACKING THEN LET IT SETTLE DOWN TO SEE IF ANYTHING ELSE NEEDS TO BE ADDRESS,TAKE YOUR TIME.. DEGASSING WILL BE YOUR NEXT STOP AND THERE WILL BE A GOOD DEAL.THIS WILL TAKE A GOOD TWO WEEKS OF STEADY STIRRING.

 

[bkisel]

Steve, I believe by adding raisins you have tweaked this kit. Without splitting your batch and doing part with and part without raisins you'll not know, from this kit, whether or not you've enhanced/tweaked the batch to your liking or not.

On the plus side you can decide to make another RJS CC Amarone to decide which you prefer. I suspect though that the taste difference with or without raisins is likely to be subtle.

Should be starting mine within a week or so!

 

[Steve_M]

Hey Bill,
The raisins I added came with this kit, the directions were not clear on if they should have gone in primary along with grape pack?
But yes I really am looking forward to tasting this one and possibly getting another started in the not too distant future.

Good luck with getting yours underway!

Thanks,

Steve

 

[bkisel]

Hey Bill,
The raisins I added came with this kit, the directions were not clear on if they should have gone in primary along with grape pack?
But yes I really am looking forward to tasting this one and possibly getting another started in the not too distant future.

Good luck with getting yours underway!

Thanks,

Steve

Okay. Got it. Didn't realize this kit came with raisins. Not that I didn't believe you but I went down to the basement and opened the box and sure enough found the raisins underneath the juice bladder.

Neither my kit instructions nor the newer instructs found online for the kit mention the raisins. I think I'll give RJS CS a call on this and listen to what they have to say. If I get an answer I'll try to remember to post back here.

 

[bkisel]

Hey Bill,
The raisins I added came with this kit, the directions were not clear on if they should have gone in primary along with grape pack?
...

Steve

Steve, Heard back from RJS CS. Instructions are to soak the raisins in water for ten minutes and add raisins to PRIMARY along with the oak and grape skins. It was suggested to put oak and raisins together in a bag and to squeeze it and the grape skin bag twice a day while in primary.

 

[Steve_M]

Bill,
Thanks so I guess in their directions the dehydrated fruit would be raisins?
Oh well, so I did tweak! LOL
Well will see how that affects outcome. Right now my S.G. is 0.994 and has been steady for the last couple of days. I may not give it the full two weeks I initially intended it to sit in carboy with raisins but rack this weekend.
Another lesson learned if not sure call manufacturer...

Thanks,

Steve

 

[bkisel]

I've probably called RJS CS half a dozen times over the last two years - especially the first few months when I started with their kits. I think I only once got through on my initial call but I've always gotten a call back and generally within a few hours or the next day ifin I called late in the day. I've always spoken with the same very pleasant and knowledgeable lady [wish I could remember her name]. This last time (yesterday) I called it took a few more phone button presses to get through to RJS CS. Apparently (?) they're now part of a parent company and you need to work your way through their phone directory system.

 

[joeswine]

adding fruit to a mix

hydrate or not the effect will be the same , done it a few hundred times.REMEMBERING WHEN THE FRUIT IS IN THE WINE IT WILL REHYDRATE ACCORDINGLY.

 

[bkisel]

Yes Joe, that of course makes sense. I just wanted to post what RJS CS told me. Main thing for me was to learn that they say to put the raisins in the primary as I would have guessed the secondary. Do you think it would make a big deal primary vs. secondary?

 

[joeswine]

adding to the mix

YES it does. Think of it as a partnership in the wine making process.
first: adding to the primary merges both tastes in a primary balance, they become partners a smother blending.

secondary: the fruit added at this point just becomes a background collaborator in the mix and adds to the back ground only an enhancer if you will not as important member but still has input.

THIS is how blending works what goes into the primary becomes a blended wine ,what goes into the secondary become a enhancement to the overall base flavor profile of the wine. Got it!

 

[bkisel]

Thanks Joe. Good to know.

 

[Steve_M]

Thanks Joe, I had read in some of your previous posts that you added the raisins in secondary. Today I am at 1 week in the secondary with the raisins added. My carboys are not entirely topped off (posted pictures post #20).
I am still undecided if I could go another week before I rack and top off?

Thanks,

Steve

 

[joeswine]

adding to the mix

as long as you have positive pressure in the carboy not to worry about head space at this junction nature will take over....let your sg. be your guide nothing else..

 

[Steve_M]

Racked off of the raisins today, added K-meta, potassium sorbet. Stirred to degas tho not fully.
I have a 5gal carboy filed with a one gallon carboy half full, Iknow this is a way too much head space, hope I can find at least a 1/2 gallon jugs to use.
Anyway starting S.G was 1.110 final S.G. is 0.994, I come up with an ABV of 15.2%?

Thanks,

Steve

 

[Boatboy24]

...hope I can find at least a 1/2 gallon jugs to use...

Do you have any 1.5L bottles empty? That would be just shy of a half gallon (1 gallon = roughy 5 750ml bottles). A number 2 stopper and an airlock and you're all set.

 

[sour_grapes]

Racked off of the raisins today, added K-meta, potassium sorbet.

Mmmm, my favorite flavor of sorbet!

Anyway starting S.G was 1.110 final S.G. is 0.994, I come up with an ABV of 15.2%?

I agree that, in the absence of other factors, those initial and final SGs translate into an ABV of 15.2%. However, what about the raisins? I am unfamiliar with the RJS kits, but, generally speaking, raisins have lots of sugar. Normal raisins (like from the store) are about 65% sugar by weight. If your kit raisins were similar, then it probably bumped your ABV up a bit.

 

[joeswine]

adding to the mix

IN THE SECONDARY, still check the sg before and a day after you give it a vigorous stirring there still should be gas in the wine. WHAT is your space temperature and the wine temp;let it sit for at least two weeks without being disturbed this is important to let it rest....okay....allow the wine to macerate times your partner in this relationship.

 

[Steve_M]

Adding Oak

Approaching 4 weeks since the start of this kit.
Last weekend I racked off of the raisins, stirred to degas, although not fully yet.
I decided to hold off on adding clearing agents for now, I bought Hungarian medium toasted oak cubes and will add this weekend.
I know it would be users preference as to how much to add, but any pointers on a good starting amount and for how long with cubes to leave in?

Also, I have a few Tito's (awesome BTW) vodka 1.5L bottles around perfect size except for the stopper. I ordered #2, but too small for this type of bottle, so wrapped several turns of plumbers tape for a snug fit until I get proper size.

Thanks,

Steve