Other Vinoka Hard Cranberry Lemonade kit....help

[tanyalc]

Hi, I just picked up the " Vinoka Hard Cranberry Lemonade kit" and I wasn't really sure what I was picking up. I got the kit home and read the instructions and found that I need a carbonator.

I don't have a carbonator and following the instructions that tell me to make it at 11.5 L (instead of 23 L) and then mix the "cooler base" 50/50 with Sprite or 7up when I go to drink doesn't appeal to me.
Is there another way I can make this kit?

I cannot return it since I opened it to get to the instructions :-(

Thanks in advance

Tanya

 

[dessertmaker]

First off, I'm assuming you mean 23 liters not gallons.

Secondly, if it were my kit, I would cut the Skeeter Pee recipe in half and use the juice concentrate to do a cranberry Skeeter Pee. www.skeeterpee.com. Just make sure you keep your SG in the same range as the skeeter pee recipe and you should be as good as gold.

 

[tanyalc]

Oops!!! Yes I do mean liters..... edited my original comment

 

[tanyalc]

Can I just make the kit as per instructions for the 23l and then at the end instead of sweetening, carbinating, and then bottling it.... just back sweeten to taste and bottle it?

It wouldn't be "sparkling" but I have made hard lemonade and hard lime (both "Wicked" brand) that were not intended to be sparkling and they were a nice summer drink.

 

[CBell]

You could make it per 23 liters, but if it was intended to make 11.5 liters and then be cut with soda, you may not get the taste/alcohol you are looking for, and may have a very diluted product. I am willing to bet, however, that if you give us more information about all of the ingredients included in this kit, that one of the resident experts here could give you some better advice on how to proceed...

 

[cpfan]

tanyalc:

I have never made a Vinoka kit, although a did look at them several years ago. I don't think that these kits are distributed in the USA, and they have not been discussed here very often over the years. I looked at the RJSpagnols site and the instructions did not seem to be on the site. You could try calling RJS and see what they say. However, it is a long weekend in Canada, and I don't know if you'd get an answer till Tuesday.

How about the store you bought it at? Can they help?

Steve

 

[rjb222]

OK here is the home method. Ferment using half the water at mixing time. Allow to ferment clear and add the sugar and flavoring. use soda water 50/50 when you serve.

 

[cpfan]

OK here is the home method. Ferment using half the water at mixing time. Allow to ferment clear and add the sugar and flavoring. use soda water 50/50 when you serve.

rjb:

That's if you want it sparkling. What if you want it flat? Make to 23 litres?

What kind of alcohol % do you get? Both methods. And knowing you, you've probably done both.

Saw your computer woes post. Everything good now?

Steve

 

[rjb222]

Hi Steve. Got most of my important material back. Windows 8 I am adapting to. Some things are way better others are being used for the first time and frustration sets in when I can not make what I think should happen to happen. Over all a stable platform but everything is hidden so putting files where you want when down loading and saving is a little different.
These Vinoka kits are about 5% when fermented to the 24 liters recommended. Or when made sparkling after 50/50 mix. I have never made these as a wine style no CO2 added so I lack the knowledge to make that recommendation. Sorry.
I would think though that making the 24 liter recommended amount that following proper fermentation and stabilizing procedures will make a palatable dead cider one may need to cut back the sugar a wee bit as CO2 is a acid and with out that acid there will need to be a balance adjustment.

 

[tanyalc]

tanyalc:

You could try calling RJS and see what they say. However, it is a long weekend in Canada, and I don't know if you'd get an answer till Tuesday.

How about the store you bought it at? Can they help?

Steve

Thanks Steve, I will give them a call tomorrow and see what I can figure out.

As for the store, I cannot see them being much help. Not a "Brew on Site".

Tanya

 

[tanyalc]

rjb:

That's if you want it sparkling. What if you want it flat? Make to 23 litres?

What kind of alcohol % do you get? Both methods. And knowing you, you've probably done both.


Steve

This is the kind of info I am looking for. Is it possible to make it flat? Will it be worth it?

I could make as per the non-sparkling version, but then I would need to cut with soda each drink. Traveling to a BBQ would be a hassle and a pain :-( double to pack.

 

[cpfan]

This is the kind of info I am looking for. Is it possible to make it flat? Will it be worth it?

I could make as per the non-sparkling version, but then I would need to cut with soda each drink. Traveling to a BBQ would be a hassle and a pain :-( double to pack.

As I already said, I don't have the instructions available to me, and I've never made one of these. HOWEVER, if I was going to make this kit, I probably would try the following ...

1. make it up to a bit under 23 litres, and check the sg
2. add sugar till it's 1.075 to 1.080 (maybe using part of the flavour/sweetening pack depending how it's packaged)
3. top up to the 23 litre mark
4. make the wine like a normal mist wine kit
5. bottle and drink. If somebody wants it a bit sparkling, then some soda can be added

I was hoping that rjb222 had some experience with a similar procedure.

Winexpert had a Cranberry Hard Lemonade many years ago that we made flat. It was GOOOOD, but tasted a bit more like grapefruit than cranberry.

BTW, a Ferment on Premises might have force carbonation equipment, and not know about the make-at-home approach. A store that doesn't do FoP should know 'everything' about making the kit at home.

Steve

 

[tanyalc]

Thanks Steve' I am going to try what you said and see what happens.

I will let you know how I make out.

Tanya