Other Tweeking Cheap Kits

[Loadclear]

Well, there was a bit of miscommunication with the wife unit, and when I woke up this morning, the 1/2 gal of blackberry purée and the 1.6 gal of Fontana Merlot were sitting in the carboy over a cup of currants, and a cup of medium toast French Oak chips lol! It has an SG of 1.114 without any sugar added… I guess we’ll see how it turns out!

 

[joeswine]

Cab franc is usually a filler wine any tweak will work as long as it’s not extreme, I like the blackberries in the primary and wine tannins. As well as a little oak,
Or if the grape pack is new ( only) put that in as well as the tannins and oak.
What do you think??

 

[my wine]

Or if the grape pack is new ( only) put that in as well as the tannins and oak.
What do you think??

The grape pack came from Finer Wines and I used it once in a Super Tuscan. In the freezer right now. I will put in for a second run and toss it afterwards. It came with grape seeds as well so I'm hoping it will add a little body and a little tannin. The oak would give it more tannin if I put it in the primary. I like the blackberries in the primary for adding body and a little fruitiness.

Cab Franc is an earthy wine with a flavor profile of strawberry and raspberry along with other flavors including bell and chilli pepper and crushed gravel (yep, little stones). I as thinking of adding a couple of strawberries and a heaping tablespoon of raspberries to the secondary. to help the fruitiness. You think that would be a good way to enhance the fruit profile?

 

[joeswine]

The grape pack came from Finer Wines and I used it once in a Super Tuscan. In the freezer right now. I will put in for a second run and toss it afterwards. It came with grape seeds as well so I'm hoping it will add a little body and a little tannin. The oak would give it more tannin if I put it in the primary. I like the blackberries in the primary for adding body and a little fruitiness.

Cab Franc is an earthy wine with a flavor profile of strawberry and raspberry along with other flavors including bell and chilli pepper and crushed gravel (yep, little stones). I as thinking of adding a couple of strawberries and a heaping tablespoon of raspberries to the secondary. to help the fruitiness. You think that would be a good way to enhance the fruit profile?

I think less is more. But hay it’s your wine to adjust however you want.
It can’t hurt to try see how it comes out for me I would not use the grape pack a second time at this point it can hold bacteria that you don’t need and from the alcohol from the first batch should have taken the essence and essentials out of it .
Just my thoughts , have fun

 

[joeswine]

we now have 500k views, Ya team

 

[GretchenR]

Following the suggestion of someone on another WMT thread, I used a conical food mill to keep the solids away from my auto siphon as I racked my Malbec into secondary. It worked beautifully. I'm going to use this same trick to make it easier to take the SG (because the valve on my wine thief kept getting jammed open by floating wood chips).

 

[joeswine]

Good idea. Floating solids can be a chore at times using a strainer is a good answer,

 

[Khristyjeff]

Anyone have suggestions on what to do with this "cheap kit?"
It's Wine Lover's Heavy Bodied wine--a Corvina (they say it's an (Amarone, Valpolicella) blend. There are only the basic packets included like the cheapest kits so no oak or skins, but the juice box is as large as an RJS En Primeur!
Looking forward to your ideas.

 

[joeswine]

1 (cup sun Maid Raisins , I cup oak any type, I teaspoon of wine tannins, any brand.
This all goes into the primary.
I the secondary, 1 teaspoon of wine tannins ( any type) , 1/2 cup of oak .
Let it sit until your ready for the clearing agents, rack to take it off the lees and oak , add your clearing agent’s ( all the chemicals) put the chems in a 1/4 of water resolve on stove top then apply .
Done let it sit until clear and bottle.

 

[Khristyjeff]

Here's another kit that I would appreciate you ideas for tweaking. It's a medium bodied (11.5%ABV) and only came with a packet of American Oak chips. I think I'd like to raise the ABV a little, say to 13-13.5%, probably by shorting the water since I've had good luck with that on the cheap kits.

This Washington State Yakima is an equal blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot.

Thanks as always for your help. Such a wealth of information on this thread!

 

[GretchenR]

Here's another kit that I would appreciate you ideas for tweaking. It's a medium bodied (11.5%ABV) and only came with a packet of American Oak chips. I think I'd like to raise the ABV a little, say to 13-13.5%, probably by shorting the water since I've had good luck with that on the cheap kits.

This Washington State Yakima is an equal blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot.

Thanks as always for your help. Such a wealth of information on this thread!

View attachment 90295

I look forward to seeing what suggestions you receive, as I have that same kit in my wine room, waiting its turn.

 

[cmason1957]

I am generally against shorting the water, I feel it throws off the balance of the wine. Adding sugar would be my choice of what to do. Along with adding oak cubes or spirals during bulk aging. Since it says a medium bodied wine, I might add some glycerin prior to bottling to increase the mouthfeel somewhat.

 

[Khristyjeff]

I am generally against shorting the water, I feel it throws off the balance of the wine. Adding sugar would be my choice of what to do. Along with adding oak cubes or spirals during bulk aging. Since it says a medium bodied wine, I might add some glycerin prior to bottling to increase the mouthfeel somewhat.

Thanks for responding, Craig. Glycerin is something I should try. I bought some a while back so it's a matter of learning how best to use it.
I did a cheap Merlot and a cheap Malbec about a year ago where I shorted the water, added tannins and an fpac. I really liked how they both tasted. So 5 months ago I started the same kits but added sugar instead leaving the other variables the same as before. At this point they seem a little thin to me. I'm still a novice so don't always know how to describe what I'm tasting, but I wonder if glycerine would bring these 2 more in line with my tastes. Your thoughts?

The obvious advantage to adding sugar is 5 more bottles!

 

[cmason1957]

Thanks for responding, Craig. Glycerin is something I should try. I bought some a while back so it's a matter of learning how best to use it.
I did a cheap Merlot and a cheap Malbec about a year ago where I shorted the water, added tannins and an fpac. I really liked how they both tasted. So 5 months ago I started the same kits but added sugar instead leaving the other variables the same as before. At this point they seem a little thin to me. I'm still a novice so don't always know how to describe what I'm tasting, but I wonder if glycerine would bring these 2 more in line with my tastes. Your thoughts?

The obvious advantage to adding sugar is 5 more bottles!

Best way to find out if glycerin is the easy to go is to add some to a gallon and see. Bench trials tell you more than I can. There are also tannins which can be added now to help some, finishing tannins.

 

[joeswine]

Always remember this it’s about the base wine itself, the structure of the base , does it have the ability to make a , thin wine , med,or full mouth feel.
That’s what this thread is all about , building that structure and profile as best as the base wine will let us.
That blend has one profile in common ( berries) and the usage of oak and tannins.
Remember what you did before ? It worked? Then work off that experience and move that forward.
Adding glycerin ( food grade) , is ok but it hides the wines. Flavors, be careful with it. Remember my saying ( less is more ). This is also true.
Fun to use , adds texture nothing more so take this kit do with it what you’ve learned so far add a 1/2 cup , ( glycerin) after clearing, then let it sit , for a week or till your ready to bottle,

 

[joeswine]

Glycerin has its place and usages, it’s normally used to cover up a wines flaws and creat a rounded mouth feel l. ( sometimes), it’s a bandage for a wines flaws at the base level ( kits both high and low end as well as grapes and juice can have this structure problem or not , it all depends ,

 

[joeswine]

Things I’ve learned about wine .
Think about this for a minute:
Here I have a kit , I add grape packs , fpac , oak , tannins different clearing agents and stabilization process as well as either using less water to built up alcohol and in crease body or simple syrup to increase alcohol and use standard measurements fir the same more or less out come.
We add fruit dried and fresh and extracts And other flavor enhancements all to what??
Build the structure of the wine , increase flavor and or ABV,
This multi tasking of parts builds the structure of the wine and it increases its body by mixing flavors and alcohol together ( balance) is what we’re looking for in the end .

 

[joeswine]

Things I’ve learned about wine .
Think about this for a minute:
Here I have a kit , I add grape packs , fpac , oak , tannins different clearing agents and stabilization process as well as either using less water to built up alcohol and in crease body or simple syrup to increase alcohol and use standard measurements fir the same more or less out come.
We add fruit dried and fresh and extracts And other flavor enhancements all to what??
Build the structure of the wine , increase flavor and or ABV,
This multi tasking of parts builds the structure of the wine and it increases its body by mixing flavors and alcohol together ( balance) is what we’re looking for in the end .

 

[joeswine]

making fpacs from fresh fruit, this is the time to harvest and freeze or just use and add to standard wines.
don't let the summer go to waste when it's fresh and there before you, yummy

 

[Digital-monk]

Double post