WineXpert the Island Mist exotic fruits

[JoyofWine]

I was talking about the Exotic Fruits, but I'll stay away from the Wildberry too. Maybe it's the mixed fruit ones that are a little questionable....

 

[Sammyk]

We just racked off the lees the Exotic Fruits, too early to tell but we don't think we will care for it either. I think we will avoid Island Mist kits in the future.

 

[JoyofWine]

Same here. I've had pretty good luck with the Orchard Breezin ones so far.

 

[vernsgal]

Same here. I've had pretty good luck with the Orchard Breezin ones so far.

I agree on the Orchard Breezin being better. I don't relly like these sweet wines but my kids (all grown) do. In the Island Mist 's I've tried they've really only liked the green apple.

 

[Sammyk]

We are thinking of adding some extract to the Exotic Fruits. Does anyone have some suggestions?

 

[Tess]

I went to Walmart and bought one of those little crystal light things. You know, the one in the small bottle you can just add a squeeze to your bottle of water.
Its in the kool-aid isle. I got the Mango passion fruit and squeezed the whole thing into the carboy and mixed it in. Its taste better. I feel anything has to be an improvement at this point!!

 

[Tess]

i'll give the orchard breezin a try. I like the idea of a sweet cheap little wine with a little punch for quests and family who are not serious wine drinkers!!

 

[Tess]

I went to Walmart and bought one of those little crystal light things. You know, the one in the small bottle you can just add a squeeze to your bottle of water.
Its in the kool-aid isle. I got the Mango passion fruit and squeezed the whole thing into the carboy and mixed it in. Its taste better. I feel anything has to be an improvement at this point!!

Update!! It was so bad I never even wanted to open a bottle for a few months. I gave my son one when I bottled and he popped the cork on it tonight. I hesitated but I tasted it. Its good. Soooo much better after adding the concentrated Mango passion crystal light drops. lol Hey, some times you gotta do what you gotta do

 

[Sammyk]

JoyofWine and Tess We just racked the Exotic Fruits a little while ago. It is a little green tasting but I think we will like it once it has a couple of months of bottle aging. Now I am wondering did you bump the sugar up and how long did you wait before you had the first bottle?

If you bumped the sugar, it does need bottle aging in our opinion.

 

[Tess]

JoyofWine and Tess We just racked the Exotic Fruits a little while ago. It is a little green tasting but I think we will like it once it has a couple of months of bottle aging. Now I am wondering did you bump the sugar up and how long did you wait before you had the first bottle?

If you bumped the sugar, it does need bottle aging in our opinion.

I added 3 1/2 lbs of sugar up front. Half the fruit pack up front and the other half at the end. You might be right Sammy but its tasted so bad lol Its taste pretty good now and its one week after bottling. I followed the direction as far as the rest gos

 

[JoyofWine]

I think this was the 3rd kit I made, so I followed the instructions. Now when I made the OB Green Apple kit I added sugar in the form of simple syrup in the primary.

After our last discussion about the EFruits, I went and dumped the rest of the bottles after opening one and giving it a taste. It had aged a good 3-4 months and still yuck! Lol I wouldn't even feel comfortable giving it away!

 

[Sammyk]

We added the sugar up front (my notes indicate 4.25 pounds) and the entire pack at the back end. OG was 1.076.

 

[JoyofWine]

How many cups are in a Pound of sugar? About 2?

 

[FABulousWines]

Yep, two cups are about a pound of sugar...close enough for winemaking anyway.

 

[Tess]

I think this was the 3rd kit I made, so I followed the instructions. Now when I made the OB Green Apple kit I added sugar in the form of simple syrup in the primary.

After our last discussion about the EFruits, I went and dumped the rest of the bottles after opening one and giving it a taste. It had aged a good 3-4 months and still yuck! Lol I wouldn't even feel comfortable giving it away!

Yeah I just knew there was no recovering from this Nastiness. lol. Mine taste pretty good but like I said I squeezed a whole thing of Crystal lights liquid drops in mine. beats tossing it. I still can not believe the great reviews its getting at Midwest. I left mine never checked to see if they apporived it. Not sure Im going to be paying any attention to their reviews if they didn't. I wasn't mean or rude just truthful

 

[Tess]

It came out a little more sweet then I would have liked because the crystal lights has sweetner added but my son and his friends like it. I will let them drink away. As long as they stay away from my good stuff

 

[JoyofWine]

Thanks Fab!

I'm wondering if I should add more sugar up front? I'm usually only added 2 to 2 1/2 pounds. I don't want to change the flavor of the kits too much...It seems like most people add 4 pounds? And, I always make a simple syrup and add it to the primary, do you guys just pour in regular sugar?

 

[Sammyk]

I use around 4 cups upfront and the full fpack at the back end and it is not too sweet. Just the way we like it.
I just dissolve 4 pound of sugar in a pot and add that right after the bentonite is stirred and mixed in well. Then fill to not quite the 6 gallon mark and check the SG to make sure it is around 1.085.

 

[FABulousWines]

I've done it both ways. 4 lbs of sugar will dissolve in 5 gallons with enough stirring. But it is better to do like Sammyk and dissolve it on the stove. It is easier to mix that way and if the sugars invert they will ferment easier as well.

 

[Sammyk]

What we do is fill the pot with water and add the 4 pounds of sugar (measured with a digital scale). Or if you buy sugar in the 4 pound bags just add the whole bag. We do not measure the water. When comes to boil, add the sugar and turn the burner off and stir until it dissolves. I let it cool a few minutes.