RJ Spagnols Add elderberies to kit?

Somehow I ended up with 2 Super Tuscan kits that I need to make. I was thinking of doing one straight up according to the directions, and then change up something for the second one.

Any thoughts on adding an 8 oz bag of dried elderberries to one of the batches?

I'm new to this, but I do understand the need to wait 12-18 months for this kit to age. I would like any and all ideas on an alternative for my "modified" batch.

Thanks in advance!

I added elderberry to a cheap kit and it turned out great.

Are you wanting to add to primary or secondary?

I would add to the primary in a mesh bag. I don't really know what the pros and cons would be for the primary vs secondary.

Twenty five years ago, or more; dried elderberries were often included with concentrate wine kits that lacked tannin. Modern kits are better balanced, and, I am not sure that adding the elderberries would improve the wine kit. Eight ounces seems like a lot, as I recall smaller amounts being included with wine kits from long ago. It would be helpful if you specified which Super Tuscan kit you were making. If it is the winery series, I have made several, and, I enjoyed the results without tweaking.

I think elderberries add a tart strong berry / fruit flavor to reds...not m cup of tea..I do think it would be great to compare using an a
Ternate yeast Combe or try for an oak bomb...
Just my taste

BarBarrique said:

Twenty five years ago, or more; dried elderberries were often included with concentrate wine kits that lacked tannin. Modern kits are better balanced, and, I am not sure that adding the elderberries would improve the wine kit. Eight ounces seems like a lot, as I recall smaller amounts being included with wine kits from long ago. It would be helpful if you specified which Super Tuscan kit you were making. If it is the winery series, I have made several, and, I enjoyed the results without tweaking.

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I have a WE SE Valpolicella (now Valrosa) kit in the primary and it came with 30 grams of dried Elderberries. @globalnavigator using 8 oz which converts to 226.796 grams will likely be very noticeable. I don't have enough experience using them to say if it will be objectionable.

knockabout said:

I think elderberries add a tart strong berry / fruit flavor to reds...not m cup of tea..I do think it would be great to compare using an a
Ternate yeast Combe or try for an oak bomb...
Just my taste

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I like the idea of using a different yeast for the second batch! As a newbie, I can compare and contrast the results down the road to understand how the wine is affected by different yeasts.

It's the RJS Cellar Classic Winery Series, and it comes with EC-1118 yeast. What would be a suggested alternative yeast?

globalnavigator said:

I like the idea of using a different yeast for the second batch! As a newbie, I can compare and contrast the results down the road to understand how the wine is affected by different yeasts.

It's the RJS Cellar Classic Winery Series, and it comes with EC-1118 yeast. What would be a suggested alternative yeast?

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RC212 would be my suggestion.

My suggestion would be to add that amount of elderberries to both batches, that way you will have 2 good batches instead of one that is ok and one made with elderberries which would be great! WVMJ

I just opened a bottle of Nebbiolo made almost a year ago - Dec. 2014 - to which I added a fair amount of elderberries. I think it was 20 g.

It was a Heritage Estates kit, made as an early drinker while my better wines (grapes from the backyard and premium kits) aged to maturity. The bottles I drank from about 2 months old until now (haven't had one in over 4 months) were very harsh with tannins, from the elderberries.

The glass I am sipping on is very mellow and nice. It does taste of "berry", so as a member above stated, if this is not your cup of tea, maybe it's not a good idea. But if you don't mind a strong berry flavour, it does add a lot of tannin structure, body, and colour. Probably ready to drink at 9 months (definitely at 11).

I hope this helps!