I figured out how many kits I've made

[Geronimo]

During a recent thread, I asked my wife how many kits we've done to date. My guess was 40+ and her guess was more like 60. It started to bug me that I didn't know, but this morning I was in the basement preparing to bottle a Chilean Carmenere when I realized I've saved the clarifying agents from all those kits in a brown paper bag. So I know that sometimes I've gotten more than 1 Kieselsol packet, but always 1 Chitosan. Also, for the 5 white wine kits I've done, I've used the clarifiers. So it's maybe not perfect... but it's the best record I have.

The final number I came up with was ... 53

Maybe I just shouldn't tell her

 

[bkisel]

53 kits over what length of time?

I started in January of 2013 and now have, I believe, 10 under my belt. [I keep the instructions sheets down in the basement but I'm now two floors up at my computer. Pretty sure its 10.]

 

[Geronimo]

It's been about 3 1/2 years. I brewed beer for 10-12 years prior, so the dates are fuzzy.

I've made 4 regrettable batches in that time, too. 2 due to kit taste, one due to incomplete fermentation (stopped at 1.001) and one that's laden with diacetyl (stressed out yeast - RC 212 without enough FAN I think)

Since I was an avid beer brewer, when I first started I read the forums to see what experienced people were doing. To be honest, I sort of cyber-stalked Wade on this forum, and made about 10 batches that experimented with oaking and tannins. I currently have 4 more batches that experiment with specialty yeasts versus EC-1118.

 

[chitownwine]

Just counted by excel spreadsheet started jan 2011 and just starting kit 84 this week. That doesn't include countless batches of skeeter. Damn I have a problem and this is while working about 70 hrs a week at work. Image if I was retired I might as well then own stock in rj spagnols.

 

[Geronimo]

Image if I was retired I might as well then own stock in rj spagnols.

Hahaha! I hear ya about RJS too. I have 2 of the largest internet retailers nearby, but get most of my kits from FVW in Dallas because I can't get RJS here. I'm finding that that MM kits are turning out very good as well!

 

[bkisel]

9 of my 10 kits (yep, checked 10 kits) have been RJS and one MM which was just okay. My LHBS also carries WE but I've yet to try a WE kit.

 

[cocroach]

Hahaha! I hear ya about RJS too. I have 2 of the largest internet retailers nearby, but get most of my kits from FVW in Dallas because I can't get RJS here. I'm finding that that MM kits are turning out very good as well!

Jim, which MM kits worked out well for you? I made the MM Barolo and I'm looking to make a few more from this line.

 

[Geronimo]

The MM Megioli Barolo and Amarone are showing great promise, albeit pretty early. The Renaissance Impressions Barolo and Amarone are both pretty good.

I'm just starting the Renaissance Impressions Merlot and Casa Del Papa kits. I'm seriously thinking about grabbing a Master's Edition Granbarolo for comparison to their other kits.

 

[cocroach]

The MM Megioli Barolo and Amarone are showing great promise, albeit pretty early. The Renaissance Impressions Barolo and Amarone are both pretty good.

I'm just starting the Renaissance Impressions Merlot and Casa Del Papa kits. I'm seriously thinking about grabbing a Master's Edition Granbarolo for comparison to their other kits.

Good to know. I will definitely keep these in mind! I've had my eye on the Renaissance Barolo. A couple of others I was looking to try were the Negroamaro and Marzemino, just for something different...

 

[nucjd]

On a side note, what are your thoughts on final taste and clarification without using the supplied clarifiers? Based on your pic I suspect you would have rather extensive knowledge on that aspect. Thanks

 

[Geronimo]

On a side note, what are your thoughts on final taste and clarification without using the supplied clarifiers? Based on your pic I suspect you would have rather extensive knowledge on that aspect. Thanks

The main reason I don't use them is that I believe the old school methods produce the best final product. I'd much rather have a tiny bit of sediment in my bottle than end up questioning whether or not the wine would have been better without all that shellfish goop or clay in it (I don't use bentonite either). I find that about 6 months of bulk conditioning gives me a very nice, clear wine. Also, in the first year, I didn't pay attention to cold stabilizing, so many of my first 15 kits dropped wine diamonds in the bottle.

I think it's important for new people to understand that the kit makers are trying hard to give you a kit that makes finished wine in 6 weeks. For whites that's fine.... for reds it's simply stupid. You can drink a red after 10-15 days with a filter pump. You won't find anyone that recommends it, but you can sure do it!

 

[cocroach]

The main reason I don't use them is that I believe the old school methods produce the best final product. I'd much rather have a tiny bit of sediment in my bottle than end up questioning whether or not the wine would have been better without all that shellfish goop or clay in it (I don't use bentonite either). I find that about 6 months of bulk conditioning gives me a very nice, clear wine. Also, in the first year, I didn't pay attention to cold stabilizing, so many of my first 15 kits dropped wine diamonds in the bottle.

I think it's important for new people to understand that the kit makers are trying hard to give you a kit that makes finished wine in 6 weeks. For whites that's fine.... for reds it's simply stupid. You can drink a red after 10-15 days with a filter pump. You won't find anyone that recommends it, but you can sure do it!

Makes sense. With not using bentonite or clarifiers how often do you find you have to rack and how long between rackings? Have you ever noticed off-flavours as a result of sediment?

When I first started making fruit wines from scratch before moving into wine kits, I was surprised to find that clarifiers were used with kits when I never had to use them for fruit wines which cleared perfectly on their own.

Although I have used the bentonite and clarifiers for kits, I don't filter my wines for the reason that I figured the the total suspended solids would contribute to an overall better wine. If leaving out the clarifiers and bentonite does not adversely impact the wine might forego using these as well.

I don't mind the waiting game. I actually quite enjoy it. I find the fun part about winemaking is the waiting, and making more wine while you're waiting...

 

[Putterrr]

During a recent thread, I asked my wife how many kits we've done to date. My guess was 40+ and her guess was more like 60. It started to bug me that I didn't know, but this morning I was in the basement preparing to bottle a Chilean Carmenere when I realized I've saved the clarifying agents from all those kits in a brown paper bag. So I know that sometimes I've gotten more than 1 Kieselsol packet, but always 1 Chitosan. Also, for the 5 white wine kits I've done, I've used the clarifiers. So it's maybe not perfect... but it's the best record I have.

The final number I came up with was ... 53

Maybe I just shouldn't tell her

Now you people have gone and done it again. I see a thread like this and curiosity gets the best of me and i just have to know. Since Sept 2009 when we moved back to Nova Scotia, I have started 81 kits. That doesn't count things like beer, cider, skeeter pee. Now I have made wine/beer for over 20 years before that but never wrote anything down or kept track. Maybe I should go back to not keep a record. No record - it didn't happen.

cheers

 

[JohnT]

Guys,

Please do not take this in any negative way, but if you guys have done 50+ kits, then why not give whole, fresh grapes a try? All you really will need is a press and a crusher/destemmer.

You can make much bigger batches and it will save you money in the long run.

after 50+ kits, you guys sure know winemaking and could make the switch very easily.

Sorry to ask, but I was just wondering......

 

[Geronimo]

Now you people have gone and done it again. I see a thread like this and curiosity gets the best of me and i just have to know. Since Sept 2009 when we moved back to Nova Scotia, I have started 81 kits. That doesn't count things like beer, cider, skeeter pee. Now I have made wine/beer for over 20 years before that but never wrote anything down or kept track. Maybe I should go back to not keep a record. No record - it didn't happen.

cheers

I wrote everything down for beer making, and even had this cool software called Beersmith to help track every detail. After 10-12 years of it, I found that I only went back to those records a couple of times. So for wine making I've decided to write up detailed records only when experimenting.

 

[Geronimo]

Guys,

Please do not take this in any negative way, but if you guys have done 50+ kits, then why not give whole, fresh grapes a try? All you really will need is a press and a crusher/destemmer.

You can make much bigger batches and it will save you money in the long run.

after 50+ kits, you guys sure know winemaking and could make the switch very easily.

Sorry to ask, but I was just wondering......

Can't say I haven't thought about it... but I'm still enjoying the super primo juice you can get from sources all over the world. Even if it costs me $8 a bottle, for many batches that represents a huge savings already.

 

[bkisel]

Guys,

Please do not take this in any negative way, but if you guys have done 50+ kits, then why not give whole, fresh grapes a try? All you really will need is a press and a crusher/destemmer.

You can make much bigger batches and it will save you money in the long run.

after 50+ kits, you guys sure know winemaking and could make the switch very easily.

Sorry to ask, but I was just wondering......

Good question. Different strokes for different folks I guess.

Haven't made that many kits yet but going to grapes would bring this hobby to a level I just don't want. I like that I can buy a 6-week kit and be drinking some very decent wine 7 or so months later. The only only instrument(s) I need is a hydrometer and maybe a thermometer (I've done all my kits without ever having to use a thermometer) - no PH meter and whatever else one might need when starting with grapes. My kits supply all the ingredients needed except perhaps for water. I'm thinking, might be wrong on this one, that with kits I can try a lot more wine varieties than I'd be able to do using grapes.

But then why stop at buying someone else's grapes? Why not buy land and grow your own grapes from which you make your own wine? That would bring winemaking to yet another level.

So for me, for now, I'm very happy with where I am - kits (with occasional tweaking) and variations of DB.

 

[sour_grapes]

My present feelings are the same as Bill's, and I ASPIRE to feeling the way JohnT does! Maybe Fall harvest 2015 or Chilean harvest 2016....

 

[ColemanM]

I would be all over fresh grapes if Minnesota was zone 7. Unfortunately zone 4 doesn't treat cab very well. My only other option would be frozen must buckets. Which I am all for, but the $115 and up, PLUS $25 per bucket shipping, I'm looking at over $10 a bottle. Still waiting for my Marquette and petite pearl grape vines to produce, then I'll be happy! PS my kit count is 15 in as many months.


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[jensmith]

0 kits, 3 canned fruits, and 60 fresh fruit in 2-1/2 years. Two were from wild or old local grapes. Two were welches juice. The rest were whole fruit or other non grape wines. No fruit press, just freeze and ferment. One of these days, if I ever run out of fruit, I do want to try a "kit".


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