Cellar Craft Just a tad bit disappointed...

[whino-wino]

Started my CC 5 Week Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel Kit tonight. Before adding the grape pack the starting S.G. was only 1.070. After adding the grape pack, squeezing the crap out of it in the mesh bag and stirring the must for 5 minutes with my mix-stir and a cordless drill, I could only attain a starting S.G. of around 1.088. I've always done the WE Selection Estate Lodi Old Vine and that's always started at about 1.100. For an "Old Vine" it seems this one is a little weak. I'm considering "adjusting" this number more to my liking but I'm usually a little wary about making any changes to kits. I still may add some sugar in the later stages of fermentation but I haven't decided yet.


Anyone else have this experience?

 

[Dean]

I think you are comparing apples to oranges here. A WE Estate series is a much larger kit with more concentrate, being 16L versus the CC 5 week kit being 12L. You will always find the difference in Alcohol potential between a lighter kit and a premium kit. Premium kits have more concentrate/juice, which in most cases also makes a higher alcohol potential as well as longer aging cycle.

Smaller kits, like this CC one are engineered for faster aging and thus have a potential for less ABV to go from bottle to glass faster.

Now if you compared the CC showcase collection Old vines Zin, I'm sure you'd find it very comparable to the WE Estate series.

 

[smurfe]

I think you are comparing apples to oranges here. A WE Estate series is a much larger kit with more concentrate, being 16L versus the CC 5 week kit being 12L. You will always find the difference in Alcohol potential between a lighter kit and a premium kit. Premium kits have more concentrate/juice, which in most cases also makes a higher alcohol potential as well as longer aging cycle.

Smaller kits, like this CC one are engineered for faster aging and thus have a potential for less ABV to go from bottle to glass faster.

Now if you compared the CC showcase collection Old vines Zin, I'm sure you'd find it very comparable to the WE Estate series.

X2, that is what I was going to reply.

 

[whino-wino]

Yes, I pretty much came to the same conclusion.


The reason I was expecting a higher starting S.G. is that every "Old Vine" Zinfandel I've ever had is higher on the abv scale. The very words "Old Vine" usually indicate that the grapes have a higher sugar content and produce a wine with more body. You will have a difficult time finding an Old Vine Zinfandel from a commercial winery with an ABV under 14%, although you may findan occasional oneas low as 13%.

 

[Wade E]

I have never seen a small kit go above that.

 

[TankCa]

I just started my CC Showcase LOVZ on Saturday and it had a starting SG of 1.100

 

[grapeman]

You could check with the dealer you bought it from or themanufacturer to see if that is a normal reading for this kit.

 

[Wade E]

That is a much bigger kit and whats expected from a kit that size.

 

[Vince]

Hydrometer check, the paper can and does slip.

 

[whino-wino]

I hadn't thought of that Vince. Checked it out last night and it's good.


I'm not as upset as the title of this thread suggests. This one is looking like it will be pretty darn good. It will have a little less kick than the bigger Old Vine kits but that's O.K. It just means I can drink more in one sitting!