Wine Kit Bag Expansion?

[JoeSTL]

Okay, so I've done a few of those Fontana wine kits, and after a little tweaking, they've been turning out pretty good in my opinion. For a while the pinot noir was sold out, so once it became available again on amazon, I bought 2 of them. I was in the middle of doing a pinot grigio, so I left both kits in my basement, which was about 5 weeks ago. Here in St. Louis and like many other parts of the country, we've been having extremely high temps for the last couple months. It's typically 65-72 in my basement, depending on the time of year, but it has been much warmer down there recently with outside temps near 100. When I went down there this evening, both kits had expanded so much that they burst out of the boxes. The bags did not break, but were pretty damn close... Should I assume both of these kits have gone bad? I hate to just throw away 2 wine kits that were never opened. Obviously a total beginner mistake here, but I kind of want to try making one, just to see how it turns out!

 

[Johnd]

A little expansion is a powerful force, I doubt seriously that your kits are ruined, though storing them better should be considered. You should definitely make them, you have nothing to lose.

 

[JoeSTL]

Thanks for the reply. I went ahead and made one of them, and put the other in my refrigerator. I guess we'll see how they turn out!

 

[kyle5434]

I'm just south of the KC metro, so I've been in the same boat temperature-wise. My un-started kits (and some batches in bulk aging) are in my walk-out basement (which has no HVAC vents). I've seen some bowing of the boxes as well. I put a digital thermometer down there last winter, just to keep tabs on the temp. So far this summer, despite the unusually warm temps, that room hasn't exceeded 77 degrees. Unless your basement room has gotten much above 80, I wouldn't worry a bit.

 

[Scooter68]

That much expansion suggests that something is "brewing" or fermenting albeit at perhaps a slow rate due to lack of oxygen and very low levels of >possible< wild/natural yeast colonies. Swelling the point busting a box and almost the bag, per your comments, suggests something more than just temperature change. While not necessarily spoiled, I would assume that if you don't open and start those kits soon, you'll have busted bag on the remaining one. Even putting it in the fridge may only pause or slow down whatever is happening already. Better to deal with sooner rather than a mess if you take it out and the current activity resumes.

 

[Stressbaby]

It's a kit, so it's pasteurized. Fermentation would be unlikely.

I agree with @Johnd, not likely spoiled, don't throw them out.

 

[CK55]

It's a kit, so it's pasteurized. Fermentation would be unlikely.

I agree with @Johnd, not likely spoiled, don't throw them out.

And additives are usually added to keep it from fermenting unless by the packet of included yeast.

 

[JoeSTL]

I ended up contacting the supplier and sent them pictures of the inflated kits. They're refunding my purchase AND sending me replacements!

 

[CK55]

I ended up contacting the supplier and sent them pictures of the inflated kits. They're refunding my purchase AND sending me replacements!

Cool, make sure to use them this time lol.

 

[bstnh1]

I've had kits delivered by FedEx in hot weather and the kits themselves were hot. But, I never noticed any expansion of the bag. They might expand a trifle due to the temperature change from when they were packed, but for then to expand to the point of almost bursting seems to me to indicate that there's something wrong with the kit.

 

[Zintrigue]

I'm with Scooter on this one. I keep my house in the high 70's (over 80 sometimes in the winter when the fire gets roaring) and I've never had any of my stored wine kits expand like that. The chances are extremely unlikely that something would be brewing in them, but there's always a *chance*. Pop both open and ferment asap, that EC-1118 that they come with should beat out whatever else is going on.

Good luck.

 

[Zintrigue]

I ended up contacting the supplier and sent them pictures of the inflated kits. They're refunding my purchase AND sending me replacements!

Oh you lucky fellow. That's good service.

 

[CK55]

Oh you lucky fellow. That's good service.

Yeah, makes me wonder where he bought them as that's really good service. The only company that's been really helpful and reliable has been Williams brewing. I also brew beer at least used to haven't done so in many months but I was the first person to get a Robobrew Gen 3 in the US because my Gen 2 went in for repairs and failed a couple times so they mailed me a brand new gen 3 free of cost.

Typically I buy or rent all my wine and beer gear that I don't have from my local homebrew and winemaking shop Docs Cellar In San Luis.

 

[Kiazer]

Yeah, makes me wonder where he bought them as that's really good service. The only company that's been really helpful and reliable has been Williams brewing. I also brew beer at least used to haven't done so in many months but I was the first person to get a Robobrew Gen 3 in the US because my Gen 2 went in for repairs and failed a couple times so they mailed me a brand new gen 3 free of cost.

Typically I buy or rent all my wine and beer gear that I don't have from my local homebrew and winemaking shop Docs Cellar In San Luis.

In Canada here Costco on-line delivers right to the door...although there is a limited selection.....the upside is they are all double kits for under $100