Cellar Craft Cellar Craft Chitosan Question...

[tcb54]

I received (and started) the CC Cabernet-Shiraz kit on Friday.


In reading ahead in the directions, when stabilizing and clearing it says to add the chitosan in packet #5 AND a 50ml packet of chitosan afterwards. My kit did not contain a 50ml packet, only the regular chitosan. Did anyone else have an extra chitosan in their kit or am I misreading this?

 

[Wade E]

Ive never made any of the Cellar Craft kits and for some reason cant open their instruction page. Sorry, cant be of any help on this but Im sure someone else will jump in.

 

[vcasey]

Some kits have a double packet just proceed and you'll be fine.
VC

 

[v1rotate]

I believe this is a showcase kit, right, Troy? I have made a couple of them and have 2 waiting for a turn, so I pulled out the ingredients to double check. There is a 50ml packet of chitosan and a double pouch packet labeled D1 on the left, kieselsol, and on the right is packet D2, chitosan. I have been adding both chitosan packets directly to the wine, but now I notice the D2 packet says to dissovle in 1 oz of water before adding. Hmm...

 

[PeterZ]

CC includes extra chitosan in some of their kits "just in case." You'll be fine with what you have.

 

[cpfan]

CC includes extra chitosan in some of their kits "just in case." You'll be fine with what you have.

I haven't made many Cellar Craft but that's what I understood. The CC Salesperson told me that if you were bulk aging, then the second chitosan was not necessary, but to use it if bottling quickly. The discussion was specific to the Showcase Amarone.


Steve

 

[vcasey]

And even using the extra chitosan the Showcase Amarone still drops like crazy long after other kits! Just had a taste of mine this weekend before it got a dose of k-meta & at about 10 months old the new wine taste is finally going away and boy is this going to be fantastic may even beat my favorite kit so far - MM Renaissance Amarone! I noticed it is on sale this week, so my advise buy it and Mosti's so you can compare.
VC

 

[tcb54]

Jim, it is indeed a Showcase kit. It did not have the 50ml chitosan pack like yours did.


It is already fizzing away and it smells GREAT!




These kits are on sale. I got mine in on Friday and then got an e-mail on Sunday from George that they were on sale. Figures...


If anyone needs to contact me, please use a PM. I am not receiving ANY e-mails from the Forum or the order information from George (order acknowledgment, etc.). I called him and he is looking into it.

 

[Wade E]

Ive had problems with w.E. kits not clearing well and they have sent me this 2nd packet. Thats pretty cool that Cellar Craft is making sure that your wine is as clear as possible and not dropping lees in your bottle. I prefer not to use fining agents any more unless my wine wont clear on its own but its nice to know they go the extra mile.

 

[tcb54]

I just spoke with Christina at Cellar Craft. She told me that since they have started adding the Enzyme packet they have stopped adding the 50ml Chitosan packets. She said the enzyme really helps your wine to clear and the additional chitosan was not necessary.


She was a very nice, friendly and helpful lady- a real pleasure to speak with.

 

[RickC]

Wade, what is the disadvantage to using the fining agents? Is there any noticable taste?

 

[Wade E]

I have only done 1 comparison side by side with a plum wine and used Superkleer on a 6 gallon batch and no fining agent on the one gallon batch that was all made in 1 primary but didnt all fit in the carboy. The 1 gallon cleared on its own pretty fat and the carboy didnt want to clear to fast and I was in a hurry then to use the carboy so fined it. I dint notice a flavor difference but did notice a slight color loss. I would imagine that adding another fining agent if the first one worked that there would be color loss and maybe even slight flavor loss if thy both do their job though.I dont think think it would be anything to write home about and very minuscule.