Other Tweeking Cheap Kits

[mhopkins]

Didn't find on FB. Name of the page? Or, URL? Thanks!

 

[joeswine]

Comes under winemaking talks.

 

[RocketBee]

16 ozs. of blackberries in the primary and the oak that came with the kit, then in the secondary I'll add 1 teaspoon of wine tannins that's how the owner like's their wine fruit forward with wood background. For the Chilean Merlot.
For the Cabernet. 16ozs. of Raspberries in the primary and the oak that came with the kit.
in both cases the {ABV. was at 12 to 13%.that's} the way they like their finish.
in both cases take the berries are simmer down with 2 cups of the base wine then they are dump directly in the mix . Sprinkle the yeast directly on top. Do not stir.

Did you reduce the volume any?

 

[joeswine]

Use your hydrometer to be your guide,put the bentonite in with warm water stir no lumps.
Add the base and stir again.
Now add the filtered water 2 gallons then check this SG to the ABV. Check your alcohol level each kit will be a little different. Then add water to we're you want the alcohol level to finish out,you have control of the process

..

 

[RocketBee]

The weekend before last I bottled the Fontana Chardonnay kit that I started on January 8th. I back-sweetened it very slightly to help take a little of the edge off of the tartness. I cracked open a bottle yesterday to try it out. I was very happy with the result, it seemed balanced, it was a bit tart...but certainly quite drinkable. I did this kit for "she who must be obeyed," aka my lovely bride. She thinks it's pretty good, just a bit too tart, but I keep telling her that the tartness should mellow a bit over time (hope I'm correct). Neither she nor I can taste the slightest hint of peach (I dropped 12 oz. of peach fpack in the primary). So we are a bit disappointed with that.

All things considered, I'm quite pleased with the result, the cost per bottle is totally worth it. I will do this kit again although I think I'll try the Sauvignon Blanc first. @joeswine thanks very much for the mentoring...amazing help. Thanks for your patience in answering all my questions.

I'm more of a dry red wine person, and usually eschew whites, but I like this stuff. Is it because I made the kit my own way or does it just taste good? Probably both, but leaning heavily toward the former.

 

[joeswine]

Rocketbee. The process will almost always be the same the difference is what your input is, that's what makes the difference yes it's your own enhancements that make it yours.
No dought.
Reds are easy stick to berries, make your own fpacs there easy and flavorful.

 

[joeswine]

did I lose all my views??? why?? it was important to me.

 

[joeswine]

I've been writing this thread since 2007,, and you dumped my views?//

 

[joeswine]

test thread......................................................................................why are there no reply's or views when I go into the forum posted by
sour grapes??

 

[joeswine]

Ibglowin,can you open up my site and see what Im talking about ,no views, no reply's??? always had it before??? or is it that only TX Brew can go in?

 

[joeswine]

This thread was
dedicated
to cheap wine kits and if this virus keeps up that's all well beable to afford....... how many out there are still with the plan.. these are just a few their fun to play with and are a decent value .

 

[oppyland]

For you cheap wine kit makers take a look at the WINE LOVERS site ,very good pricing...

Hey, Joe - can you explain the difference between their kits? They seem to offer different alcohol content options - is this just different amounts of juice in the kit? The prices range from $45 - 80.

EDIT: did some searching, and it sounds like you can add sugar to the lower priced kits along with some of your other tweaks. Are their cheapest ones worth the cost, or does it make more sense to get the more expensive?

 

[joeswine]

OPPYLAND : its' all about cost and what you want to try to do to make the wine your own.
EX. to experiment or not ? cheaper kits,.
The more the cost of the kit the less you would want to do ,on the other hand I've have tried the expensive kits and some I regretted not doing more of something with and yet some were spot on, understand?
Wine, Concentration and ABV all go hand and hand no matter how you cut it, for cheaper kits.
Expensive $175 to $200 dollar kits usually float to were the MFGS. instruction's play out.

ONCE AGAIN DO YOU WANT TO PLAY WTHYOUR WINE OR NOT<THAT IS THE QUESTION.

 

[joeswine]

I also like the FPACS you can buy through them pretty cool.
HERE’S MY TAKE ON BLENDING, THE FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS IS TO ESTABLISH WHAT IT IS IN A TASTE PROFILE, YOUR TRING TO ACCOMPLISH AND WHAT TYPE OF FINISH YOU WANT YOU’RE PROFILE TO HAVE.


NOW THAT YOU HAVE ESTABLISHED THE PROFILE AND FINISH LOOK FOR BLENDS THAT REALLY GO WELL TOGETHER, THAT MAKES WINE BLENDING A WHOLE LOT EASIER.


EX: MAKING A CAB AND MERLOT BLEND IS EASY RIGHT! BUT IF YOU’RE A KIT PERSON NOT SO. A WINEMAKER WHO USES GRAPE AND OR FRESH JUICE HAS THE ADVANTAGE OVER US, WHAT TO DO? UNDERSTAND? SO WHAT DO WE NEED TO KNOW AND HOW DO WE GET THERE.


BLENDING CONSIST OF A TWO DIFFERENT WINES OR MORE HAVING SOME OF THE SAME CHARISTERICTS YET DIFFERENT ENOUGH IN THE BLEND TO STANDOUT ON ITS OWN IN RESPECT TO THE OTHERS ROLL IN THE MIX.USUALY THIS IS ALL DONE AFTER THE WINES ARE COMPLETED AND READY FOR BOTTLING.


KIT MAKERS CAN DO ALL THE SAME MOVES ONLY GOING DOWN A VERY DIFFERENT AVENUE, IF YOU THINK OF ALL THE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS WE HAVE TO WORK WITH THERE IS NO REAL DIFFERENCE. WE HAVE THE BASIC CONCENTRATES TO WORK WITH AND DEPENDING ON THE VALUE OF THE KIT A LARGER AMOUNT OF VERITAL JUICE THEN CONCENTRATE,ADDING FRESH MADE FPACS TO THE BASE OR ZEST TO THE SECONDARY ALONG WITH THE ADDED AMOUNTS OF OAK,OAK DUST AND TANNINS ADDED ALL ALONG THE WAY. OUR VOLUMNES ARE SMALL ENOUGH TO TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION AS LONG AS WE ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO THE BASIC WINE RULES AND SANATATION THAT’S REQUIRED,WE CAN CHANGE PERTTY MUCH ON A DIME AND DO WHAT IS NECESSARY TO OUR PRODUCT.


LET SAY I WAS GOING TO MAKE A BLACKBERRY PINO NIOR,THE FIRST QUESTION I ASK IS WHATS THE PRIMARY FLAVOR AND WHATS THE SECONDARY.DEPENDING ON WHAT PROFILE I WANT THE WINE TO HAVE (TASTE) WILL LET ME KNOW WHO IS THE LEADER IN THIS DANCE, THE PINO OR THE BLACKBERRY,IF I USE THE PINO AS THE BASE AND THE BLACKBERRY FPAC IN THE PRIMARY THEN THE BLEND SHOULD BE A PARTENERSHIP OF FLAVORS,IF I USE THE PINO AS MY BASE AND THE BERRIES IN THE SECONDARY THEN THE BERRIES BECOME THE BACKGROUND.


I want to make a pinot Gris, from California and wanted to create crispness and a better bite to the wines finish, I would finish out the wine making sure I first had good abv. At the finish then either in the secondary or as a closing step a couple of weeks before bottling I would add the zest of 1 grapefruit or lemon to the wine and allow it two sit to infuse its acidity and freshness to the wine, then rack and bottle.


Making your own fpac from fresh grapes whenever and where ever you find them adds a better mouthfeel to the finish.


There are a lot of different ways kit winemakers can infuse, enhance and create our wines to have a touch of our own hand in the making but you must take the time to plan your work and work your plan, and always think outside the box.

 

[oppyland]

ONCE AGAIN DO YOU WANT TO PLAY WTHYOUR WINE OR NOT<THAT IS THE QUESTION.

Thanks for the fast reply! I definitely want to experiment, but this would only be my second kit attempt, and I'm not super familiar with what comes in the different vendors' boxes. $45 with free shipping seems like a really good price, but I wanted to make sure I'd get a similar amount of juice/concentrate as in a Fontana or Wild Grapes kit, which would only cost a few bucks more.

 

[joeswine]

Ok here's what that balances out to.
Fontana reds about 21 to 25 bottles
Wine lovers reds 20 to 23 bottles
what will dictate the volume is the water amount you input, got it? that and the ABV OR acholo level. you want your wine to finish out, let your hydrometer be your guide , UNDERSTAND.
do you have a hydrometer? if so the water addition will dictate the abv, and the fermentation process will dictate the amount of boil off and actual volume to at the finish. that's the true difference.

 

[oppyland]

So, it sounds like I need to determine if the extra 2 bottles are worth ten bucks, huh?

Yes, I have all the equipment. I mostly make fruit wine (and beer before that). Just haven't tried kits until very recently - no fresh fruit around here for a few months, and I was looking for something to make, especially with all the newly-acquired free time!

 

[joeswine]

Try 1 of each 1red ,1white, in the red frozen blackberries.
In the white 1/2 lemon zest.perfect
Red around 12 %and and the white make it easy and smooth.

 

[oppyland]

Okay, I'll do that. Also, I saved (froze) the skins from the CC kit I just transferred to secondary. Okay to toss those in with the red?

 

[joeswine]

I wouldn't reusing skins isn't cool bacteria..not good.
Usually $2.00 to 3 dallors a bottle no biggy.