Cellar Craft what is F-pac.

[fish]

i want to add blueberries, from info on this forum it looks like i can add at second ferment stage, i am at that stage now but i see people are saying to add as an f-pac, i dont know what this means, i dont know if i need to add more yeast with it as someone mentioned that it is hard to ferment blueberries, bit confused but wanty to add blueberries. just dont want to do wrong. i am doing a 23 litre cellar craft cab sav. thanks people.

 

[djrockinsteve]

A F-Pak is a "Flavor Pack" commonly added when making wine kits after complete fermentation and clearing. After aging and just before bottling you would add Potassium Sorbate and a small amount of Potassium Metabisulfite (also known as K-Meta), your f-pak and maybe some inverted sugar to flavor and sweeten your wine. After a week or two when you are sure there is no refermentation (due to the sorbate) you bottle. The K meta helps to kill unwanted bacteria that may spoil your wine.

 

[Torch404]

A lot of people use juice concentrate or as Steve said invert sugar and juice.

 

[djrockinsteve]

Recently I have taken a bottle (64 oz.) of a 100% juice from the store such as Peach Mango or Wild Cherry or Cranberry Apple, (you get the idea). Pour all of that into a 3 gallon carboy, Fill with your wine from a 5 gal. carboy. Add sorbate and a pinch of k-meta. You may not have to add any more sugar. Fabulous taste.

The remaining wine I'll bottle as is or mix a different flavor, Age some then bottle.

I have recently bottled a Peach Mango Riesling, a Wild Cherry Pinot Noir, an Apple Cranberry Pear. All are wonderful. The Wild Cherry I simmered down from 64 ounces to @ 32 ounces. Less water added.

Just make sure it's not a juice cocktail. Only 100% juice.

 

[fish]

f-pac cont

thanks for your swift replys. greatly appreciated. so how much is enough an how much is too much , i have no ideea how much to use,. would 500 grams of crushed blueberries be enought for 23 litre wine just to add a bit more flavour or is that too much or too little. i have sorbate and k-meta that i got with the kit, will i need more or should it do.

 

[djrockinsteve]

When I'm near bottling I will do a little Math, a little 'cause that's all I can do. Use a wine thief or a small siphon and take maybe 2 or 3 ounces of your wine and add a tablespoon or two of your inverted sugar or f-pak. Taste it. If you like it calculate how many tablespoons or ounces are in a gallon times what you have to figure out a ratio.

Is it a 4 to 1 ratio, 5 to 1 etc. As I mentioned above if I add 64 ounces of 100% juice to a 3 gallon, that will be a 1 to 5 ratio. (6 half gallons in a 3 gallon carboy. 1 juice and 5 wine)

Take small sample and do a taste experiment. Take notes and take a final s.g. reading for future reference.

 

[fish]

thanks for your help, there is one more thing, i have realised that the wine is only going to be 11 percent alcohol, i was hoping for something in the range of 14. what can i do to improve this, i am few days into secondary ferment. i took a reading and used a formula to work out what it is now an its 11
cheers for all you help man,

 

[Tom]

i want to add blueberries, from info on this forum it looks like i can add at second ferment stage, i am at that stage now but i see people are saying to add as an f-pac, i dont know what this means, i dont know if i need to add more yeast with it as someone mentioned that it is hard to ferment blueberries, bit confused but wanty to add blueberries. just dont want to do wrong. i am doing a 23 litre cellar craft cab sav. thanks people.

F-PAC

How to make a F-PAC
=
Flavor Pac


Add 20-30% of #’s of fruit what was used in the primary (if you used 30# in recipe then you will need 6-9# more for the f-pac) in a large frying pan or pot. Simmer to extract all "flavor" and reduce the water from the fruit. Strain thru a kitchen strainer and add AFTER you rack and after the wine is DRY ( .990) You MUST have added k-meta and Sorbate before adding the f-pac. Once adding the f-pac you can add clearing agent. You will have to rack at least 2+ more times. Then
back sweeten to YOUR taste using simple syrup.

Tom

Home of the
MOON RIVER BREWERY
and
DELANCO VINEYARDS

 

[fish]

am i supposed to blend the fruit first in blender, am i supposed to remove skin??

 

[djrockinsteve]

am i supposed to blend the fruit first in blender, am i supposed to remove skin??

No you just want the juice. Simmer on a stove to remove excess water and to deepen the flavor. I will add sorbate and a pinch of k-meta first then my f-pak into a carboy (after cooling down) then mix in my wine. This way as the wine swirls in around the bottom it blends well.

Prior to reaching the top take your hydrometer and get a reading. Then top off with more wine and place an air lock on top. Let it rest and clear if necessary.

Be patient and guess what, you will have a little extra for a mid wine making sample.

 

[Tom]

am i supposed to blend the fruit first in blender, am i supposed to remove skin??

NO do not use a blender as it will split the seeds. I leave the skins on and add the fruit to the pot/pan.
Like what Steve said. Remember you will need to clear so do the f-pac BEFORE clearing. Then add a clarifier.

 

[djrockinsteve]

With the different wine kits do you add the f-pak then clear? Never did a kit myself.

 

[Tom]

f-pacs are for fruit wines not kits. Now the "Mist" kits have a f-pac.

 

[fish]

dj, this is where im gettin a bit confused, am i supposed to crush the blueberries (skin included) first and then simmer?

 

[Tom]

Toss it all in a pot/pan and simmer. As it heats up mash the berry and it will give juice. The water is what you want to evaporate till you get a syrup. Then get a strainer and push it thru and discard the rest (pulp).

 

[fish]

tom your a good man,

 

[Tom]

Your welcome thats why this forum is here to MAKE you make better wine.

 

[fish]

one more thing tom if you have time, i am at the end of secondary ferment stage , my wine is at about 11 percent, i was hopin for something in the 13.5 region , is there anything i can do at this stage.

 

[Tom]

If its a fruit wine you are higher than you should be. Add the f-pac and back sweeten. Then, let it clear and use the 3 "P's"

 

[fish]

im doin a cab sav cellar craft kit, what would the three p's be