outbackmac
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Started a island mist(exotic fruit) today, added roughly 3 lbs of sugar, starting SG 1.050 after sugar added 1.062. abv started 6.5% after sugar 7.75%
Other island mist
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That's exactly the way we do it. Have made it twice so far. Love this kit. It's one of our top 3 favorite IM kits with the Strawberry White Merlot and the White Cranberry Pinot Gris. One of the really nice things about this one is how soon it is ready to drink after bottling. Some of the IM kits like the Pom Zin still take a little while to develop but this one is pretty much ready right away.
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I just bottled this one a week or so ago. I had a little left over. I put it in the fridge with a vacuvin to preserve it. I added four pounds of sugar. It still has a bit of that artificial taste to it. Previously, I had made the green apple Riesling. It had the same artificial taste when I first bottled it. After a few months it tasted great. I hope this one is the same.
GaDawg
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I am making a watermelon white Merlot for the 3rd time. The first time I added 4 lbs of sugar and it was a little sweet for me. After that I added 5 lbs of sugar and the extra sugar made it seem less sweet. With 5 lbs of sugar it ended up at 13.5% cal.
bakervinyard
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I usually add 3 lbs. of sugar and about 25% of the f-pac upfront. Ferment to about 10.25% abv. The peach apricot chardonnay is the house favorite. My children drink it year round. Also made for the first time the Merlot Ho-Ho for Christmas. Turned out to be a pleasant surprize. Bakervinyard
We're going to call this on Poolside Chardonnay after my wife's favorite place to be in the summer.
The Winexpert Island Mist peach apricot kit is being delivered tomorrow, along with some extra sugar and white grape concentrate. I'm going to push the OG to about 1.080 and ferment as close to dry as I can.
Any oaking? Is one lb of sugar enough when coupled with thinking really hard (the container said "concentrate")? How about some peaches in the primary?
Suggestions, recommendations, hints and allegations always welcome. I want a quick drinker that's crisp and fruity with no evil Arbor Mist headaches afterwards.
The Winexpert Island Mist peach apricot kit is being delivered tomorrow, along with some extra sugar and white grape concentrate. I'm going to push the OG to about 1.080 and ferment as close to dry as I can.
Any oaking? Is one lb of sugar enough when coupled with thinking really hard (the container said "concentrate")? How about some peaches in the primary?
Suggestions, recommendations, hints and allegations always welcome. I want a quick drinker that's crisp and fruity with no evil Arbor Mist headaches afterwards.
I have had that one several times, and it is good without oak.
Think I'm going to need another pound of sugar. Received my Island Mist today. This project kicks off over the weekend.
According to the fine folks at label peelers, the pound of sugar and grape concentrate should give me about 10% ABV.
I think I'm okay with that.
I think I'm okay with that.
Jim, did you make the kit over the weekend? Not sure how this would taste with the apricots, but I did some frozen mangos and peaches with Welches peach concentrate, and you can really taste the mangos. I might leave half of it dry for me and back sweeten the other half for my wife. The samples I've been taking of it so far are really promising @ about 3 months.
I just pitched the yeast tonight.
With the pound of corn sugar and the extra juice concentrate, the OG is 1.072. If this ferments down like the WE selection Chardonnay, it's going to wind up about 10.5% ABV. Not bad at all.
The F-Pack doesn't go in until later - got to ferment down, rack to secondary, wait, rack, then add f-pack. The SG will go back up to around 1.010 after adding it, though.
Question on Fruit Packs.
The directions say to add the whole pack in step 3 after fermentation is complete. I've seen posters on this forum say they put some of their pack in during primary to boost ABV and mouthfeel. Since I added white grape concentrate for that purpose, I still have a sealed pack.
I want something that is sweet enough for my wife to drink, but not so much that I can't stand it. So, I'm leery of putting the whole thing in. Anyone else been where I am? If so, how much do I put in to give it a pronounced peach/mango flavor, but not so much I feel like I need to get a tooth filled after drinking it?
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One day and it's already bubbling away.
At Day 3 and the SG is down to 1.017 with a temp of 75* F. This one is moving along like a Swiss watch.
At Day 3 and the SG is down to 1.017 with a temp of 75* F. This one is moving along like a Swiss watch.
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I'm down to 0.992, so it's time to move into the carboy. Can I just move along to f-pac and clearing?
Start with adding 1/3 of the f-pack. store the rest of the f-pack in the fridge. After a few days sample the wine (wait for the sugars to fully dissolve and blend with the wine). If you want a little more sweetness, add more of the f-pack, and wait a few more days to sample again. IMHO, 1/2 of the f-pack is a little too sweet for me.
Shoot for the dry side of what you want. It will sweeten a little more over time.
that is the main reason to add part of the f-pack into the primary during fermentation. You get some of the flavor without any of the sweetness (yeast converts sweetness to alcohol). If you have not racked yet, it is still not too late to add 1/2 of the f-pack. Give it a good stir, and wait a few days before racking.
Shoot for the dry side of what you want. It will sweeten a little more over time.
that is the main reason to add part of the f-pack into the primary during fermentation. You get some of the flavor without any of the sweetness (yeast converts sweetness to alcohol). If you have not racked yet, it is still not too late to add 1/2 of the f-pack. Give it a good stir, and wait a few days before racking.
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This is very good advice that I wish I read before I racked the wine from the primary fermenter. Dang it.
The mist is settling nicely after 3 days in its new home. 
So here's a question: the SG is at 0.992 and I won't reach day 10 until Tuesday. Unfortunately, I won't be home that night and would like to move to clearing a couple days earlier than the instructions provide (this Sunday, instead).
I'm guessing that at this point, it's just important to get the wine down below an SG of 0.996 before clearing. Any harm in moving on 2 days ahead of schedule?
I'm guessing that at this point, it's just important to get the wine down below an SG of 0.996 before clearing. Any harm in moving on 2 days ahead of schedule?
Jim, I think you've been at .992 for more than three days, so you're done. I haven't made an Island Mist, but with my Orchard Breezin kits, 3 days steady below .998 equals go onto the next step, so I think you're good to go.
True...
Next steps: degas, add chitosan, KMeta and FPac (half to 2/3 of one anyway) and see what happens.
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