Is this a 16L or 18L kit? On the box it does state that it contains 18L but does this include the crushed grape pack? I have added a total of 5L of water. With the grape pack added also, it just reaches the 23L mark and the OG is 1.096. Is this correct or should I add another 1.5-2L of water? Thanks in advance for any advice.
Cellar Craft 2011 Limited Release Chateau Du Pays
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I am pretty sure the only 2011 LR that had 18L of Juice was the Marsanne-Roussanne-Viognier. The rest had 16L of Juice and an special larger 2.6L grape pack. The grape pack is in addition always to the juice. You first make the juice up to 23L, then add the grape pack in on top. This is why you need a really large primary (8G) on these kits with the super packs.
JordanPond
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You are probably past the point of no return by now but for the benefit of others... (I have this Kit in the basement waiting to start)
Instructions:
Step 6 - Remove cap from juice bag and pour contents into fermenter
step 7 - Rinse bag with 2 liters of hot water and add to fermenter
Step 8 -Add warm water filling to the 23 Liter mark
Step 10 - Note fermenter should now be filled to ~24.5L
You probably need to add more water if the fermenter with the grape pack just reached the 23L mark.
I am now at the point where the instructions say to bottle but I would like to try bulk aging. Do I leave it in the carboy with the oak cubes or should I rack it off to another carboy? Also, when bulk aging, do I leave it at room temperature or should I move it to a cooler temperature? My cellar sits at about 10-14C. And if I do move the carboy to the cellar, should I sit it on the cold tile floor or elevate onto something? Sorry about all the questions but I really appreciate the great responses I've been getting. Thanks!
Have you racked off following clearing? If not, rack off to another carboy for bulk aging and/or stabilization.
If you are bulk aging room temp is fine depending on how warm you keep your rooms. Most put in basement or can get away with garage fall-spring. I would recommend bulk aging this and other upper end kits particularly if you are wanting to add any grand cru or better yet oak. I made one of these kits last winter, bottled it in mid April and tried it last month. I did not bullk/add tanin/or oak to 3 bottles. It is certainly obviously still young, and although wasn't horrible, can already tell the 3 bottles I bottled and didn't oak and just bottled are missing that element I prefer. (Only 2 bottles left like that and they will be fine in time,....I just like how the stuff in bulk that had been oaked more, etc. was tasting when I bottled it in mid September.
I do recommend cold stabilization for this and other high end CC kits. I just use my garage fridge and leave the carboy in there for 3 weeks+. you can also leave it in your garage close to the outside door on the floor as well during the winter. When I racked/filtered this kit prior to bottling, it had already precipitated a nice lot of red sand, (aka wine diamonds.) There are several threads on cold stabilization with other nuances and you can do it many places as long as you can get it cool enough and not freeze, but think of desired temperatures as those replicating a cold beer fridge.
This is going to be a fantastic kit with patience, as even the standard CDP gets rave reviews after a year. So yes, cold stabilize if possible which should be no problem with winter coming, and IMHO and preference, I like a lot more oak than the kit provides which can be done and monitored while bulk aging.
Cheers!
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