I bought the new MM AJ Master Edition Cab with Grape pack and I figured I would let you know my experience so far. Well this is the first kit I have purchased with a Grape pack. Up till now I only had raisins and oak to worry about but now I have a seperate box with a bag of pulp for lack of a better word. When the valpolicella was done fermenting and I racked to carboy I cleaned fermenter and started. Oh did I mention I am alone doing this. Well I got the juice in no problem but then came the grape pack. I decided to use a mesh bag to make things easier later. Now for you folks that have a 7.9 bucket and say things work out fine I think I am going to need some video as trying to get the pulp from the plastic bag into the mesh bag and not spilling it was a job by itself but when I finally went to tie it there was about 1/2 " room before overflow. Of course the instructions state that you should stir every day. Not easy wih no room. Well it has been three days and SG at start was 1.1 and now 1.010. Fastest one I have ever had to get to 1.010. I added oak and yeast nutrient and went to seal the lid and put air stopper in. Well I had to just barely get the stopper in so it would not be under the juice level. It seams to be perking quite well now but I have a question I hope you guys can answer for me. When I get to racking this to a carboy is it going to fit? I understand the space taken up by the pulp will not be transferred but the juice will be. Also anyone wanting to do this kit would best have a 10 gallon fermenter to avoid close calls like me. I ordered the newMerlot same kit but I will be getting a bigger bucket. I will keep y'all posted on how this turns out and happy fermenting.
Mosti Mondiale New AJ Masters Old Vine Cab w/Grape pack
- Thread starter gdaustin
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It should fit because you will leave some wine behind in the sediment. Plus you can always put some in a sanitized wine bottle with an airlock if you are worried about not having enough space. George sells bungs that fit wine bottles. Hope that helps. I'm sure someone else will chime in too.
You are lucky that you didnt have a mess with fermentation. Ive seen a few that were lower in the bucket come very close to and above the lid and some just get that nice little cap. You dont have to really stir it, just push the fruit under to keep it wet or it can get moldy. When using a fermentation bag of sorts try to move the skins around about to let areas not really exposed inside get accessed.
One of the best things I started out with (by luck) was a 7.9 gallon (6.5 IMP Gallon) Primary. I wouldn't have anything else especially when using a grape pack which most of mine are.
I use a 1 gallon bucket to stretch the mesh bag over to dump the grape pack into. You can even use a large rubber band to hold the bag onto the rim.
Sounds like you are through the tough part of fermentation where you could have spilled over. Once you get rid of the grape pack and leave the sludge at the bottom you should have plenty of room especially if you are using one of the newer 6 1/4 gallon Italian Carboys.
Keep us posted on the progress and tasting notes down the road. I think you could be the first to try out this new AJ Kit!
I use a 1 gallon bucket to stretch the mesh bag over to dump the grape pack into. You can even use a large rubber band to hold the bag onto the rim.
Sounds like you are through the tough part of fermentation where you could have spilled over. Once you get rid of the grape pack and leave the sludge at the bottom you should have plenty of room especially if you are using one of the newer 6 1/4 gallon Italian Carboys.
Keep us posted on the progress and tasting notes down the road. I think you could be the first to try out this new AJ Kit!
PeterZ
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I did the Zin that had the grape pack. I squeezed it well and filled a 6 gallon carboy and a 1500 ml bottle. Not ready for a second racking yet, but I expect to get at least 31 bottles out of this one.
Yes, a 10 gallon primary is a must (pun intended) with these kits.
Yes, a 10 gallon primary is a must (pun intended) with these kits.
Am I understanding you to say you have a 7.9 gallon fermentor?
I have used grape packs with the 7.9 gallon fermentor and had what sounds like a lot more room than you indicate you have left. I have never made an MM with a grape pack, so I don't know how big it is. Is that MM grape pack huge? I believe I had several inches left after adding the different grape packs, which I have used (RJS and Cellar Craft grape packs).
Are you positive your fermentor is 7.9 gallons?
With your bucket that full, as Wade also said, I am surprised you did not have a huge overflow problem when you added the nutrient. I would watch it closely to make sure it doesn't overflow.
AS the others have said, put any extra wine, which won't fit in the carboy, in a wine bottle with an air lock. You will need it later to top off.
I have used grape packs with the 7.9 gallon fermentor and had what sounds like a lot more room than you indicate you have left. I have never made an MM with a grape pack, so I don't know how big it is. Is that MM grape pack huge? I believe I had several inches left after adding the different grape packs, which I have used (RJS and Cellar Craft grape packs).
Are you positive your fermentor is 7.9 gallons?
With your bucket that full, as Wade also said, I am surprised you did not have a huge overflow problem when you added the nutrient. I would watch it closely to make sure it doesn't overflow.
AS the others have said, put any extra wine, which won't fit in the carboy, in a wine bottle with an air lock. You will need it later to top off.
I should add that for the very reason you are facing, I bought and use a ten-gallon fermentor on kits which either have a grape pack and/or tend to foam a lot. I had one fermentation that consistently built an 8 inch foam cap. Had I not used the ten-gallon, I would have had a big problem.
I will take a picture when the bubblies stop and I get ready to rack it. I ordered the Merlot version of the same kit but George was so efficient he sent it out before I could call about the 10 gallon fermentor. Oh well there is a shop about 60 miles that carries a few supplies. I will see if they have a 10 gal. setup this weekend. One thing I did notice is that even though this kit went down to 1.01 so fast, it really did not produce any foam to speak of. Now I did open and stir/push down the grap pack in the mesh bag every day so maybe that kept it from foaming. Normally when I look at the fermentation process I would see small bubbles, this one seamed like someone had a straw under the mesh bag and was blowing in it gently. Much larger bubbles. I will keep you posted and get some pics up soon.
I justfinished stabilizingmy MM all juice masters edition old vines merot which had the same issue as you are having. I hadno issues withmy 7.9 galprimary overflowing, although it was very close to the top just like yours. Racking to the secondary, I had to add about a cup of wine to top it off. Pulling the grape pack out reduced the volume quite a bit even after squeezing it out. I added two extra ounces of oak chips to kick it up some.
Let me know how the cab turns out.
Let me know how the cab turns out.
Wow, the wife reminded me of this kit I ad in the closet. It has been about 8 months ageing. I guess I need to get it out and rack it and put some k-med in it and the fining ageants and let it sit for a few weeks before I bottle it. I have empty carboys 1 fermenter and three kits ready to get started now that the weather is warmer. I will let everyone know how this one tastes when I get to the bottling phase.
You had a MM Masters kit you forgot about. In a closet!!!!
Wow, Gary,
You have to have too much wine, too much money or too many projects! Check the back of the closet for any other misplaced vintages.
You have to have too much wine, too much money or too many projects! Check the back of the closet for any other misplaced vintages.
I put it in there after adding the k-meta at three months then forgot about it. I have to try and hide them cause everytime the wife sees one I have not bottle I get hammered to bottle it so she can drink it. I almost got killed with the amarone kit I just bottled. It was at about 11 months and the wife told me if I do not bottle it she will start drinking right out of the carboy. I guess I should say that amarone is her favorite. I ended up bottling the Meg. amarone and the Ren. valpoliccella for her. The Val was about 9 months as I did it right before the cab. Now that I have another fermenter coming(10 gal.) I will start the next Meg amarone and get it started ageing while she has the current one to drink. I have 5 more carboys to fill and only 3 kits. The wife does like the sweeter whites and I am having a hard time finding a couple. I would like to get a couple whites that are a little quicker drinking cause I only have reds at the moment. Hopefully I can get the wife to forget the new Meg. amarone as I would like to age it for at least a year maybe 18 months before bottling. We will see. You guys take care and happy fermenting.
P.S. I was wondering what the extra bottle with a cork and airlock was doing on the shelf when the wife reminded me about the cab. I guess my memory is not as good as it was hehe.
P.S. I was wondering what the extra bottle with a cork and airlock was doing on the shelf when the wife reminded me about the cab. I guess my memory is not as good as it was hehe.
If she likes something a little sweeter and you want an early drinking white I can sure recommend the CC Showcase Yakima Vally Riesling. OMG that wine was drinkable 2 weeks after clearing.One of the best whites I have made to date!
You could also try a mist kit and just give her a straw to drink it straight out of the carboy! I would make a couple of fast drinkers going to keep her busy while the good stuff is aging. Try the MM RenascenceAmarone, it should also help hold her off and give the Meg. a chance to mature and shine. The nice thing about the Renascence Amarone is it's a very, very good wine.
RJ SPagnol's Orchard Breezin kits are great summer wines, which mostly can be drunk as soon as they clear. They ARE sweet wines, which IMO go best poured into a glass of ice with some nice fruit slices added.
I made two last summer; just finished making two for this summer - black cherry Pinot Noir and a peach chardonnay.
The P. chard was ready to drink within two days after starting clarifying. It came with an extra packet of kielsol (check the spelling), which really did the trick. Within 24 hours of adding it, that wine was clear enough to read a newspaper through the carboy.
I made two last summer; just finished making two for this summer - black cherry Pinot Noir and a peach chardonnay.
The P. chard was ready to drink within two days after starting clarifying. It came with an extra packet of kielsol (check the spelling), which really did the trick. Within 24 hours of adding it, that wine was clear enough to read a newspaper through the carboy.
