Mosti Mondiale Kits with the ALLGRAPE Pack

[PeterZ]

Last Sunday afternoon I started the Meglioli Old Vines Zinfandel with the ALLGRAPE pack. Last night, 24 hours after pitching the yeast, I added the ALLGRAPE pack in a large fine mesh bag, weighted down with a large glass water tumbler.


It almost completely filled my 7.9 gallon fermenter. The level is a half inch or so from the top. Right now I have the top resting on the fermenter (not snapped down) and I am hoping to avoid disaster.


I strongly recommend anyone doing an ALLGRAPE pack kit invest in a 10 gallon fermenter and lid. I know I will be.

 

[robie]

That's why I bought a 10-gallon from George awhile back.
Hope you have your fermentor setting in a secondary containment container of some kind... you know where it is going.

 

[ibglowin]

Wow, do the Meglioli kits have bigger grape packs than the CC Showcase kits?

I usually make it a point to go a little under the 6G line on my 7.9 G Primary when doing a grape pack kit. I have been 3-4 inches from the top but never that close to the top!

If that guy takes off your going to have to really babysit it for a few days.

 

[JimCook]

Mike,


Mosti kits will at times provide some extra juice. From my memory, the grape packs in both were 1.5L, but don't quote me on it as I didn't scientifically measure volumes to compare. I do recall that the Mosti AllGrape pack was not so 'solid' when compared against the CC effective-grape-jam pack. If the grape pack is loose, I've noticed that it helps cut down on foaming. If it's in a muslin bag, it doesn't reduce it quite as much.


- Jim

 

[Scott B]

Peter,
I started the same kit two weeks ago and it did the samething to my 7.9 gal bucket. I just happen to have an extra 10 gal bucket and made the switch. It did need the room in the first few days.

 

[Darryl]

Peter!!!!
I did the shraz kit with grape pack in a 7.9 gal bucket... I used a 5 gal paint strainer bag... and I keep it at 70 f... I only had maybe 1/2 a cup full of juice run over during primary!!!! But the next time I will use a 10 gal... I was very worried about having a huge mess!!!!!

 

[Wade E]

I still have not splurged for the 10 gallon bucket but will have to either this year or next when the currants take hold. With that siad when I make a red wine kit I only make the grape skin kits and they do push the limits of the 7.9 bucket so I do like Darryl and just keep then temp down for the first few days.

 

[ArdenS]

It appears that you're talking about only Mosti kits. Have any of you experienced this kind of thing with either Spagnols or Cellar Craft?

 

[RickC]

Imade 2 Spagnols and 1 Cellar Craft with skins this year and used the 7.9 gal fermenter. I did keep the temp down around 70 deg and didn't have any spillage but it did come close. The foam did touch the bottom of the lid a bit. Sounds like I better invest in a 10 gal before makinga Mosti.

 

[Wade E]

I was talking about the Spagnols kits.

 

[Comet in TX]

I've made 2 CC red w/skins showcase kits, the first was the Red Mountain cabernet, I had maybe 1 ounce of wine spill over onto the lid, but that was it. I cleaned the airlock and replaced the k-meta solution, and it was fine after that.

The Tannat is on it's 2nd day today. The airlock had wine in it, I cleaned it out, and I've had no other problems.

Haven't made my Meglioli OVZ yet. I may dare to try, but I have no way to keep temps down - TX has already had some 70 degree days.....

Lara

 

[RJMehr]

I am curious, what Mosti Mondiale kits contain ALLGRAPE packs? I have been to their web site and they do not even mention ALLGRAPE packs with any of the kits.

I have made 5 Mosti Mondiale kits, (AllJuice, Masters and Meglioli) and none of them had the grape packs. I ordered a ALLJUICE Petite Syrah from George, will this kit have a grape pack?

Robert

 

[Wade E]

Its only in the new Meglioili Zin and Shiraz kits.

 

[vcasey]

The 10 gallon fermenter is a great investment. I use mine for all my grape skin & raisin kits. A few the MMR Amarone had foam to the lid and a Cherry Mel got there as well (actually it was only a 5 gallon batch and did spill over a little). Others, like the Tannat were no problem at all.

 

[ibglowin]

Hi Lara,

You should not be snapping the lid and having an airlock on when your in day 2 of fermenting. Just place the lid on loosely and cover the hole with a piece of folded paper towel. You don't need an airlock until day 5-6 when the SG is down around 1.03 or so. You want maximum air the first few days while the yeast are in a sugar feeding frenzy and CO2 is pouring out of every inch of headspace in the primary.

You don't want to channel everything through the one small opening on top while its this active!

.The Tannat is on it's 2nd day today.  The airlock had wine in it, I cleaned it out, and I've had no other problems.

 

[PeterZ]

Well, so far so good. Last night it was down to 1.040 so I extracted a half cup and dissolved the nutrient in it and added it back. The foam has subsided but the fermentation is very active. I will snap the lid down and insert an airlock when it gets down to about 1.010, and let it go to dry in the primary. With only 1/2" of headspace I'm not worried about oxidation!

 

[robie]

PeterZ,

I would never have guessed your bucket wouldn't have foamed over when you added the nutrient.

That's one thing about the 10-gallon bucket, the lid does not seal well at all, so you have to move the wine to a carboy for the secondary anaerobic fermentation stage. I like to ferment to dry right in my bucket, so in my 10-gallon, I add the nutrient to the bucket and let foaming settle back down before I move it to the carboy.

 

[Wade E]

Dont worry about the oxidation so much, the wine is loaded with C02 and some O2 is good for red wines. Remember that red wines are stored in barrels for around a year sometimes and the whole time its in there its getting O2 and thats called micro-oxygenation. White wines and fruit wines are a different story as they can turn brown a little easier but even then its still loaded with C02 so a little more time in primary is ok.

 

[PeterZ]

When I put the ALLGRAPE pack in a mesh bag I added a big water glass to weight it down. The glass is 1.25 lbs and that was not enough weight to hold the bag down.

 

[robie]

Dont worry about the oxidation so much, the wine is loaded with C02 and some O2 is good for red wines. Remember that red wines are stored in barrels for around a year sometimes and the whole time its in there its getting O2 and thats called micro-oxygenation. White wines and fruit wines are a different story as they can turn brown a little easier but even then its still loaded with C02 so a little more time in primary is ok.

Wade,
I am starting a new topic so this issue can be further discussed. I doubt I am not the only person who is still a little uncertain about CO2 protection is enough. SEE: When is CO2 level not enough to protect wine?