Beaverdale Kit:Will it improve?

[halfastory]

Bottled my first kit at the weekend and I have to admit it tastes more Albanian than Californian red haha.
I did it in a five litre plastic fermenter but didn't top up at any point during the process so there was always half a litre of air space. I followed the instructions to the letter but wasn't expecting it to taste as rough as it does.
If I leave it for a couple of months will it improve or is this as good as gets?

[Duffbeer]

It's just a mere baby at the moment, a little airspace for a short while will not harm provided you added the stabaliser pack.
Although it can be drunk now, you will see great improvement at 6 weeks, better at 3 months, very drinkable at 6 months and if you can find the patience to keep it 1 to 2 years then you'll have a cracking tipple.

[halfastory]

Great stuff! I'd better store them out of sight so I don't get tempted late at night.
Fingers crossed for the wine number 1 in early May now.

[lockwood1956]

Hi there

The instructions tell you to top up.....so you haven't quite followed them to the letter (not wishing to sound mean but i appreciate it prolly does, however that isnt the intention)


there is a chance that this batch may be oxidised.

couple of questions to try to determine the problem (I've never had a Beaverdale kit that tasted bad, even when ferment only just finished....a little rough at the edges maybe, but still pleasant tasting)

how does it taste?

chemical..(metallic)

vegetal...(a bit whiffy and off smelling~)

oxidised (like sherry)

acidic (mouth puckering)

Tannic (bitter)

if you want to send us some oop north we can anylise it for you (ill send you a 250ml pet bottlef or the purpose if you like)

[Zebedee]

(not wishing to sound mean

I do

if you want to send us some oop north we can anylise it for you

How do you 'anylise' it ?

is this some kind of strange wine ritual that I dont know about ?

[Duffbeer]

Hi there

The instructions tell you to top up.....so you haven't quite followed them to the letter (not wishing to sound mean but i appreciate it prolly does, however that isnt the intention)


there is a chance that this batch may be oxidised.

couple of questions to try to determine the problem (I've never had a Beaverdale kit that tasted bad, even when ferment only just finished....a little rough at the edges maybe, but still pleasant tasting)

how does it taste?

chemical..(metallic)

vegetal...(a bit whiffy and off smelling~)

oxidised (like sherry)

acidic (mouth puckering)

Tannic (bitter)

if you want to send us some oop north we can anylise it for you (ill send you a 250ml pet bottlef or the purpose if you like)

The problem here of coarse is that the new plastic fermenters are actually 5 litre, and the kits 4.5, manufacturers who recommend the use of these and Beaverdale is one of them, should be increasing their kit sizes to accomodate.
Topping up to 4.5 ltrs is fine as the kits are designed to take it, but an extra 1/2 litre will have an effect on the finished wine, moreso with such a small kit.

[halfastory]

I may be jumping the gun on the description. I didn't really give it a good tasting before I bottled...more a mouthful through the syphon as it passed through! Maybe I should have put a drop into a glass and given it a chance.
It doesn't taste unpleasant...just a bit rough. My wife didn't think it was half bad as she helped me with the syphoning!
Gonna check the instructions again as i'm pretty sure there was no mention of topping up. I must have read them dozens of times as I worked my way through the process.
I'd love to send a sample but I may wait six weeks before I uncork the first one if thats OK. If it tastes vile i'll take you up on the kind offer.
Oh and no offence taken with anything posted here. The advice i've been given so far has been fantastic and has given me the confidence to crack on with the wine number 1 straight away.
Cheers.

[halfastory]

Sorry...just read the reply from Duffbeer...
you're spot on. The Beaverdale starter kit came with a five litre fermenter and although I bought a glass demijohn as well, the kit went into the bigger container.
I'm gonna have a look at the instructions again when I get home but i'm pretty certain it didn't mention topping up. If I had topped up I would have needed grape juice or wine rather water? Half a litre would have been too much water i'm guessing.
The next kit I buy will be going into a demijohn.
It's all good though. I'm really enjoying the experience and learning from my mistakes. This forum is a great resource.

[halfastory]

OK...just read the instructions again and definitely no mention of topping up. They recommend a plastic fermenting container instead of glass and marking 4.5 litres on it before commencing.
Obviously if it went into a glass demijohn it wouldn't need marking as it only holds 4.5 and not 5 litres.
Later on in the instructions it talks about transferring the wine into "another" 4.5 litre container or bottles.
This is what was throwing me when I posted earlier about topping up and I had half a litre to somehow accomodate.
For a novice not knowing about topping up and risk of oxidation the instructions are not very good I guess. Or is it that its such a quick process from start to finish that the half litre of air above the wine doesn't cause any problems?

[lockwood1956]

Well the instructions are as you say very poor in this regard. spoke to duffbeer earlier today and he was telling me the instructions dont mention topping up.

As you say, for newbies its engendering bad practice.

Likely that the short period we are talking about will be ok....but you never know


regards
bob


(still happy to sample some for you....let me know)

[lockwood1956]

is this some kind of strange wine ritual that I dont know about ?

Yes

.....see me afterwards!

[Duffbeer]

Yes

.....see me afterwards!

And fetch a spanking batton and blindfold