Cellar Craft 12L kits worth the premium?

[Geronimo]

All my gear is centered around 6 gallon batches, so I'd probably just be buying 2 kits. At $90 each ($180 for 6 gallons) that's high priced!!

So, would you do it?

 

[cpfan]

All my gear is centered around 6 gallon batches, so I'd probably just be buying 2 kits. At $90 each ($180 for 6 gallons) that's high priced!!

So, would you do it?

Each kit makes 6 US gallons (23 litres). Water is added, see the instructions...I have linked the red instuctions...

http://www.vinecowine.com/userdocs/CC-5wk-grapepack-winekit-instructions.pdf

Steve

 

[robie]

There is no right or wrong answer here. It all depends on your preferences.
I will give you my reasons why I always buy the most premium kit I can:

The better kits are going to make a better wine. However, they tend to take a little longer to mature.

That said, I figure if I am going to have to wait 18 to 28 months for a kits to mature to its best, I want it to be the best it can be. I don't want to get 2 years down the road and tell myself that had I spent $25 to $50 dollars more, about now I would have a much better wine.

So, if you can afford the better, bigger kits, I believe they are worth it.
.......

Some wine makers feel they can take a lesser kit and work with it to come up with a result that is as good as a premium. Some want to drink a wine much quicker and the lesser kits tend to be ready to drink much quicker. Again, there is no right or wrong.

 

[Geronimo]

Each kit makes 6 US gallons (23 litres). Water is added, see the instructions...I have linked the red instuctions...

http://www.vinecowine.com/userdocs/CC-5wk-grapepack-winekit-instructions.pdf

Steve

Interesting! I could swear I read right off the box... "Contains 12L, Makes 12L"

http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/cellar-craft-international-gsm-12-l-w-crushed-grapes.html

The box doesn't say "Sterling" either, but I see the product name does.

So, is there anything I can do to crank up the body?

 

[Rocky]

Geronimo, I suggest that you go to the Wine Makers Toy Store site and look at the Cellar Craft Premium selection. It is a 16 liter kit for a couple more bucks that the Sterling line. I have made a number of them and have not been disappointed. I would add a grape pack or raisins to any red that I made, however. The whites are great just as they come.

 

[Geronimo]

Thanks, but I've made all the CC premiums. The newest CC sterling Malbec Syrah looks like one we'd really enjoy, and there's no equivalent premium kit.

 

[Boatboy24]

So, is there anything I can do to crank up the body?

The Sterling kits do come with a grape pack, so that helps the body. I bought two Sterlings recently (Merlot and Syrah). I was confused as to which line to go with (sterling vs premium). On one hand, the premium is a larger kit (16L vs 12 on the sterling). But the Sterling comes with a grape pack.

The Merlot is clearing now, but is light in body, so I've put some oak in it. I'll start the Syrah in the next week or so and plan to add raisins and maybe a sliced banana to enhance the body. On both kits, I'm going to add some Tancor Grand Cru tannin.

 

[troutstix]

Just an FYI, the sterling kits are only 10.5L (the other 1.5L is the included grape pack), as opposed to the showcase which is 16L with a 2L grape pack.
ts

 

[cpfan]

Interesting! I could swear I read right off the box... "Contains 12L, Makes 12L"

http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/cellar-craft-international-gsm-12-l-w-crushed-grapes.html

The box doesn't say "Sterling" either, but I see the product name does.

So, is there anything I can do to crank up the body?

The picture is NOT one of the Stirling kits, it's one of the Specialty kits (port or sherry). The Specialty kits do make 12 litres.

And another reason why I hate answering q's about kits when the full kit name is not given. I had forgotten about the specialty line.

Steve