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If there is sorbate in the f-pack this has to have some detrimental effect on fermentation when the f-pack is added to the primary as many people here do. I was looking forward to this wine and hope it turns out good. If that off taste doesn't dissipate, I will never use an f-pack again. I...

I used sorbate once in a port wine kit, but other then that I have never used sorbate and I have made many kits and wine from fresh juice over the years. You described the taste exactly, a fake sweet taste, thanks.

Thanks Jason, time will tell!!

I am not used to making wine with F-packs because I do not like sweet wine. I did not know this wine came with an F-pack and was surprised to find one. I did not want a sweet wine so after reading many threads here I dumped the F-pack into the primary. I often take a finger taste of the juice...

I start in a pail ( primary) rack to a 6 carboy to clear and degas, I am not concerned about head space in the short run because there is still co2 escaping. Let the wine clear and degas for a while, then rack to a 5 gallon and put the leftover in a .75 ltr bottle or 1.75 ltr bottle with bungs...

I made many different red wines from juice pails and finally gave up. I found the Chilean is slightly better then the Californian but just about all lacked color and character. I should have added grapes but was too lazy and more importantly too cheap. The white wines were good.

I ordered my kit through homebrewsupply, I called them two days ago and they don't know when their kits will arrive. Anyone else waiting beside me?

I have made many "dry wine" kits, have never used the sorbate and have never had a problem, but you must ferment it all the way down. I don't have extensive experience with f-packs, I made my first recently and used the sorbate. I wish my basement was 65-68. this time of year, I am on Long...

Thanks Ted, very informative answer. I started with kits a long time ago but stopped winemaking when I moved to Florida, I didn't have a good, cool place to store the wine. I returned to NY five years ago and started again, but used refrigerated juice pails from Ca. I used various yeast strains...

Hey Ted why did you use BM4x4 and not the yeast that came with the kit, which is usually EC-1118?

Yes, you are too cheap. You don't want to do that.

If you made one of the lower costing kits I wouldn't keep it more then two years. If not I would leave them alone and use better corks next time if you intend to age that long.

I wouldn't worry about the corks. We all make mistakes when we start and we make mistakes as we go along. As long as you can drink your mistakes, everything is beautiful. Start your next kit!

Never saw corks like that before, at least they are all the same! I would be more concerned about all those bubbles in the bottles. What type of corker did you use?

I have wine that needs to be filtered and bottled, I have wine that needs to be racked, I have kits that need to be started. It was so overwhelming that I set my priorities and I took my wife and eleven year old grandson on a holiday cruise for 8 days! Now that I am back I have wine that needs...

I hate to open a can of worms or in this case a can of coffee, I just started this kit today. I don't see anywhere that you added the sorbate, which I never do but in this case since I am adding the f-pack eventually it is usually mandatory at clearing time, BUT, since the abv should be in the...

When I want to monitor my wine I take my turkey baster (wine thief) draw out an ounce from a carboy, sit in the silence and say to myself, what a wonderful thing.

Thanks joeswine, if I read and remember all your posts you use two parts sugar to one part water to make your simple syrup?

By the way, I don't see that anyone "fortifies" this wine with Brandy or Vodka, am I correct or did I miss something?

SCORE!!! Probably found the last kit on the internet. Now I will follow all Joeswine's directions. Thanks to all.