Storing wine kit juice

[deneed4spd]

Live down in Florida and I keep the house at 80-82 degrees in the summer. Can I store wine kit juice at these temps until I'm ready to ferment during winter?

 

[Smok1]

Live down in Florida and I keep the house at 80-82 degrees in the summer. Can I store wine kit juice at these temps until I'm ready to ferment during winter?

I tryed google, couldnt find anything on kit storage temps, i keep mine at 70-75f and just make sure i use them within 12 months of the production code date.

 

[bkisel]

I would feel just okay with a 10L or less kit but not otherwise. Even so I'd want that 10L kit to have a relatively new box date.

 

[Ron0126]

How many kits are we talking about? Maybe get a cheapo used fridge for the garage and set it on its highest setting? I've seen them on Craigslist for $100.

 

[Smok1]

It would be nice to know the optimal storage temp as my winekit store stores them on the shelves at room temp and told me there good as long as i ise them 1 year from the production date. Im going to email RJS and WineExpert and see what type of response i get, because i have an extra fridge downstairs i could be using of colder is better. Ill email now and post the response.

 

[Floandgary]

I do believe that most "kit" juices are packaged in sealed food grade plastic pouches (I do mostly Juice buckets so there's no storing) therefore the contents are relatively safe from spoilage. I would strive to keep it at a somewhat consistant temp tho not too warm, and refrigeration not necessary. I had made a Pinot Noir kit that my father had purchased but had not used for @5 years with no ill effects. So as Smok1 posted, touch base with the manufacturer for their recommendation.. Consider,,,,,, these kits and much other product sit on retail shelves for HOW LONG?????

 

[Smok1]

I do believe that most "kit" juices are packaged in sealed food grade plastic pouches (I do mostly Juice buckets so there's no storing) therefore the contents are relatively safe from spoilage. I would strive to keep it at a somewhat consistant temp tho not too warm, and refrigeration not necessary. I had made a Pinot Noir kit that my father had purchased but had not used for @5 years with no ill effects. So as Smok1 posted, touch base with the manufacturer for their recommendation.. Consider,,,,,, these kits and much other product sit on retail shelves for HOW LONG?????

The wine kits come with production date codes, not expirery date. The date codes are the date they were packaged, they typically hit supplier shelves within a month or two of the production date. Apparently after 1 year of being packaged the oxidization process begins to be noticable, having said that after 1 year my local wine shop puts them on clearance and im no stranger to taking advantage of them. I have done a few kits between the 12-18 month of production date and they taste just fine to me. The RJS production date codes are easily readable, i find the wine expert ones a little difficult but from searching on the internet you take the bottom numbers on the sticker for eg. the LE16 grenache cabernet i just bought numbers read as follows 459017079 you skip the first 2 numbers(not sure what they mean) next set of numbers are the days and next 2 numbers are the year if i remember correctly, so in this case it was packaged on the 90th day of 2017, which makes sense because i believe april was its release date.

Edit was just comparing the date codes on the wine expert kits and they dont jive. Im gonna make a new thread to see if anyone can help

 

[Smok1]

Live down in Florida and I keep the house at 80-82 degrees in the summer. Can I store wine kit juice at these temps until I'm ready to ferment during winter?

This is an email from RJS:

Hi Dave,

The best temp to store our kits at would be 46F - 53F if possible. This will reduce the amount of oxygen uptake into the juice through the bladder reducing oxidation. Also having them in a dark environment will also slow the oxidation process.

Thank you

Chris Holman | Product Support Advisor
[email protected]
Office: 905.564.6900 ex. 5802
RJS Craft Winemaking | A division of Constellation Brands Canada, Inc.
441 Courtneypark Dr E | Mississauga, ON L5T 2V3 |

 

[deneed4spd]

Hmm - how does this impact ordering from retailers down in TX and FL that ship ground especially during the summer. Maybe I need to source my boxes from lbhs

 

[Smok1]

Hmm - how does this impact ordering from retailers down in TX and FL that ship ground especially during the summer. Maybe I need to source my boxes from lbhs

I dont know, he really didnt reply in depth about higher tempature storage even though i did ask him about it. My local supplier stores it at room temp 72f

I just moved my kits down to the wine storage room, its a little cooler than the rest of my house, 62-65f typically

 

[Ron0126]

This is an email from RJS:

The best temp to store our kits at would be 46F - 53F if possible. |

So ... an el cheapo fridge. 46 to 53 is pretty chilly. My newer refrigerator allows a setting up to 43. I'd have to think getting a cheap fridge off Craigslist or from a used appliance store would be a viable alternative. Plus you'd have one for cold stabilization if you needed it.