Cellar Craft Super-Tuscan Rosso Fortissimo Reserve

[masta]

Received my CC Limited Edition Rosso Fortissimo yesterday and the grape pack is HUGE!! A full 2.6 L of jammy goodness and appears to be the same consistency as what WE includes in their Crushendo kits only much larger. The other added plus is this kit comes with oak cubes to be added in the secondary after stabilizing/fining in addition to the standard oak packets for the primary.

They include a long but very narrow straining bag for the grape pack but appears to me to be much too small to work very well. This baby will be going into the 10 gal "trash can" fermenter to allow plenty of room for a vigorous fermentation.Edited by: masta

 

[grapeman]

That sounds outstanding Masta. Can't wait to hear how it turns out.

 

[smurfe]

I think you will really enjoy this kit. I made the regular CC Rosso Fortissimo grape pack kit about 3 years ago. It was still to date the best kit I think I have ever made. I had people beating on the door for bottles of that stuff.

 

[FineWino]

They include a long but very narrow straining bag for the grape pack but appears to me to be much too small to work very well. This baby will be going into the 10 gal "trash can" fermenter to allow plenty of room for a vigorous fermentation.

I have made the CC Showcase Amarone kit that has the same size grapepack. The bag is very stretchy, and easily holds all the grape pack contents. I soaked the grape pack in warm water to reduce the viscosity a bit, cut off one end of the pack, stretched the sock over it, then squeezed the goodies out into the bag. If I do one of these again, I think I will also put the oak shavings for the primary in the bag.

 

[K&GB]

Masta,


I ordered the same kit, and it's on the way. However, I don't have a large primary fermenter. Will I need one? I would appreciate any recommendations you have from your experience this kit. Thanks.


Ken

 

[masta]

You should be able to do this in a normal 7.9 gal primary and hopefully I can get this going this weekend.


I will report on my progress.

 

[K&GB]

Thanks Masta. When I get mine started, I'll initiate a similar thread so we can compare notes.

 

[Duncan]

I started mine on Monday. It did worry me at the being. It did use the whole 7.9 with initial foaming.

 

[ras1]

I just got mine today!


I did the CC Amarone in the 7.9 but iit was a bit cramped and some foam did get up into the air lock.


I am thinking aboutdoing the primary in a larger container.


With regard to the grape pack, do you guys typically squeeze the daylights out of the thing when racking to secondary or just a basic squeeze?

 

[Wade E]

Was this the 1 with the Super grape pack?

 

[K&GB]

Masta, I pitched the yeast on mine this morning. First time I've tried a kit with a grape pack. As FineWino recommended, I put the oak pulp inside the bag with the grape skins. SG was 1.098 -24 brix. Really looks and smells great.


Wade, yes this came with a huge grape pack. I love Masta's description- a full 2.6L of jammy goodness!

 

[K&GB]

Masta,


Hope your Super Tuscan is doing well. I have a question about the instructions.


They directs us to rack to a carboy for secondary fermentation when the SG reaches 1.00 or below. (I assume the long wait has to do with getting the most out of the grape skins.) Other kits recommend racking sooner, with SG around 1.010 for WE and 1.020 MM Alljuice. After reading about it in this forum,I'm concerned that racking at a lower SG may result in a stuck fermentation or may not produce enough CO2 to displace the O2 in the carboy.


My SG is now 1.008, and the bubbles are really slowing down. Should I be concerned?


KenEdited by: K&GB

 

[masta]

Ken,

I have not started mine yet due to day after day of problems or issues coming up but my plan is to start this weekend.


I would go ahead and rack now since you are very close to CC's target of 1.000. No need to be concerned about not enough CO2 displacing the O2 in the carboy. Even if the fermentation was complete there is plenty of dissolved CO2 in the liquid to fill the head space with a gently rocking of the carboy after the transfer.Edited by: masta

 

[K&GB]

Thanks again Masta. I hope things settle down and you get a chance to start yours this weekend. Good luck!

 

[masta]

Got mine started last night in my 10 gal "trash can" and opted to use a larger 5 gallon nylon straining bag for the grape pack.

 

[Jack on Rainy]

We are glad you guys are comparing notes on this kit. It is most instructive.We will chip in as we started this one last night as well.


Mary handled the grape pack exactly asFW indicated in his post and it worked perfectly. With two of us we didn't spill a drop and we now have it in the 7.9. The grape pack sunk to the bottom to begin with. We did not put the oak in the bag with the grape pack. Initial SG was1.083 (low??)at a temp of 70. I put the brew belt on to hold that temp. It hasstarted fermenting. There isn't a lot of head space in the fermeter so if it gets too vigorous, I am going to put the airlock on without inards so I can contain the mess on the top of the fermenter without contaminating the must. Edited by: Jack on Rainy

 

[Jack on Rainy]

Got mine started last night in my 10 gal "trash can" and opted to use a larger 5 gallon nylon straining bag for the grape pack.

Masta, What was your initial SG? How about yours, Duncan and FW?Edited by: Jack on Rainy

 

[Wade E]

Those are low SG's. The RJ Spagnols are 1.105 typically.

 

[masta]

I did not test mine since my thief/test jar combo broke

and I didn't feel like cleaning my older thief and test jar but I have enough faith in the MM products that there will not be a problem with it.

 

[Duncan]

My sg was 1.090 at 68. Don't know why, but thought it should have been higher. But after thinking about it. The grape pack would add some to it?