Recent content by gonzo46307

I've done a couple of Rosso's, one at 5 gal, and the other per instructions...I wasn't really impressed...even with the price tag. I'm happy with my Trinity Red for a daily drinker. It's twice the cost, but (I feel) it's a better product, and worth it. This is just my opinion...if you like...

I won a Silver medal with this kit at the Indy wine competition in 2010. The wine was a year old (from start to finish), at the time. I did not add any extra K-meta. I had a glass, this summer, from a bottle I gave away, Christmas 2010, and it was awesome. The extra K-meta isn't needed...

Yep, these kits make 6 gallons, but be careful. Follow the instructions, because the F-pack is so big, you don't fill the primary to the full 6 gallons. Peace, Bob

I started a WE Aussie Chardonnay back in January. After racking it to the secondary (racking plenty of sediment, and topping off with water), I stirred it twice a week until the end of June. I added the supplied packet of k-meta a month after transferring to the secondary, then another 1/8 tsp...

You shouldn't have any issue using the 6.5 gallon carboy for primary and secondary fermentation for the sweet kits (Island Mist...Orchard Breeze), any of the 30 day kits. My wine guy actually prefers using the 6.5 as a primary for all his kit wines (non-grape skin kits). You just have to...

I have this kit ready to bulk age, so I'm not much help...LOL! I haven't heard anything bad about the Estate series. I have a feeling it'll need a year or two to come around. Time to make another Trinity Red! :d Peace, Bob

:u Beginning SG is 1.100. Like Rocky suggested, I picked the stems out of the drypack. It was kind of strange, the kit came with a plastic bag of oak chips, but then it also had what the instructions said was an "infusion" bag, that contained oak chips too. Not sure what the point of...

With dried grape skin pack... I'm trying to do different kits to see how they turn out. This is my first Spagnols kit. I've done a couple of kits with juice grapeskin packs, so it'll be interesting to see how the dried grape pack compares. It's a < $100 kit, so I'm being realistic...

It might not be de-gassed completely. Peace, Bob

Racking to the bucket then back to the cleaned/sanitized carboy is fine. Be sure you have a red wine to use to top up after you rack. Peace, Bob

An SG of .990 means it's completely dry, and done fermenting. I usually pull the bag of fruit sooner, but I doubt you did any damage to the wine leaving it in longer. I would check the SG tomorrow, to make sure it's at .990 (it probably won't go lower). Then, just like a kit, you add K-Meta &...

I'm going to start working on an insulated wine cabinet using the goat panels...I'll post pics when I start, just haven't had time the past few weeks. :w Peace, Bob

If you're not sure...and you can't find any tweeks on the internet...best bet is to just follow the instructions. I don't think any kit manufacturer will "over oak" one of their kits. After secondary fermentation if you think it needs more oak, add it. Taste is personal, even if I told you...

The grapeskin kits seem to be more gassy than the regular kits. The Co2 isn't coming from the oak cubes, the oak cubes provide a good surface for the bubbles to form. You can see the same effect if you suspend a bottle brush in the middle of the carboy, and put a vacuum on it...the bubbles...

Actually that's false, you don't add the F-packs until it's time to bottle, that's the only time you need split the wine into 3 gallon batches, until then you treat it just like a regular 6 gallon kit. You can ferment two 3 gallon batches, but there's really no point, it's the same wine until...