imported juice or kit

[davewaz]

So my local home brew shop is advertising they will be getting Chile Fresco,
Fresh Grape Juice from the San Fernando Region of Chile.

Have any you ever heard of this? What do you think the quality will be?
It's a $115 for a 6 gallon bucket, would I be better off with a $135 cellar craft showcase series kit?

Any feedback is appreciated.

 

[Tom]

Sounds high unless thats a shipped price to you. Check around you may find a dealer with better pricing and more variety.
I get Chilean juices all the time and they are in the $50.00 range. All juices need a little help like adding tannin and more body. Sitll a good deal if you can get them

 

[roblloyd]

I bought a juice bucket and the instructions sound like it takes a lot longer to get to bottle than a kit. Is that true? The shop recommended about 6 months before bottling. Would it be drinkable at that point or does it now need a year to age out?
Where the kits seems to be about 6 months to be drinkable, not at peak, but you would have something to drink if your cellar is empty.

I am starting to run into empty equipment in a month and was thinking of juice or kit myself.

 

[Flem]

So my local home brew shop is advertising they will be getting Chile Fresco,
Fresh Grape Juice from the San Fernando Region of Chile.

Have any you ever heard of this? What do you think the quality will be?
It's a $115 for a 6 gallon bucket, would I be better off with a $135 cellar craft showcase series kit?

Any feedback is appreciated.

That does sound very high, unless, like Tom said, it includes shipping. Still, that's a lot for shipping. I just ordered a Chilean Carmenere for $48. I will pick it up in person though.

 

[cpfan]

I believe that the Chilean juices that are less expensive are raw juices imported from Chile. The Chile Fresco is a line of fresh juice products from Mosti Mondiale. I haven't made either so have no comment on comparative quality.

Steve

 

[Tom]

If you need something to drink fast get a high end kit. Steve is right that they are raw juice which will take longer to bottle. Remember wineries ade reds at least ONE year.

 

[djrockinsteve]

Wow that is high. I'd rather wait till Sept. and get 3 Calif. juices for that price. I guess Juan Valdez got a raise.

 

[davewaz]

Good to know that's high, the juice is refridgerated and fresh supposedly... Anyways sounds like I'll be going with the kit as I'm still pretty new to this and there is a much smaller chance I will f it up.

Thanks for the replys!

 

[djrockinsteve]

Dave, when I look for juice or fruit to ferment I do a little math. I figure if I can get all my ingredients for under 50 bucks for 6 gallons then I'm good. I get Regina quality juice from Calif. in Sept. for 40-48 bucks.

If it's going to cost more, it's too much and be better off waiting and doing a quality grown juice. Gotta watch for sales.