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PSUnrivaled

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I recently received the Stags Leap Merlot Kit from WE and I have some questions for those who have used this kit. I searched the forum and couldn't find anything specifically about what I am asking, but I apologize if I missed/couldn't find it.

The instructions say to use an 8 gallon primary fermenter...? Is this really required, or can I use a 6.5?

The grape skin kit is different than another kit I have, it is a liquid bag. How am I supposed to put that in the hop bag? Or am I not supposed to, do I just dump it in the carboy?

I appreciate your help, this kit sounds so good and there has been a lot of talk about the kit... Can't wait till 2017 so I can drink it!
 
I recently received the Stags Leap Merlot Kit from WE and I have some questions for those who have used this kit. I searched the forum and couldn't find anything specifically about what I am asking, but I apologize if I missed/couldn't find it.

The instructions say to use an 8 gallon primary fermenter...? Is this really required, or can I use a 6.5?

The grape skin kit is different than another kit I have, it is a liquid bag. How am I supposed to put that in the hop bag? Or am I not supposed to, do I just dump it in the carboy?

I appreciate your help, this kit sounds so good and there has been a lot of talk about the kit... Can't wait till 2017 so I can drink it!

Hi PS, I have made several of the SL Merlots, have one finishing fermenting as we speak. I'll address your questions one by one, and share some thoughts as well.

1. You should definitely use the larger fermenter. You will have a full 6 gallons of liquid when you start, and then add your skins. It'll be filled to the rim of a 6.5, a mess will almost surely develop.

2. The instructions tell you to sanitize the mesh bag and a large bowl, stretch the bag over the bowl, put the grape pack into the mesh/bowl, tie up the end and drop it in. That works fine, and it's what most folks do.

Here are a couple things I do differently after having made several of these, and many other varietals as well.

1. After I've dissolved my bentonite in hot water in the bucket (per the instructions), I add the oak dust, it saturates in the hot water much faster and much less will float when the juice is added.

2. After making the kit to the required 6 gallons and stirring well, I add the grape pack directly to the juice and stir for 5 minutes or so. You'll get a good initial SG reading as compared to trying to stir the bag enough to release all of its sugar. I also believe that this allows maximum interaction of the yeast with the skins, seeds, and stems, and I want all of the body and tannins I can get.

3. Proceed as instructed from there, fermenting away and punching / stirring the cap a couple times a day. When it's time to complete fermentation in a glass carboy, I stretch the mesh bag over one side of my fermentation bucket and dump the wine through the bag into another bucket, tie and squeeze every drop of liquid I can from the bag and discard it. Let the sediment settle for an hour or so, and rack to glass.

If you don't have a second bucket, put the skins and oak in the bag, it's less messy. I also keep larger mesh bags on hand when I can find them. It's a little easier if you can stretch the bag over the opening in the bucket you're pouring into.

Hope this helps, this is definitely one of my favorites!!
 
The instructions say to use an 8 gallon primary fermenter...? Is this really required, or can I use a 6.5?

At a minimum, you need at least 1 gallon for "head space" as the wine ferments and foams up. Even that is not enough for an active fermentation. If you only have a 6.5 gallon bucket, then:

1) Mix to 6 gallons per the directions. DO NOT add yeast yet.
2) Remove 2 gallons, store in the fridge
3) Add the grape pack, and ferment per the directions.
4) Stir twice a day to release CO2.
5) Around day 4, when the fermentation has subsided, add back 1/2 gallon per day of the reserved must. continue to stir twice daily.
6) When you get to the 1/2 gallon, remove grape skins to give you more room in the bucket.

The grape skin kit is different than another kit I have, it is a liquid bag. How am I supposed to put that in the hop bag? Or am I not supposed to, do I just dump it in the carboy?

Your choice. I either:
1) cut the corner of the bag and squeeze the pulp into a bag; or
2) cut the corner, and dump directly in to the bucket.

If you are using a carboy (with a narrow neck) vs. a plastic pail, then you will need to modify the directions a little. You won't be able to use a hop bag for the skins. It won't come out of the carboy. So you will need to dump it directly into the carboy. When you remove the skins, you will actually remove the wine into another carboy, and leave the skins behind. That will be difficult because the skins will keep clogging the racking cane.

So, you are better off getting an 8.5 gallon pail.
 
John,

Thank you for such a great response! I will get an 8 gallon primary tomorrow, I will most likely use the bag for the first batch since this is only the second kit I'll be making and I won't have a free bucket to use later on. I'm going to save your instructions for a future attempt though.

I'm going to take your advice and add the oak powder to the hot water/bentonite.

Thanks again, your post was very helpful!

Matt
 
I will get an 8 gallon bucket tomorrow... It will make the process a lot better, and leave less risk of messing it up. I appreciate your help. Thank you!
Matt



At a minimum, you need at least 1 gallon for "head space" as the wine ferments and foams up. Even that is not enough for an active fermentation. If you only have a 6.5 gallon bucket, then:

1) Mix to 6 gallons per the directions. DO NOT add yeast yet.
2) Remove 2 gallons, store in the fridge
3) Add the grape pack, and ferment per the directions.
4) Stir twice a day to release CO2.
5) Around day 4, when the fermentation has subsided, add back 1/2 gallon per day of the reserved must. continue to stir twice daily.
6) When you get to the 1/2 gallon, remove grape skins to give you more room in the bucket.



Your choice. I either:
1) cut the corner of the bag and squeeze the pulp into a bag; or
2) cut the corner, and dump directly in to the bucket.

If you are using a carboy (with a narrow neck) vs. a plastic pail, then you will need to modify the directions a little. You won't be able to use a hop bag for the skins. It won't come out of the carboy. So you will need to dump it directly into the carboy. When you remove the skins, you will actually remove the wine into another carboy, and leave the skins behind. That will be difficult because the skins will keep clogging the racking cane.

So, you are better off getting an 8.5 gallon pail.
 
I soak the grape bag in hot water before transferring it to the mesh bag. It seems to come out a lot easier. Another thing I do is I add the oak dust directly into the mesh bag. A lot less juice is lost when it comes time to transfer into the secondary.
 
One more thing. I don't add the oak cubes until after I have cleared the wine. Then I let the oak cubes sit in the wine for 6 weeks for my taste, but mileage may vary.
 
What I typically do with large grape packs and 6g of juice is split the batch equally into two primaries. By the time I get to the carboy, I'm usually down to between 6 and 7 gallons. I have a 1 gallon carboy for that purpose.

The same process works for doing fresh juice buckets with a lug of fresh grapes.

I've done the same when making a 12 gallon Cabernet Sauvignon batch from (1) fresh juice bucket and (1) frozen must bucket.

Splitting it makes sense for me, so that I can just have one size of primary and they stack well.
 
I have mine in the secondary. For some reason mine didn't ship with a mesh bag. Being impatient, I dumped the skins in with the juice for about 8 days. The first rack was hard, but it's looking great now.
 
Thank you for all of the reply's, this kit is a bit intimidating, and you all are making me feel better about it. I am going to get it going in a few more weeks... I have a different kit going now, and don't have enough equipment to get started.
 

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