RJ Spagnols Orchard Breezin Kits

[Chopper]

Anybody tried the "Orchard Breezin" wine kits? How is the quality?

I'm currently making a batch of Blackberry Merlot. I paid $60 for it, and I probably overpaid. What prices are yall paying for these kits?

Thanks,

Chopper

 

[cpfan]

This is an RJ Spagnols kit, so you might get more/better answers in that forum (depending how people browse this site).


The OB blackberry merlot is one of my favourite mist wine kits. Yes, it's sweet, and low alcohol, but I LOVE the taste, and the aroma of the F-pack is wonderful. Plus it makes a wonderful (to me anyway) wine jelly.


BTW, George at finevinewines sellsOB kits for $63.


Steve

 

[xanxer82]

I just bottled the blueberry shiraz. Even at bottling it was pretty good. I'll tell you how it improves in a few months

 

[Runningwolf]

Chopper the price you paid is good. I made that same one and upped the abv. You didn't mention if you picked this up or had it shipped but you have to figure in shipping costs and customer service also when buying on the internet. If you bought this in a store you did well.

 

[vcasey]

Chopper I think you either like this style kit or you don't. I have made 1 by Heron Bay and I thought it was awful. Actually I was taking cough medicine at the time and between the 2 the cough medicine was much better, by a long shot. My sister thought the wine was great so she got all the left overs. I was so unhappy I emailed the company and they sent me another kit a merlot/cab blend that is fantastic.
I am now considering making another one and force carbing. Now I need to decide which one to try.
VC

 

[Wade E]

I like a lot of these kits but I also up the abv to around 10% with around 3 1/2 lbs of sugar up front. It will void the warranty and take longer to ferment and come back around but it then will taste very good(balances out the higher sweetness) and also ages much better on the shelf.

 

[nursejohn]

I have only tried the Black Cherry Pinot Noir and we loved it. I gave it as Chirstmas gifts and everyone who has tried it says nothing but great things about it. I probably am getting ready to order another one.

 

[Jackie]

I have the Blackberry Merlot clearing now. I did not up the ABV, though I have done that before. I plan on this being a light social "guzzler" and I want to try wine jelly too. I've made these types of kits before. I'm not big on sweet wines but my friends love them and I like it occasionally for a change of pace when I want a thirst quencher but I'm not in the mood for beer. But when you ask about "quality", they're kinda like an uncarbonated wine cooler in my opinion. Don't expect it to be like a high quality merlot.

 

[Chopper]

Chopper the price you paid is good. I made that same one and upped the abv. You didn't mention if you picked this up or had it shipped but you have to figure in shipping costs and customer service also when buying on the internet. If you bought this in a store you did well.

I paid $60 at a shop (AlaBrew in B'ham AL) for the kit. And since I'm from Tennessee, he didn't charge tax.

I started the kit today, and will up the ABV to about 10%. How much longer than the advertised 4 weeks will this higher ABV wine take to be completely ready to drink?

Thanks,

Chopper

 

[cpfan]

I paid $60 at a shop (AlaBrew in B'ham AL) for the kit. And since I'm from Tennessee, he didn't charge tax.

I started the kit today, and will up the ABV to about 10%. How much longer than the advertised 4 weeks will this higher ABV wine take to be completely ready to drink?

Hmmm...tax on a wine kit, please don't mention that to the Canadian federal or provincial governments, they haven't caught on to that idea yet.


Upping the abv shouldn't make the wine take longer. I guess it depends, when/how youdo it. I've made a couple of mist kits with corn sugar added prior to the yeast, and they did not take any longer.


Steve

 

[grapeman]

Here in NY, it doesn't matter where you are from. If it sells in NY it is taxed Sales Tax in NY. The rate depends on the local taxing jurisdiction. Right here we are at 8%. Technically if we buy online now, we are supposed to be good citizens and send in the sales tax we should have paid even if we weren't charged for it. I wonder how many takers they get on that one?

 

[PeterZ]

Same in TN, Rich. They call it a "use tax" and expect us to mail it in.


I made a green apple riesling and upped the ABV to about 10%. For a couple of months in bulk it tasted like rocket fuel, but after about three months it mellowed out. My friends all love it.


OTOH, I made a strawberry white merlot and upped it to 9% and it was good from the get-go.

 

[Runningwolf]

Peter, I did the same thing. I thought I really messed up on that one and it seems like it took more like six months before it was drinkable. Really good now though. That is the only kit that ever did that to me.