Wait a second...using the $28 price for the concentrate you reference, divided by 24 bottles, would result in a cost of $1.16666 per bottle. That's before any of the tweaks you added are accounted for. Which leads me to the question that I first thought of - what was the total cost for those 24 bottles, including the oak, yeast, skins, nutrient enzyme and sugar?We are birds of a feather. I like a bottle of dry red daily (shared with my wife). I am one of the forums minority supporter of the Paklab kits, as cheap as I can find them, which is harder and harder. $20 on Alibaba if you buy 500 kits. Amazon and Ebay have some but if its over $50 with shipping per kit its too much.
Basically find the cheapest red kit or concentrate you can, and doctor it up. Add zante currants or frozen grapes, oak, make sure the brix is high enough....
http://homewinery.com/cgi-bin/concen.cgi
I made the Ruby Red ($28/conc) with grape skins and it is quite good already.
here are the batch notes:
Nov 14, 2013 6 lb sugar
Nov 14, 2013 1 tbs peptic enzyme
Nov 14, 2013 1 tsp yeast nutrient
Nov 14, 2013 4-5 lb marquette skins
Nov 14, 2013 1 cup med toast oak
Alcoholic Fermentation Nov 14, 2013 red pastuer in marquette
Alcoholic Fermentation Nov 14, 2013 ec-1118
Rackings
Nov 23, 2013 Clearing Sprakloid SG .992
Made 24 bottles with a 2.5 bottle top off. Avg cost was $1.12/btl.
Steve is right about the warehouse sale. All the LHBS here match the sale as well. I know my girlfriend mentioned the sale at her local LHBS ( she lives in a different province) and they matched it on their RJS kits. So maybe mention it at a few of yours and see, it never hurts to ask. The sale runs from Feb13-23
Steve is right about the warehouse sale. All the LHBS here match the sale as well. I know my girlfriend mentioned the sale at her local LHBS ( she lives in a different province) and they matched it on their RJS kits. So maybe mention it at a few of yours and see, it never hurts to ask. The sale runs from Feb13-23
If you're more poor than impatient then you should consider buying a good cheap kit, something you like, Pinot noir cab or GSM, Tweaking it with tannin and raisins. Now while that is aging the six months it needs, join a wine club. Look for the ones that have three bonus bottles for joining. You can then get 15 bottles of wine for 60+20 shipping. Cancel before recurring purchases happen. Now you have 15 wines for @$6 a bottle that you will milk for 6 months. Hopefully in that time you save enough to buy a premium kit. When the six month is up, you have 30 bottles of lightly aged wine to drink while the 30 premium age more. And hopefully in that time you can purchase another premium kit. Think of it as a snow ball effect. That's what I told myself until I realized I have 15 full carboys in the basement aging, a vadai barrel and 15 bottles of mezza Luna red to tide me over. Actually, don't take my advice, you'll be broke and impatient.
Mosti Mondiale's entire Vinifera Noble line - I have yet to try one of these kits and be disappointed. I add a few teaks here and there ...[/URL]
For a white - California Trinity from Wine Expert World Vineyard and red - I like the Cellar Craft Pinot Noir or Cheeky Monkey (it is a good 10 litre kit)
Wait, why target kits? How about Dragon's Blood or the like?
I'm afraid that's what's going to be told to me when we move this springAt least back in 2007 (when I last was an RJS retailer), retailers did not receive any special discounts in February to allow them to match the warehouse sale. My store was about 6 hours drive from the warehouse, closer stores may have received a deal. We also weren't told about the warehouse sale and what the deal prices were. So don't expect your retailer to know about it, and provide a deep discount. I remember telling a couple of customers to enjoy the drive to Vancouver.
Steve
Bartman
Are you an accountant?
Not to pick nits over the price but your right. I don't usually add in the tsp of this or cup of that. The sugar is 1.89 for 4 lb bag, Oak maybe .75 and 1 tsp nutrient ? Enzyme ? together a buck.
I also dont add in capsules or cleaning agent ($5 for 6 lb)
The marquette skins were free. Simple fact is its a damn fine wine for well under $2/btl. Precisely 32.59/24=1.358/btl prior to decoration.
I really am a cheap SOB
Where are you moving to?I'm afraid that's what's going to be told to me when we move this spring
Bartman
...
I really am a cheap SOB
No, I'm not an accountant. It's worse - I'm a lawyer.Bartman
Are you an accountant?
Not to pick nits over the price but your right. I don't usually add in the tsp of this or cup of that. The sugar is 1.89 for 4 lb bag, Oak maybe .75 and 1 tsp nutrient ? Enzyme ? together a buck.
I also dont add in capsules or cleaning agent ($5 for 6 lb)
The marquette skins were free. Simple fact is its a damn fine wine for well under $2/btl. Precisely 32.59/24=1.358/btl prior to decoration.
I really am a cheap SOB
Ok ok so I'm probably gonna be kicked off this forum for saying this but...... If you're more poor than impatient then you should consider buying a good cheap kit, something you like, Pinot noir cab or GSM, Tweaking it with tannin and raisins. Now while that is aging the six months it needs, join a wine club. Look for the ones that have three bonus bottles for joining. You can then get 15 bottles of wine for 60+20 shipping. Cancel before recurring purchases happen. Now you have 15 wines for @$6 a bottle that you will milk for 6 months. Hopefully in that time you save enough to buy a premium kit. When the six month is up, you have 30 bottles of lightly aged wine to drink while the 30 premium age more. And hopefully in that time you can purchase another premium kit. Think of it as a snow ball effect. That's what I told myself until I realized I have 15 full carboys in the basement aging, a vadai barrel and 15 bottles of mezza Luna red to tide me over. Actually, don't take my advice, you'll be broke and impatient.
Coleman, I've purchased many of the big buckets from Amazon for $75 and enjoyed every one of them.
Hmmm, I've got a $65 GC for Amazon. What are these buckets you speak of? Any specific recommendations?
Cheers!
Okanagan.Shuswap lake. We built a house in a little city called AnglemontWhere are you moving to?
Steve
Okanagan.Shuswap lake. We built a house in a little city called Anglemont
I'd suggest many of them. They all work.
I've had a lot of compliments with the Amarone. Use Joe's, out of the box tweaks, and you've got a great wine, cheap.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Reserve%20Du%20Chateau%206%20Week%20Wine%20Kit%20
Enter your email address to join: