Raisin the bar!

[Richard S]

I am ready to start "tweaking" kits and thought that adding raisins (reds) or sultanas (whites) in the primary might be a good place to start. I have some raisins and sultanas but when I read the small print on the packets I noticed that they contain: vegatable oil, E220 preservative and sulphite. The sulphite shouldn't be a problem but what about the veg oil and the E220?

[Mamgiowl]

Just give them a damn good wash.

I use tepid water and swirl them around, drain and repeat as many times as I can be bothered with.

[Richard S]

Okey dokey, will do that. Just been nosing around on the net and Sunmaid don't add oils to their raisins so might try some of them next time.

[lockwood1956]

See here also

http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/extended.asp

[cpfan]

According to Wiki, E220 is sulfur dioxide. Should be OK for your wine. The guy to watch out for is sorbate.

Steve

[rjb222]

kits

I read Jacks methods and I believe that these were set up using an older style kit. I asked my wholesaler about this very thing when I started my store. They told me that the bentonite has three uses during primary fermentation and to get consistent results one needed to follow the instructions for that. The aging in the carboy etc. would only improve the wine. I asked the obvious question next what are the three uses of bentionite. 1). Bentionite keeps the yeast in suspension through out the primary this promotes a better fermentation. 2) Bentonite has a natural ability to break down pectanise this helps promote the clarity. 3) As the turbulence of fermentation slows bentonite forms a heavy blanket to help pull the heaver particles out of suspension and compact the lees. I have had the opportunity to make several makers kits in the last while each one has their own type of bentonite they all rehydrate the bentonite differently and all have different amounts. All add the bentonite before re hydrating the must. As for raisins I personally know they do help I use Sun Maid as there is nothing but raisins in that brand. I also use grape skins when I can get them I tried them in a kit that came with them the difference in the wine is very noticeable. I then got a few from my brother in law when he crushed last fall added them to a 4 week red these had a huge effect on the quality of that wine for the better. My only disappointment is I did not preserve any extra to use with other kits the rest went into his compost . I am now trying to source skins they are hard to find out of season.

[Richard S]

The guy to watch out for is sorbate.

Yup, that could be a problem but it is the one thing I do look out for when buying things to brew.