Grape Pack

[mpt1123]

Hello:
I'm thinking of ordering the MM Petite Shiraz and a Grape pack. I've never used a grape pack before. How do these work? I'm also ordering a 10 gal fermentation pail as I assume the 6 gal I have will be kind of tight.
Thanks,
Mike

 

[ibglowin]

I just did one just like this a few weeks ago, good choice I think.

I have a 7.9 gal bucket and it all fit in but was pretty tight. No way a 6 gal bucket would hold it all with the grape pack. The 10 gal will be perfect. Just pour the whole pack into the supplied mesh bag, tie it off and stir it well to get all the grape jam dissolved into the juice. Make sure to punch the bag down 2-3 times a day while its fermenting to keep the skins wet and help with better extraction.

You should end up with more than what a 6 gallon carboy can handle (at least I did) so get an extra cleaned wine bottle with stopper and airlock ready as you will have enough to fill a full bottle, then you can add it in to the main carboy when you rack off the gross lees on everything.

Keep us posted!

 

[Wade E]

Agreed. I like to ferment to dry in the bucket with these and snap down the lid when the sg reaches about 1.015.

 

[PeterZ]

I got a full 6 gallon (Mexican) carboy plus a 1500ml bottle.

 

[mpt1123]

Since I'm blazing my own trail with this kit (adding a grape pack), I'm thinking of taking it one step further and adding a two French Oak spirals - Medium Toast Plus - for 6 weeks. Anyone have any experience with these? Any opinion on Medium Oak Toast with Petite Shiraz?

 

[ibglowin]

Woah!

Thats a lot of oak! Be careful and taste every two weeks.

Considering the kit only came with 1 oz of med toast french oak chips......

 

[mpt1123]

Agreed. I'm trying to achieve the barrel aging effect. I don't think the 1 oz of chips with the kit will accomplish that. I know of several guys that use oak staves in fkex tanks to achieve the oak flavoring. The doc says to use (2) spirals for 6 gal of wine. I assume that the juice from MM has not been modified to account for oak. 1 oz of chips seems to be too little - and 2 spirals seem to be a bit much. Maybe I'll switch to light toast.

 

[Goodfella]

The flavor of light toast will be different, But the STRENGTH of the oak will depend on the amount. Remember that you can always add more oak at any time. But you cant take it away.


Personally..... I would start small and add it in stages.

 

[vcasey]

The flavor of light toast will be different, But the STRENGTH of the oak will depend on the amount. Remember that you can always add more oak at any time. But you cant take it away.


Personally..... I would start small and add it in stages.

Agreed, I would skip the oak provided in the kit and start with 1 spiral add from there. Now the disclaimer: I like oak so for me, I'd still skip the kits oak and add both spirals. Like Mike said, you need to taste it and pull the oak when you are happy with the oak flavor level.

 

[ibglowin]

Agreed.  I'm trying to achieve the barrel aging effect. 

The barrel aging effect is not from oak!

It comes from micro-oxygenation and concentration due to evaporation (the angels share).

 

[mpt1123]

I received the Petite Shiraz today along with the grape pack. No instructions were included. Odd. I have a grape pack, mesh bag, and an enzyme pack. What's the enzyme pack for and when do I use it?
Thanks.

 

[AlFulchino]

enzyme goes in early to draw out color etc during primary fermentation

 

[Randoneur]

What Kit Company???


It depends on what the enzyme is. When doing fresh grapes the enzymes are added before yeast for color and stability. But in a kit it may go in at step 2,when youremove the grape pack and go from open fermenter to closedcarboy at step 2. You really need the instructions to be absolutely sure.


Post all the kit info andthere is sure to be someone here that has all of the info you need.Did you go the the kit mfg. web site to see ifyou can download the kit instruction??

 

[ibglowin]

This is the Cellar Craft enzyme pack that they include with all their Showcase kits that come with grape packs. This enzyme aids in getting rid (breaking down) a stubborn protein ring that forms post fermentation.

The enzyme pack gets added AFTER you have racked off the gross lees. Bentonite will deactivate the enzyme so it is imperative that you add this after you do your final gross lee racking, usually around day 19-20. Some kits have problems with this protein some do not so they now include it in all Showcase kits.

enzyme goes in early to draw out color etc during primary fermentation

 

[mpt1123]

it didn't come in a kit. it was in a plastic bag which included the grape pack, mesh bag, and enzyme.

 

[vcasey]

it didn't come in a kit. it was in a plastic bag which included the grape pack, mesh bag, and enzyme.

I would recommend for best results you give George a call. I know what Mike and Al are saying but calling George is the best bet since this is still a fairly new product.

 

[ibglowin]

I realize that. I just ordered and used one of these in my MM AJ Petite Sirah.

These are Cellar Craft Grape Packs and they are including the same protein enzyme in these grape packs as well as the Showcase kits.

it didn't come in a kit. it was in a plastic bag which included the grape pack, mesh bag, and enzyme.

 

[mpt1123]

I checked with George. Here's his response:

It helps to keep white speck from forming inside the bottle. The white specks don't affect the taste or aroma of the wine, but Cellar Craft was getting alot of questions and this was the easiest way to reduce problems and questions. It is added right after the first racking.

Many thanks for everyone's help.
Mike

 

[AlFulchino]

not entirely a no no no


here is a general description:

"Pectic Enzyme is recommended for all fresh
fruit wines. Add it to the juice prior to fermentation to enhance the
clarification process. Destroys haze-causing pectin cells that can leave
a wine with a permanent milky appearance known as a "pectin haze". Also
add Pectic Enzyme to crushed fruit to increase the extraction of body
and color from the pulp during the primary fermentation and during
pressing. All fruits have pectin. It`s the milky gel that holds a
fruit`s fiber together, trapping the fruit`s character within. This is
why we recommend using Pectic Enzyme any time you are dealing with fresh
fruits. It allows the character of the fruit to be extracted into the
wine"

my assumption since he was going w a kit was that the manufacturer had already made adjustments such as ph, ta etc...and in their process that they also took care of the proteins...not much left to do w enzyme at that stage of the game w a kit....the grape pack he mentioned, color and body would be chief among pectic enzymes duties
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[ibglowin]

Here is the instructions for the Enzyme Pack that I posted almost a year ago when they started adding them in. Don't know why they don't include any instructions (at all of any kind) in these Grape Pack kits. The main thing is that it get's added post fermentation and the Bentonite has to be removed or it will deactivate the enzyme.

Most (if not all) wine made from fresh grapes seems to clear just fine without the use of any Bentonite. Perhaps the flash pasteurization process causes the wine to be more stubborn to clearing and thus the need for Bentonite as well as other fining agents.