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Just to answer your original question. To each 11.5 liter batch I add about 1.5 liters of brandy. Cuts the sweetness and brings the ABv up a tad. 6 batches and not a complaint. Good luck. Derek

Do those of you who don't use sorbate notice any decrease in KT?

I'll have to find the sheet. Out of town so I'll respond this weekend. D.

Two quick thoughts. Contact WE. They provided a replacement kit for free when this happened to me last year when mine stuck. I recovered the original kit. Started a batch of cab. When I racked it, I poured the port onto the cab lees, stirred, put a heater on it, and it took off. Never quite...

I think I used a mid range. Not a low end no name but something like a Paul Masson? I added 750ml to a batch that had stuck but now go with 500ml for a norm.

Fwiw. Had a choc rasp last year that stuck. Started a batch of cab and then when I racked it to the carboy I poured the stuck port into the cab primary and after a day it took off. Ready to bottle this years choc rasp and have bothe the black forest and coffee kits coming. Also fwiw. I add...

Fwiw...made this last year and found it a bit sweet so added about 750ml of Brandy before bottling. Gave as Xmas gifts and basically wiped out the rest. I have this years batch ( picked up two last year) in the carboy now and should bottle soon. Definitely yummy. D.

Ahhh lovely NM. On my way to las cruces this week.

So I've made both RJ and WE. I'm curious about the causes of KT. I think I'll make the same kit side by side and filter one and not the other and then see if there is a noticeable difference. As to barreling I am at 3-4 months for most at this point. What is frustrating is that there is...

So I'm on about my 15th batch in the last year. All reds with a few ports. All high end kits and most have been barreled. With the exception of two cellar classic cabs, all have some degree of KT to them ranging from mild to strong. Most are bulk aged to about 4-6 months (carboy post barreling)...

So how long would you need to bulk age reds to avoid having to add the clarifiers?

I recently saw a reco to use 8s on 375ml bottles such as for port. I used 9s with my floor corker and they seemed a bit snug but worked ok. D.

So one of the things I like about brewtrax (one of our vendors - get 10% off) is to print a carboy tag. It's a standard print size and you cut out the circle and then just put it over the carboy neck. Really handy and I also use the software to track all my vints. Derek

S - I'm betting you're onto something. We have been slightly bulk aging (all batches have spent time in the Vidal but all have been bottled in 90-100 days). We are setting aside 3 bottles per batch but are also drinking the core within months so further aging seems to be key. D.

Steve - so all are kits have been high end (18 liter) and all but 2 were with skins. Most were WE and a couple of Cellar Classics. We've bottled 5 so far and currently have 2 in barrel aging, 1 ready to bottle, 1 waiting for barreling and 2 in primary. Degassing for all has been with a...

So I've read a lot about KT and think I have a good understanding of that "taste". So far we've bottled a zin, cab, brunello, and a sirah/zin blend. All are good "reds" but frankly are indistinguishable from each other. The color and mouth feel do differ and reflect their varietal pedigree but...

In my limited experience (5th batch, 3rd in barrel), I'm making 23l kits, racking into 6 gallon CB's, topped to within 2 inches of the bung. When I rack to my 23l Vidal barrel, I usually have about 1 full bottle extra. I set this aside and use to offset the "angels share". When I come out of the...

Mike - Thanks...That's exactly what I was hoping to hear...I have a fairly new Vidai (I think I'm at 4 weeks total use time so far) and once it gets to the 3rd or 4th batch, I think I'll add another. The only real challenge I see is to ensure I always have some batches ready in carboy's so that...

So it sounds like I'm on the right track. Set the oak cubes aside, oak in the barrel but don't do both.

Email sent. Derek