Other Need help fast

[Mike777]

I have a pretty old Lake view valley farms 4 bottle merlot kit.

Everything is intact except one packet that says: Gelatin,Tartaric Acid,Sulpher Dioxide solution and Pectinase.

Can I make it without it?

Add a tiny bit of Cream of Tarter?

I hate to toss the kit. I have a 6 gallon working now and could ues the parts I guess in the future.



Any comment appreciated, even humor

 

[Steve]

How old?
I think if it is more than a year old it may not be up to par...

 

[Mike777]

There is no date. I thought we could gamble it but that pack is dry.

 

[Waldo]

If it is that old Mike I think you would just be wasting your time with it.

 

[Wade E]

I say what the heck, give it a try. If its no good when done, dump it!

 

[geocorn]

I think you will be wasting your time. I have had several calls from customers that have made that kit and were EXTREMELY disappointed. They called to make sure my wine kits would make drinkable wine, not the stuff that came from Lake View. In addition, if the ad packets are no good, chances are the juice is bad, as well.

 

[Mike777]

I double dosed the yeast and its going fine, I have a spare pack but the really old one kicked right in. One thing is certain, its not getting anywhere near our other wines and won't be a top up so if its that rank, we just dump it and be happy with all the kit peices, measures etc being extras.

If one had the idea to make a kit like this one, other than like me, to experiment with no expectations, it would be better for them to pick up an already finished box of wine, or a bottle or two from the store, and call it good. The effort for one gallon of marginal to poor wine isn't worth it.

 

[Flaco]

Mike777, I actually made this kit as my first attempt at making wine. Unfortunately I ended up with four bottles of vinegar!!! The instructions are weak andI think that the gallon container leaves way to much exposure to air. Make sure once you go to secondary that you either use a gallon bottle or just push the air out of the container. Also keep it covered from light. Hopefully you have better luck thanI did!!!

 

[Mike777]

Hi Flaco, quick question. What does the screw cap for the container fit besides the cube ? I actualy looked at a wide mouth growler and thought that they were almost the same size.

 

[Flaco]

Sorry Mike777, I never tried it for anything else.

 

[Mike777]

Yes it fits a 1 gallon growler but not the threads on a 4liter one. Or at least the 4 liter that I have. Now keep in mind there was nothing for a date. The single slip of paper said to mail your checks for more parts etc. Then at the bottom it said now you can call in with the NEW credit card system.I figure it has to be pre 1995 or older so the grape pack has aged well.....

It got many jokes though from ghetto cube to bart simpsons little B@#$%^& wine kit among others..... Got 5 bottles one with a tiny layer of sediment, because there was a distraction and then it overflowed and when I looked down, I sucked up some slime. Oh well. that one didn't get a label and we decided that any bottle that was suspect going forward will stay with the type but not get labeled. We will decant any of those for ourselves.


Didn't have the missing packs so I used long hemostats and a marker to get 1/6 a packet of each that I got from the local and 1/6 isinglas into the gallon jug.

The tall one has the sediment and no label. (We did get the estate corker installed)
Edited by: Mike777

 

[Mike777]

 

[Wade E]

Ohhhhh, its Martini time!

 

[Mike777]

I think the martinis had a direct effect on how much sediment got in the last bottle. Mind you I can't prove anything but I suspect it was related somehow......

It was a fun thing and we got to learn some things before we start with the 6 gal kits so all in all it was good training.

Edited by: Mike777