Other Tweeking Cheap Kits

[joeswine]

Doesn't matter , as concentrates go there the same it's what you want to do with them that makes the difference.
As long as you can get 20 to 24 bottles out of them your ok.i have also gotten less yield also.
It depends on the amount of Boil Off you get,( fermentation).
I make a lot of theses kits and have seen all different volumes so don't concern yourself about that it.. keep the process simple and have a good plan then work it. Have fun.

 

[sugar]

Sugar, good to hear you got it going. Are you reducing the volume or adding any fruit?

Reduced to 5 gallon.
Added 48 ozs. Crushed blueberries.

 

[joeswine]

What was your ABV.?
Here's the thing with blueberry wine it takes a lot of volumn of if berries to have good flavor the trick is not to come out with blueberry juice and not wine.

 

[sugar]

Good call,
I'm degassing tonight. ABV is 14%.
Mostly Berry Merlot with a distant blueberry backside .
The two yeasts..the cotes made fruitier the taste and 1118 work horse finished strong.
The WG Kit's direction is very simple.. put down and leave it alone for 14 days..etc.
Happy so far.

 

[RocketBee]

I was looking at Wine Lovers website, they're having a sale on kits ,I was thing of buying the Sanginovese and making my cheap kit super Tuscan, along with a Merlot . We'll see.

@joeswine Did you get any of those Wine Lovers kits? If so, any observations you can share?

 

[crabjoe]

@joeswine Did you get any of those Wine Lovers kits? If so, any observations you can share?

I bought a couple, but only started one. It was a 10L Riesling kit (12.5% abv advertised). I'm making 6 gallons as instructed.

My initial hydrometer reading came in at 1.080, which won't give you 12.5% abv, so I added some sugar. PH came in at 3.35, which is within range for a white wine. I added some tartaric acid and got it down to PH 3.19. I'm not using the EC1118 that came with the package. Instead I'm using Cote des Blanc. It's been fermenting since 1/22 and it's now down to 1.030. The other day, I thought it had stalled because it was stuck at 1.040, but giving it a good stir got it going again. Won't know for a few months on how it might taste, but so far, smell is good.

 

[joeswine]

Yes I have ,no real difference if I remember correctly,a Better yield from the Fontana kits, I'll check tonight.
Stay the course and have fun making your wine , Don't over think it.

 

[JB005]

@joeswine Did you get any of those Wine Lovers kits? If so, any observations you can share?

Hi. Just bought a 10L Nebbiolo ($60 - less 10%), but made a chardonnay last year. It turned out pretty decent - comparable to the Fontana kit. Going through their website directly (not going through Amazon), you can buy one of 3-4 sized kits (4.8, 5.2, 10, & 16L) add wine raisin packs, elderberries, oak chips to your order. They also offer free shipping (at least to the lower 48 - check their site for HI and AK). They're offering 10% until tomorrow. https://wineloversonline.com/

 

[sugar]

Hello RocketBee,
Moved the Berry Merlot to a Carboy..14th day. 14.5 % ABV.. very dry with a little bitterness. Stabilized and degassed.(not much co2 bubbles?) Put the bubble on it.
Will see what time in a bottle does for it.
Sugar

 

[RocketBee]

Thanks for the update!

 

[sugar]

RocketBee,
Drank a glass.. that's Xtra.
Tastes good.
Put 2 small bags of French Oak in and added clarifier.

 

[joeswine]

Moving right along I see , Have Fun

 

[sugar]

Joe,
You may remember a Merlot I made a year ago.. I put coffee beans in it to mask a sourly taste. I opened a bottle and to my surprise the coffee was nice way in the back and the Merlot was very nice.

 

[joeswine]

Sorry but I don't recall,adding instant coffee or beans can added depth. And its own background to a wine or beers for that matter.
I almost always add instant coffee to all my port kits. ( Dessert style). With best of shows to support the finish.

 

[RocketBee]

Something I noticed on the Fontana kit instructions in the "Filtering & Bottling" section: "...do not soak corks before corking as this may ruin your wine."

@joeswine why would that ruin the wine and what is your corking process?

 

[joeswine]

Problely moisture can get caught in the corks itself and firm mold.
I buy LD Carlson corks and never had to do anything but open the bag and apply., Everything else is very clean. Got it.

 

[RocketBee]

Got it, only have done four kits so far and each time I followed the directions I saw somewhere and dunked the corks into a Kmeta solution for 15 minutes before insertion.

 

[joeswine]

May be so ,I have never done it to my corks. I've only keep them sealed in an zip lock bag until further use.done.

 

[cmason1957]

Best practices with wine corks and this is from long before I made wine, but my 93 year old father talks about it, used to be soak them a bit to sanitize and soften them up just a little bit. Nowadays, best practice is take them out of the bag, then put them in the bottle. My wife wants me to spritz them with kmeta and sometimes I do.

 

[Rocky]

"used to be book them a bit to sanitize and soften them up just a little bit." Cmason, is this a typo or is this a term with which I am unfamiliar?

I have an old salad spinner, the three piece type with a bowl, basket and top. I pour K-meta solution in the bowl, put the corks in the basket, place the top in position and let the corks sit for an hour or so while I bottle the wine. If the corks seem too dry, I may spritz them with a fine spray of K-meta.