Standard kit stuff

[trailertrash]

Thank you for including me into this group. I hope to improve my skills which are somewhat lacking by what I have read.
I usually stick to the Beaverdale kits and follow the instructions religiously. However... I note with interest that many of you use different yeasts and stabilizers and finings to those which come in the kits.
May I use my first question to ask this:

1. Would you recommend using different, perhaps better quality material than that which comes in the kit?
2. Would you use anything in addition to that which comes in the kit?
3. What does a crushed campden tablet do to improve the wine.? I have a packet of these and have never seen them refered to till now.

Many thanks in advance for any advice and help you may give an old but newbie winemaker.

Andy

[RTPFUN]

Hi Trailertrash
Beaverdale kits are very good when completed with all the chemicals provided as per the instructions. I've made loads
1 Change the yeast by all means to a better yeast look at the Lalvin site for recommendations or on here. I would use all the other chemicals as any changes will be small if noticeable at all. Beaverdale kits are after all a quality kit.
2 If you can find recommendations on here from people who have had good results then try them (the tweaked Rioja springs to mind) however make one kit as per instructions (except yeast. If you’re not sure ask which one) and from there you may want to tweak your results in some way. I remember making a White Burgundy kit testing yeasts and although what I got was a nice wine a White Burgundy it was not! The first one made with the Beaverdale yeast was more like a White Burgundy than my tweaked one! Nuff said.
3 Campden tablets are Sodium Metabisulphate and are used one per gallon to help stop the wine going off (Oxidising) Beaverdale kits come with a packet of Metabisulphate so no need to add any extra.

And now is the time to make your first wine number 1
It's much more tweakable than the kits. Fruit additions dried fruit additions tinned fruit and fresh and dried flowers.

[Cellar_Rat]

This is not going to sound very good, and it is something I struggle with myself, but .....here goes ....

It might be best to make the kit up as standard before tweaking. At least this way you have a benchmark and know the impact of the changes you are making.
BeaverDale kits are after all one of the better kits on the market.

This advice is brought to you by someone who doesn't follow it and doesn't make kits so feel free to completely ignore it.
But it is worthy to note that I have tried every which way to tweak the Old Speckled Hen recipe on page 174 'British real ale' - and it is impossible in IMO to improve and after nine batches, number 10 is going back to basics!

[SleepyDave]

I have currently got three Solomon Grundy Platinum 5 gallon kits and I started the first one last week using everything straight from the box.
I now want to start the other two (a Cabernet Sauvignon and a Merlot) but using a better yeast. I have Lalvin RC212 or D47. The yeast supplied with the kit comes in a packet with the nutrient so I was going to add Tronozymol at one teaspoon per gallon.
My problem is, is there anything else in that "yeast and nutrient" packet that I need to add? I assume the concentrate already has the required amount of acid but I was going to do an acid test to check.
Is there anything else I might be missing?

[robwrx]

Lalvin RC212 is a good red wine yeast, D47 is better for white. You will definitely need the Tronozymol as RC212 is a nutrient hungry yeast.

The concentrate should have the correct acid balance already and from my experience you cannot accurately test the acid level prior to fermenting. I read on one of the kit manufacturers websites that the concentration process binds the acid in some way that will not allow a reliable test until fermentation is finished.

I don't think anything else is missing although I've never done a Solomon Grundy kit.

Hope that helps.

Rob

[Cellar_Rat]

Be aware - no problem - but Lalvin RC212 does seem to take a little longer to reach full maturity/potential. It is a very good yeast but it is not instant.

[SleepyDave]

Thanks for the tips guys. Will be starting the next two kits over the weekend.

[Original Mac]

Thank you for including me into this group. I hope to improve my skills which are somewhat lacking by what I have read.
I usually stick to the Beaverdale kits and follow the instructions religiously. However... I note with interest that many of you use different yeasts and stabilizers and finings to those which come in the kits.
May I use my first question to ask this:

1. Would you recommend using different, perhaps better quality material than that which comes in the kit?
2. Would you use anything in addition to that which comes in the kit?
3. What does a crushed campden tablet do to improve the wine.? I have a packet of these and have never seen them refered to till now.

Many thanks in advance for any advice and help you may give an old but newbie winemaker.

Andy

Hi there Trailertrash and welcome. I too have made loads of Beaverdale kits and never had a bad one yet. However some time ago my local HBS could not get Beaverdale so he got California Connoisseur instead. Cal Con is the same grape juice but it uses Lalvin yeast and different finings. Interestingly they seem to use the same Lalvin yeast for all their reds regardless of style. In a direct comparison both wines are drinkable when made but the Lalvin ferments far far faster. I got caught out on my first Cal Con Merlot which dropped from 1020 to 1005 overnight so I was late transferring to secondary (but no harm done). In my experience nothing improves these wines more than time but the Cal Con ones with Lalvin yeast improve far more. After six months they are great but I now have some approaching a year old and they are superb. The Beaverdale ones are also very good but quality yeast makes a difference. I am lucky to have space to be able to store wines long term. If space is an issue for you fill one demijohn/waterbottle with your finished wine and store in a cool dark place for at least six months before bottling. That will still leave you with up to 24 bottles to enjoy immediately (depending on slurpage). After the six months you will be amazed at the improvement. If you are making one gallon kits then hide away one or two bottles not forgetting to label them. The wait will be be worth it, good luck!

[NV68]

Hmm. Is the nutrient added to the grape juice or is it in the yeast pack? Kicked off a Beaverdale PG last night with D47 and it it occurred to me (at about 2AM) that it might need nutrient as well. It's bubbling away, but looks like a much slower ferment than my No,1 and No.2 using K-1118.

[Cellar_Rat]

Different yeast will ferment at different rates and. K1V1116 for instance is very very quick. If the is not nutrient in the kit, I would venture that there is enough nutrient in the grape concentrate.

[NV68]

Thanks for the quick response Cellar Rat Yes, the kit is not supplied with separate nutrient. I assumed that it was probably added to the concentrate, but just wanted to check.

[Duffbeer]

I have currently got three Solomon Grundy Platinum 5 gallon kits and I started the first one last week using everything straight from the box.
I now want to start the other two (a Cabernet Sauvignon and a Merlot) but using a better yeast. I have Lalvin RC212 or D47. The yeast supplied with the kit comes in a packet with the nutrient so I was going to add Tronozymol at one teaspoon per gallon.
My problem is, is there anything else in that "yeast and nutrient" packet that I need to add? I assume the concentrate already has the required amount of acid but I was going to do an acid test to check.
Is there anything else I might be missing?

Changing of the yeast will reduce the fermentation time, Sol Platinum are 7 day kits & the yeast pack is what makes it that. However if you are happy with a slower ferment then I would recommend Gervin GV2 red label as it isn't as nutrient hungry as RC212, though to be honest this style of kit won't benefit greatly from simply changing the yeast, it is a fast turnaround quaffing kit. Though a good way to improve these (reds mainly) try adding a 245ml can of Youngs red wine enhancer (concentrate) or reducing the total volume to 20ltrs instead of 23. This gives a little extra body/alcohol which improves them greatly.

[Richard S]

My 2 best results from tweaking kits have been Beaverdale Rioja with minced raisins, more tannin and oak (posted elsewhere) and a Beaverdale White Burgundy that I added a tea spoon of tartaric acid to and made as a sparkling wine.

When making a kit for the first time, always adhere to the instructions. By the time you have drunk a few bottles, you should have a good idea about any tweaks for next time you make it.