if kit juice is good, is canned?

[wyntheef1]

I'm looking for someadvice or commentsfrom those who may have made wine from canned concentrate.


Iam currently doing a red wine kit, and it seems to me that minus the juice,thevalue of content isbasically onlya few dollars worth of chemicals and some directions.
Not that it isn't handy to have it all spelled out for me, because it is, but from what i can tell, similar juice sells for about half the price of the complete kit.
So, amInaive to thinkI ampaying that much for the convenience of pre-measured and packaged chemicals and some instructions?


It just seems to me that there may not be any significant difference between the two.
I would love to hear from anyone with experience using canned
concentrates in lieu of kits and how they have fared.


There are a few places that sell just the concentrate, pre balanced
for ph and acid, including meta, and they also have a basic timetable laid out as well. (Walkers, EC Kraus, and Williams Brewery are the ones I am
referring to.)

 

[vcasey]

Walkers has had great reviews on their juice, shipping can be a bit much depending on where you live. Wine juice in the can has had mixed reviews. You get what you pay for kinda thing when it comes to juice for wine making and when you average out the cost per bottle its minimal so whenever possible get the best juice you can afford.
VC

 

[wyntheef1]

Walkers is actually not canned, but in what they call 'pails', so I may have been mixing up my questions a bit. I guess what I'm curious about is for example, if Walkers were to offer a canned version of their juice, would it be the same quality as the regular stuff? Is the main difference in quality of kits how much they are diluted?
By the way, as it turns out, it's about an hour drive to walkers from here, so if I decide to do that I can easily transport it myself.


thanks

 

[vcasey]

If you are trying to decide between Walkers and the canned stuff, go with Walkers. The canned stuff is not always from the best of grapes and if the decision is between a can and say a Mosti kit (any of them), go with the kit because the over all cost is not that much more and you get a much, much better wine.

 

[wyntheef1]

thanks.

 

[vcasey]

No problem and welcome to the forum. Once some of the other folks have made wines from Walkers juice so perhaps one of them will jump in later.

 

[Wade E]

I dont think those canned juices are that good IMO.

 

[grapeman]

Go to Walkers, theef. That will be 5 gallons of a good quality juice, not concentrated. When you buy a can of concentrate, it has been..... well.... concentrated meaning the water was taken out to a certain degree. All juice type wines are generally better although you can get a poor all juice and a superior concentrate. The cans of concentrate are about a quart and a half and generally take at least two cans per batch to make anything decent.

 

[admiral]

Welcome to the forum, theef.

 

[Runningwolf]

Hey Theef welcome to the forum, What wine are you making? Walkers is a great place to go. You said you are only a hours drive there, so do not order it. Buy some primary buckets and go pick it up. They will even let you taste a sample before purchasing. I am happy with everything I have gotten from them. Just remember when you go...cash or check only. No credit cards.

 

[jake77]

Are Walkers juces pure juice? If so I wouldn't mind trying some of their fruit juices. Looks like a good deal on them if shipping isn't too bad. Anyone know how much shipping runs from them?

 

[Runningwolf]

This is there web site http://www.walkersfruitbasket.com/. You'll need to call them for ups shipping price. Yes their juices are pure and very good quality.

 

[wyntheef1]

Thanks everyone. glad to be here.





Right now, these are my wine projects.
I have been trying to save 5 gallons of chambourcin(i think it's o.k. now), i also have 2 gallons of mango/pomegranite fruit wine that's ageing, and a pinot noir kit i recently started should be ready for first racking this p.m.


As for the juice questions, i'm kind of looking ahead a bit. The kit is working nicely so far and seems to be kind of trouble free for the most part. also easy to stay on schedule with the instructions. I just don't like paying 40 to 50 percent of the kit cost for a handful of chemicals(most of whichI already have supplies of). Although, I do understand thatI may regret those sentiments somewhere down the road.
I'm pretty new to winemaking and still trying to find my comfort zone.

 

[vcasey]

Just remember the kit is about the juice and where the juice is sourced, not the chemicals. Plus the kits have all been adjusted p/h, acid, etc so when its ready to bottle the only thing you have to do is wait for the wine to age and you'll get a nice product. How good the product is will be determined by the source of the grapes.
I don't think you are paying half the cost of the kit in chemicals alone, unless you are buying the small kits, even then I'd say its only about 10% or so

.
Also when making kit wines remember the instructions are a guide. Pay attention to your SG reading and you should be fine.
VC

 

[PeterZ]

The big difference is the grape varietals the juice is sourced from. Kit manufacturers source their grapes from all over the world, not just from upstate New York. The kits are using true vinerifa grapes like zinfandel, cabernet sauvinion, pinot noir, etc.

 

[wyntheef1]

The big difference is the grape varietals the juice is sourced from. Kit manufacturers source their grapes from all over the world, not just from upstate New York. The kits are using true vinerifa grapes like zinfandel, cabernet sauvinion, pinot noir, etc.

How does something like this compare?


From Williams Brewery:

"Our Kits include 192 ounces of pure California varietal grape concentrate, condensed attemperatures that never exceed 180 degrees F. from Central Valley wine grapes picked at their ripe peak in the late Summer and early Fall." and "Our line of California Wine Kits are made from local Lodi, Woodbridge, and Solano County grapes, picked at their peak and then gently concentrated."


Please don't flame me for this, but I can still drink wine from a box without puking.

I'm not saying that I don't care about what I end up with, but I'm not sure Icould distinguish the subtle differences and nuances of grapes grown in different states or even countries for that matter. At least not at this point in time.


thanks

 

[vcasey]

But why would you get that when you could get any kit on this page http://www.finevinewines.com/ProdListVN.asp and actually enjoy the wine. Also for about the same price per bottle you get 5 more bottles. When you are looking at boxed kits keep in mind your cost per bottle not the cost of the kit.
You can see I (I'll not speak for anyone else) think you can do better then the canned juice especially when there are so many options available, including Walkers, which I would pick over Williams wine kits any day. I am not putting them down, just saying you can do a whole lot better for about the same cost.
Why don't you give George a call, he sponsors the forum and since he also makes the wine kits he sells he can guide you to something that would meet your costs and expectations. Just click on the link above and get the number and call - he likes calls!
VC

 

[Brewgrrrl]

I totally agree with VC. The only time I use Williams is when I'm making a pyment.

 

[wyntheef1]

Well, based on what i've heardhere,I thinkI will stay away from
the canned stuff, even ifI can do it a bit cheaper. it also sounds as if walkers gets a fairly good review from you. That's why I asked.


I do realize the forum is sponsored by finevine, and I certainly don't mean any disrespect of george or any other wine kit makers for that matter.
As I said, I'm a newbie and just trying to figure some things out.
Your insight ishelpful.

 

[vcasey]

Well, based on what i've heardhere,I thinkI will stay away from
the canned stuff, even ifI can do it a bit cheaper. it also sounds as if walkers gets a fairly good review from you. That's why I asked.


I do realize the forum is sponsored by finevine, and I certainly don't mean any disrespect of george or any other wine kit makers for that matter.
As I said, I'm a newbie and just trying to figure some things out.
Your insight ishelpful.

Look at it this way the canned stuff is $57 for 5 gallons which is about $2.40 per bottle (25 bottles). The Mosti products I linked you to is $75 for 6 gallons at about $2.50 per bottle (30 bottles). So the cost is very close. Still give George a call and even if you don't buy you will be hard pressed to find a friendlier more helpful group of folks, and no I don't work for them or get a discount

. It's just that southern charm they have even if it is Texas southern charm.
VC