Help

[Siobhán]

Hello,
New to your site, new to wine making, so it's all a bit overwhelming, we made our first wine kit and one of the kids put in an extra 4 liters of water and we dont know what to do. The wine is fermenting away like crazy for the last few days, will it be ok

 

[Wade E]

It will help to know what kit this is. It will work fine but may be a thinner wine then what is what supposed to be and be less alc also. You could add around 1 1/2 lbs of dissolved sugar to boost that back up.

 

[Siobhán]

Thank you,
The kit is a Pinot Grigio 5 day kit by Cantina. Don' know if you get it there.

 

[admiral]

Welcome aboard! How many liters was the kit to start with? How much water were you supposed to add?

 

[Siobhán]

Makes 21 Liters in total, 5 liters of grape juice and add water to make total of 21l. We added 20 lts instead of 15lts

 

[Goodfella]

What do you guys think about adding some grape juice concentrate?

 

[vcasey]

What do you guys think about adding some grape juice concentrate?

No. Its a small kit most allow for some variation adding sugar would be the way I'd go.
vc

 

[Wade E]

I dont know, thats a lot of water and a grape concentrate like welches or something might be a better idea like a frozen concentrate. It may require a few to get the abv back up to where it should have been and your going to need a bigger vessel to put this in now. This was designed for a 5 gallon carboy but youll probably need a 6 gallon nowwhich is 23 liters.

 

[grapeman]

Keep in mind this is a Pinot Grigio. You don't want a red concentrate in it and you don't want a Niagra based Welch's concentrate either. If you were going to add some concentrate, go with a couple bottles of the concentrate sold at wine supply stores like this one
http://www.finevinewines.com/ProdDetA.asp?PartNumber=6376


This will put body back in it. So this is a 5 DAY kit? Nobody asked about that- should that have read a 5 week kit? If 5 days it isn't going to be very good or clear anyways so I wouldn't fret about it too much. Make it up and move on. Chalk it up to learning fees.......

 

[admiral]

I think this is the kit:

"The Cantina range of wine kits contains 5 litres of concentrated grape
juice which means no aditional sugar is needed to make 30 bottles of
wine. Using a special strain of yeast, these wine kits ferment in
around 5 days, clear in 2 days and are ready to drink immediately. In
practice these quick and easy to make wines improve if left for a few
months to mature."

This kit costs 30 pounds or about $50. I think I would add the concentrate noted above by appleman as a first choice. As a second choice, I would add sugar. As a third choice, I would leave it as is and move on knowing that my next wine will be better.

 

[Siobhán]

Thanks Guys, Had kind of decided to chalk it up 2 experience, the nearest place to get concentrate is about 50 miles away and with today Sunday, Monday dont open and Tuesday a holy day no chance till Wed.
The wine is due to have stabiliser and 2 lots of finings added to day(Rack off, Stabaliser then Stir Co2, 2 - 3 times, then first finings Stir leave for 3 hrs, stir or shake for 15 seconds add second finings, leave for a day rack off again. Stir again for Co2 then bottle)
So I think will go ahead with it the reading on the hydrometer seemed ok. Will let you know how it turns out.

 

[Wade E]

You could add the hold off on the fining agent a few days and use the grape concentrate as appleman said which I agree would be your best bet(and didnt think of at the time) and add the fining agent after getting that. A few more days will not hurt anything and will only help at this stage.

 

[Wayne1]

OK - how about make a second kit but leave it short 4 liters of water - then blend them together at the end?

 

[vcasey]

OK - how about make a second kit but leave it short 4 liters of water - then blend them together at the end?

well gee that's too easy

 

[Joanie]

Would it throw the SG off too much so the yeast might have difficulty fermenting it?

 

[PeterZ]

The Lalvin EC-1118 that comes with most kits is pretty tolerant of alcohol. Leaving out 4 L should not be a big enough change to be a problem.

 

[bbrown]

First, welcome Siobhan!


I'm a "newbee" myself so I won't attempt to make any recommendations here. But you have come to the right place for good advice and assistance. I learn something here everytime I enter.


Again, welcome! Where in Ireland are you? Headed your way next year for a stay of about 10 days, celebrating wedding anniversary.