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  • Kit review template??

    I'm relatively new to kit wine making (over a year now after some experimenting with 6 bottle Beaverdales). One issue I have is which kit to buy. The process begins with choosing a particular variety. Than I look at the kits for that variety. My last experience was buying Sauvignon blanc. I narrowed my options down to Vinters, World, and Kenridge. It was like flipping a three sided coin, I ended up going with the Kenridge. I like to make informed decisions and this was far from it. Saying that, my HBS did help me with narrowing the list down.

    Getting to point, I think it would be a good idea if we can have a template sticky for all the major wine varieties. For example, the S. blanc first entry would give some information about what to expect from a good S. blanc... grassy notes, gooseberry, etc. The following posts would have the name of the company 'Kenridge Classic' and impression, what was in the box (ingredients, litre amount, price range, and what the final product tasted like, with an additional note for 3 month tasting. If someone made the Selection, they can add it using the same template in the "S. blanc" thread. Now, if you want an S blanc, you can see who has what to say about what kit all in one thread.

    Its just an idea, what do the moderators think?

  • #2
    Originally posted by krakowmike View Post
    I think it would be a good idea if we can have a template sticky for all the major wine varieties.
    Im not sure what you mean by a template sticky.....

    threads can be "stuck" biut i dont think vbulletin has the options for templates that people can add to (if thats what you meant)

    I think we may be able to change the way the threads are organised maybe?

    maybe i have misunderstood what you meant though?

    let me know
    regards
    bob
    N.G.W.B.J.
    Member of 5 Towns Wine and Beer Makers Society (Yorkshire's newest)
    Wine, mead and beer maker

    Comment


    • #3
      Maybe stickys are not needed. But certainly a reviewer's template/ check list to make the reviews consistent, informative, and enjoyable. Nonetheless it would be nice to have all the different kits of one variety under one thread. Saying that, I need to review the kits I've done up to now

      Comment


      • #4
        You could compile a list of headings you would expect on your template in the first post on a thread, then encourage everyone to copy and paste those headings for their post reviewing the kit they have chosen... Over-typing the out "xxxxx's" or whatever so that each post is in the same format... It does rely on people being willing to use the set format but it works well when people do...

        Comment


        • #5
          It also has the problem that reviews are subjective, but I get that it may be nice to list by varietal. There is also the problem of what to do with existing reviews?

          Not saying it cant be done of course, but I am currently pushed for time work wise hence me only being on for long enough to have a quick check on things and attend to the admin panel stuff (deleting spammers etc)

          So first up, lets have more ideas on how we think it should work, or indeed if changes are required


          and if we think changes need to be made....... a team of volunteers to help would be great.

          regards
          Bob
          Last edited by lockwood1956; 08-03-2012, 08:55 AM.
          N.G.W.B.J.
          Member of 5 Towns Wine and Beer Makers Society (Yorkshire's newest)
          Wine, mead and beer maker

          Comment


          • #6
            I think this is a good idea.
            it will give everybody a framework, to review the kit by – I do understand it's subjective though!
            Is this a sticky thread with a PDF attached?
            Gluten free, caffeine free, dairy free, fat free – you gotta love this red wine diet!

            Comment


            • #7
              krakowmike:

              Something like this?

              Variety: Merlot
              Brand: Vineco Ken Ridge Classic
              Size: 10 litre kit makes 23 litres (30 bottles)
              Price: (my price in Canada is not really applicable elsewhere, but for the record) $68
              Kit Date/Batch: 79630 8289 0027 (indicates kit was produced 289th day of 2008)
              Yeast: EC-1118
              Oak: 25g Premium Oak Chips (powder)
              Additives: Bentonite, K-meta, Sorbate, Isinglass
              Starting sg: 1.083
              Ending sg: .992
              Description: mutter, mutter, mutter. This is usually our house red wine, and the cheapest wine kit that we make (except for mist wines).

              Steve
              the procrastinating wine maker in the Niagara Region of Ontario Canada
              "why do today what you can put off till next week"

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by cpfan View Post
                krakowmike:

                Something like this?

                Variety: Merlot
                Brand: Vineco Ken Ridge Classic
                Size: 10 litre kit makes 23 litres (30 bottles)
                Price: (my price in Canada is not really applicable elsewhere, but for the record) $68
                Kit Date/Batch: 79630 8289 0027 (indicates kit was produced 289th day of 2008)
                Yeast: EC-1118
                Oak: 25g Premium Oak Chips (powder)
                Additives: Bentonite, K-meta, Sorbate, Isinglass
                Starting sg: 1.083
                Ending sg: .992
                Description: mutter, mutter, mutter. This is usually our house red wine, and the cheapest wine kit that we make (except for mist wines).

                Steve
                Yes that's exactly what I meant... So the template is simply...

                Variety: xxxx
                Brand: xxxx
                Size: xxxx
                Price: xxxx
                Kit Date/Batch: xxxx
                Yeast: xxxx
                Oak: xxxx
                Additives: xxxx
                Starting sg: xxxx
                Ending sg: .xxxx
                Description: xxxx

                ...perhaps with some revisions such as 'Volume' rather than 'size' and perhaps headings for tastings at various stages...? I.e. straight out of FV, after 'x' months, after 'x' years. And maybe storage conditions etc....?

                Comment


                • #9
                  Good ideas all, I'm very keen on the taste notes being qualified by the time matured. 3/6/9 months have a huge impact on kits I've made.
                  Now bottling 20DJs of 2013 red and making room to rack 5 carboys of 2014 red to the DJs where they can wait for another winter.
                  Thank goodness for eBay! (local cache of DJs)

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Each varietal "could" be a sub forum....


                    would take a little time to sort, but doable
                    N.G.W.B.J.
                    Member of 5 Towns Wine and Beer Makers Society (Yorkshire's newest)
                    Wine, mead and beer maker

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      I think it would be good to include reviews of the finished product. Colour, taste, smell that sort of thing!
                      Gluten free, caffeine free, dairy free, fat free – you gotta love this red wine diet!

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by lockwood1956 View Post
                        Each varietal "could" be a sub forum.......
                        In my head this is a wiki, with many pages based on the same template. Could you do it as some sort of library, with an index page?
                        Gluten free, caffeine free, dairy free, fat free – you gotta love this red wine diet!

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Cellar_Rat View Post
                          In my head this is a wiki, with many pages based on the same template. Could you do it as some sort of library, with an index page?
                          Yes a wiki! A wine kit review wiki! Does the forum software allow for wiki's?

                          Sorry guys, I had a board exam for work this past Tuesday and have been busy studying beforewards. I am pleased to see such great enthusiaum about a library of reviews. Now since I'm done with the exam, I have some free time before my wedding in June. If we can decide on a format as suggested in previous posts, I can start with Piesporter since I've done 2 different kits, have another waiting. Any good sources on what a classic pieporter should taste like? We can start the thread with the tradional wine notes in the first post. Following post in that thread would be the review; details of kit, and what came out, and how does it taste, etc. Once we estalbish a 'proforma' sort to say, we can go than do other wines. I'm happy to search through past posts and add a brief summary to the new library thread for Piesporter. It will be some work but seeing how awesome of a community this forum is, hopefully it will encourage others to follow with their experiences with different wine kits. As reviews are noted, one of the moderators can make it complies to pro-forma- this will ensure an enjoyable experience for the reader and hopefully help with deciding which kits to buy.

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