Other Tweeking Cheap Kits

[BigSell]

I really don't see the point , extraction is done in the primary ( of flavors) by the alcohol being created, kit manufacturers don't recommend it as a rule.

Thanks Joe, will reserve EM for Grapes and Skins.

 

[joeswine]

In the primary add your oak chips and if you want 16oz. Of raspberries ,in the secondary add 1 full teaspoon of oak tannins if you have them, buy adjusting the water input bring your ABV. To 12% then let it rest out.
The finish should be smooth and tasty.

 

[Machinist Nick]

Thanks @joeswine , looking forward to some primary space opening up so i can try this out!

 

[TikiWine]

Joe...when using the dried currants or fruit do you use pectic acid for extraction or clearing, or is it only needed for fresh fruit?

 

[joeswine]

Clearing if necessary, you can let the wine rehydrate the fruit just as easy
Fresh fruit usually requires the use of pectin enzymes to help clear.

 

[TikiWine]

Do you you clear it with the pectic?

 

[joeswine]

lets take a look at what has already been done .....

 

[joeswine]

more still to come.........................stand by my fellow wine no's.................

 

[joeswine]

and about a dozen more of these type kits I hadn't put into a format...these ladies drink a lot of wine .. so far 313,700 replies not to shabby for cheap wines.

 

[RocketBee]

Master Vintner Winemaker's Reserve Shiraz kit arrived yesterday and boy am I glad that I stumbled into this "Kitbashing" forum before I started the kit!!!

Kit contents include EC-1118, 90 grams of dark-colored french oak chips (looks more like big chunks of sawdust), 10 gram yeast nutrient packet, Potassium Sorbate, Postassium Metabisulfite, Kieselsol and Chitosan.

It was a cheaper kit that I bought from Midwest, paid $70 with free shipping on a special deal.

I would love to hear what joeswine and any other expert here has to say about this kit and any suggestions to make it better.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[joeswine]

Hi and welcome to the tweaking cheap wine kits, first thing to ask yourself is what acholo content do I like in my wines finish? .Next what is my wines taste profile.? Then what of the wines profile if a y would I like to change? Theñ that becomes the plan.
Do you understand?

 

[RocketBee]

Yep, totally makes sense.

First of all...it's not about me. It's about my wife and daughters. They would prefer around 14% - 14.5% alcohol content, bigger mouthfeel, not watery, more fruit forward and reduced spicy-ness.

But, if I do what I've seen you do in order to upgrade your wine kit (i.e. add specific gravity by making it a 5 gallon kit, capitalizing and adding fruit) I think that the 1118 -- included in the kit -- might be the wrong yeast as it will likely go well beyond 14%. Maybe D254 or 71B?

I saw that you added blueberries to your Fontana Shiraz kit, did it add to the mouthfeel? I apologize but I wasn't able to find your commentary after the fact.

So, based upon my review of many of the comments on this thread, I'm thinking that I should add fruit of some kind, reduce the volume of the kit some (maybe not down to 5 gallons) keeping the starting S.G. at or below 1.100 and use a different yeast...leaning toward the D254.

Thoughts?

 

[sour_grapes]

So, based upon my review of many of the comments on this thread, I'm thinking that I should add fruit of some kind, reduce the volume of the kit some (maybe not down to 5 gallons) keeping the starting S.G. at or below 1.100 and use a different yeast...leaning toward the D254.

Thoughts?

Yes, you should adjust your starting SG to a level that gives you the alcoholic content you desire (so 1.100 to 1.105 sounds good for your intentions). But no, the yeast you use is not a factor in this. The ABV is set by the sugar content. The yeasts that you mention can all handle 14.5%.

 

[joeswine]

With Sharaz, raspberries are better, blueberries are not as pernounced but ( cool).
Always in the primary for best results.
Depending on your taste 5.5 gallons.
Your the wine maker have a ball.
Always think outside the box.

 

[joeswine]

Mouthfeel , it's a texturiol thing , thin, medium, full body it's all about what you like the more berries sauteed down the way I do it the better the mouthfeel is.
It also depends on the base wines consistency, decent base, better the finish.

 

[RocketBee]

Thanks for the feedback @joeswine and @sour_grapes !

I'm very inexperienced and fearful of screwing up my kit but more intrigued by the fact that I can upgrade it! My plan doesn't seem horribly radical...that said, please let me know if you think I'm headed toward the danger zone.

Based upon your inputs, here's what I'm thinking:

• Pour grape concentrate into primary fermenter (rinse out the bag to get all the juice)
• Add two Fpacs: 1/2 pound of raspberries and 1 pound of blueberries
• Add 1 tablespoon of tannins in primary
• Add water to 4.5 gallons and mix well
• Test S.G...Targeting 1.105...add more water and mix if S.G. is too high until target is reached
• Pitch the EC-1118 workhorse

Follow instructions in kit except adding 1 tablespoon of tannins into the secondary. Oak chips get added to the secondary according to the instructions.

Two questions:

• My kit did not come with bentonite...should I add?
• With the fresh fruit, do I need pectic enzyme?

Thanks again!

 

[joeswine]

You mean 5.5 gallons.
Your kit should come with Bentonite use it in the primary ( 1/2 gallon of hot water.).
Oak in the primary, tannins I. The secondary.
No pectin enzymes needed, done.
Got It ?

 

[RocketBee]

Got it!

However, no bentonite in kit, none provided according to the instructions:


Should I get some anyway?

 

[joeswine]

Yes adding a spoonful of Bentonite in the beginning does 2 things first , aids in clearing process as well as fermentation.
That's why I add 1/2 gallon of hot water in the beginning to help in the desovleing process in the primary.

 

[David Taylor]

So I found a Fontana Cab kit on Amazon with Prime that I purchased and started this past Sunday, October 27. I made it per the normal tweaks, 5.5 gallons; added simple syrup, tannin, oak, and 1 cup Zantes Currents. I am stirring a couple of times a day. I am leaving this coming Sunday for ten days and did not know if I should put it in the secondary before I leave or will it be ok to leave in primary. If I leave it, it will be in there for about 17-20 days depending on when I can get to it upon my return. Thanks.