Do you always follow kit instructions?

[ChrisG]

Making a Beverdale Barolo just now and feel very confident about my wine making skills now so thought I would give the Barolo longer to clear.

I followed the last instructions with a California C Merlot and there was still a lot of yeast deposit in the bottles.

So I feel I'll just do what I thinks right. Down to 994 in 2 weeks so finished added the stabiliser and degassing over the next wee while.

Then I'll add the finings and leave for a week, rack into a closed ferment lock plastic bucket and leave for a month? Then rack again and bottle with some sodium met.

Comments?

[lockwood1956]

I extend the timelines massively


i have kits that are stiull in DJ's three years after stabilising

[goldseal]

When you say plastic bucket do you MEAN a bucket? I expect you'll have too much headspace on top of the wine. You need to minimse contact with air, so I'd use demijohns or a 5 gal Better Bottle, depending on the size of your batch.

[lockwood1956]

OOOO

good pickup Pete, sorry missed that, yes airspace above the wine needs to be minimised, in a bucket short term is OK but for longer periods you mustnt have that much surface area exposed to oxygen, as pete says, you need it topped right up, with similar wine, or you can use water if using less that 1/2 lirre

regards
Bob

[NorthernWiner]

...rack into a closed ferment lock plastic bucket and leave for a month?

I agree with Pete. Your kit will end up oxidized and/or spoiled if you leave it in a bucket for a month. It's not just the headspace, it's also the greater surface area that will make it prone to oxidation. It's like putting it in a big decanter.

[P cuthbert]

A word of caution, if I may.

If you are going to store your wines for longer times in the carboy after finishing, be sure to attend them at least weekly.


Airlocks will dry out, and their purpose will be defeated. Your wine can oxidise very quickly then, and you will be disappointed with the result.

[owlwithoutfeathers]

Making a Beverdale Barolo just now and feel very confident about my wine making skills now so thought I would give the Barolo longer to clear.

I followed the last instructions with a California C Merlot and there was still a lot of yeast deposit in the bottles.

So I feel I'll just do what I thinks right. Down to 994 in 2 weeks so finished added the stabiliser and degassing over the next wee while.

Then I'll add the finings and leave for a week, rack into a closed ferment lock plastic bucket and leave for a month? Then rack again and bottle with some sodium met.

Comments?

Hi there!

Just adding my 2 pence worth (as a relative newcommer to this black art myself!). I did the Beaverdale Barolo about a month ago: followed the instructions - the kit went to about .996 in under two weeks (had an immersion heater in the primary to help it along).

When it "finished" i added the stabilser, degassed, and added the finings, and then transferred to 5 demi johns (sievving out the dried elderberries and the other detritus which Owl Senior recommend that i get rid of). All 5 demis are now sitting happily in the garage, with safety airlock on and minimal airspace. I dont intend to touch it for at least a couple of months - although apparantly Barolo can be drunk quite "young".

I may bottle it in about 2-3 months, then leave for at least another month before slurping.

This is the same process i follow for all the kit wines that i have done in the past 2 years - and the same process that i have nicked off Owl Senior who's been on the job since the ice caps were grinding their way through the Pennines!!

Incidently, kit wines that i have done so far:

Beaverdale Barolo - as above

Beaverdale Rioja (Red) - as above. Racked into Demis after primary, left to settle and clear for about 3 months, then racked off remaining lees and bottled. Drank some young (was okay; a bit thin); drank some at at about 6 months old (improved); drank some at a year old (better); will leave the remaining 12 bottles for another 6 months if i can bear it!

House of Hambleton White Rioja - as above, but not yet bottled. Its just under 6 months old and living in some demi johns. Managed to polish off a gallon of it over last weekend with Owl Senior (who was dead impressed with it!). Without a doubt, the best wine i have ever made, and a great kit: thoroughly recommend it!

Kenridge Classic Vieux Chateau Du Roi - as above, but not yet bottled. Been sitting in Demi's for about 4-5 months.

Like i said, my tuppence worth from a relative nooob!

[ms67]

i've only done one kit, but here's my pennies worth anyway

it was a beaverdale shiraz and i have had mixed results, some bottles just fine, some with a slight (and i do mean slight) geranium taste. Another thread on WAH has a few mentions of this happening and explanations of why (malolactic bacteria/fermentation and sorbate do not mix). So, in keeping with the thread subject, i'm very much scratching my head about whether to simply leave out the sorbate next time round. Other low tech solutions will be greatly appreciated tho.

oh and do consider making a rose on the slurry from red kits that have oak chips, my results were great with cheapo supermarket grape juice.

[owlwithoutfeathers]

i've only done one kit, but here's my pennies worth anyway

it was a beaverdale shiraz and i have had mixed results, some bottles just fine, some with a slight (and i do mean slight) geranium taste. Another thread on WAH has a few mentions of this happening and explanations of why (malolactic bacteria/fermentation and sorbate do not mix). So, in keeping with the thread subject, i'm very much scratching my head about whether to simply leave out the sorbate next time round. Other low tech solutions will be greatly appreciated tho.

oh and do consider making a rose on the slurry from red kits that have oak chips, my results were great with cheapo supermarket grape juice.

Hey MS67: do you have a recipe for the rose from red slurry idea? thanks.

[ms67]

Hey MS67: do you have a recipe for the rose from red slurry idea? thanks.

hey owl this is what i did ...

after secondary fermentation of the beaverdale shiraz kit had done i racked it. Then i filled up the demijohns containing the slurry with supermarket grape juice (mine was from tesco, purple grape juice i think it was called. 77p/litre, carton had piccies of big round purple grapes on it). It was proper juice with no artificial additives etc. I also added 100g of sugar per litre i think. Anyway what ever it was the OG was 1095. FG was 998. Also added 1 tspn citric acid, nutrient, pectolase. It was clear as a bell and stabilised after about 7 weeks having been racked a couple of times along the way.

hope this is good for you. someone might want to suggest alterations. dunno if pectolase was necessary, or acid or nutrient for that matter! but anyway it made a rose that we are very happy with and got compared to matteus or zinfandel by my Dad.

[owlwithoutfeathers]

Fantastic idea!

Just wish now i'd have known about it when i was racking off my Barolo a few months ago!!

Will definately try next time around though! Cheers.

[ms67]

Fantastic idea!

it came to me same way that it came to you .. someone else did it and it worked a treat and they recommended it and i took it up.

[ChrisG]

Thanks everyone for the comments, degassed the wine and just added the first pack of finings. Need to add the next tonight, then in a week rack it to demijohns or just bottle if clear.

[owlwithoutfeathers]

hey owl this is what i did ...

after secondary fermentation of the beaverdale shiraz kit had done i racked it. Then i filled up the demijohns containing the slurry with supermarket grape juice (mine was from tesco, purple grape juice i think it was called. 77p/litre, carton had piccies of big round purple grapes on it). It was proper juice with no artificial additives etc. I also added 100g of sugar per litre i think. Anyway what ever it was the OG was 1095. FG was 998. Also added 1 tspn citric acid, nutrient, pectolase. It was clear as a bell and stabilised after about 7 weeks having been racked a couple of times along the way.

hope this is good for you. someone might want to suggest alterations. dunno if pectolase was necessary, or acid or nutrient for that matter! but anyway it made a rose that we are very happy with and got compared to matteus or zinfandel by my Dad.

Hi All,

Just realised its been a long time since i posted - so much been going on. Hope everyone is well?

I'm still on the go with homebrew and wanted to reignite this past thread if i may.

I follwed the above instructions and made a gollon of Rose off of the Beaverdale Shiraz lees. It was a truly excellent wine, very fruity (smelled of strawberry and had a lovely feel to it.) Needless to say, it didnt last long, and i've now just about finished a five gallon batch fermentaiton of the said beaverdale Shiraz kit.

I'm wanting to recreate the Shiraz Rose. What would people's thoughts be on a 5 gallon recreation? Bump up the ingredients by 5? Is that a lot of red grape juice (5 gollons) or should i be diluting with water?

Hope this makes sense, and thank you all for keeping the forum alive.

Owl.

[owlwithoutfeathers]

Hi All,

Just realised its been a long time since i posted - so much been going on. Hope everyone is well?

I'm still on the go with homebrew and wanted to reignite this past thread if i may.

I follwed the above instructions and made a gollon of Rose off of the Beaverdale Shiraz lees. It was a truly excellent wine, very fruity (smelled of strawberry and had a lovely feel to it.) Needless to say, it didnt last long, and i've now just about finished a five gallon batch fermentaiton of the said beaverdale Shiraz kit.

I'm wanting to recreate the Shiraz Rose. What would people's thoughts be on a 5 gallon recreation? Bump up the ingredients by 5? Is that a lot of red grape juice (5 gollons) or should i be diluting with water?

Hope this makes sense, and thank you all for keeping the forum alive.

Owl.

Hi gang. No takers on this thread then? My D-Day is Friday when i take the Shiraz off the lees and start the Rose, so all input welcome! Thanks!

Owl.