Other MLF With Kits

[Wiz]

How successful have you been performing a MLF on your kits?

 

[ibglowin]

You don't do MLF on kits.

 

[wineh]

You don't do MLF on kits.

Mike's disclaimer aside, he is correct.

 

[deboard]

The reason you don't do MLF on kits is that they don't need it. It seems like people want to do MLF because they hear it's something that fine reds have done to them. But there is a reason for MLF, and it's not just to say you've done it. MLF reduces malic acid, making wine less harsh. The juice in kits is acid balanced beforehand, and MLF would upset that balance, probably making the resulting wine worse than it could have been.

Could there be a kit in the future that includes MLF bacteria? Sure, the way kits are going towards more high end, closer to winery experience, I wouldn't be surprised if someone came out with a kit that included MLF as a step. They'd probably charge a lot for it too!

 

[jimmyjames23]

The reason you don't do MLF on kits is that they don't need it. It seems like people want to do MLF because they hear it's something that fine reds have done to them. But there is a reason for MLF, and it's not just to say you've done it. MLF reduces malic acid, making wine less harsh. The juice in kits is acid balanced beforehand, and MLF would upset that balance, probably making the resulting wine worse than it could have been.

Could there be a kit in the future that includes MLF bacteria? Sure, the way kits are going towards more high end, closer to winery experience, I wouldn't be surprised if someone came out with a kit that included MLF as a step. They'd probably charge a lot for it too!

They do have kits for MLF. They're called "Juice Buckets". Lol.
But seriously. Don't MLF your kits.

 

[deboard]

They do have kits for MLF. They're called "Juice Buckets". Lol.
But seriously. Don't MLF your kits.

Absolutely, if you're just itching to get a MLF under your belt, juice buckets are a good way to do it. I did MLF on both of my fall juice buckets, and they turned out fantastic, both are better than any kit I've done so far.

 

[SouthernChemist]

I doubt there will ever be a true kit that includes a MLF step. For starters, it would force the typical '28 days till you can bottle' selling point into something longer, and I doubt kit companies would want to introduce more complications to the process. Besides, as was pointed out, performing MLF does not automatically make the wine better than one that has not undergone MLF.

 

[Wiz]

I was not being 100% honest with my question. Yes I am working on getting kits from the states to Costa Rica. I presently use an imported Italian cabernet sauvignon bulk concentrate. It has not been adjusted for anything except brix. This last batch had an Ta acid content off the scale and I was able to bring it to the high end of an acceptable Ta. That is what I am really asking about. Can an MLF be done on this?

 

[robie]

I was not being 100% honest with my question. Yes I am working on getting kits from the states to Costa Rica. I presently use an imported Italian cabernet sauvignon bulk concentrate. It has not been adjusted for anything except brix. This last batch had an Ta acid content off the scale and I was able to bring it to the high end of an acceptable Ta. That is what I am really asking about. Can an MLF be done on this?

Yours is not a true kit in that it has been adjusted, poked, and prodded. It should go through MLF just fine. Just don't add sorbate for any reason or you will ruin the result.

 

[jimmyjames23]

And buy a chroma kit.