Packlab Port style from Blackberry Red Zinfindel?

[Greydog]

Just ordered three Cornucopia kits from Amazon.com to see how the cheap kits pan out. Had the idea of possibly creating a port style wine from the Blackberry Red Zinfindel kit.
I am contemplating using all the concentrate in the 6 gallon kit but reconstituting back to only 3 gallons. Would get the OG up to about 1.110 by adding sugar solution if required, and then ferment it bone dry in the primary. Then rack to secondary, stabilize, degas and add fining agents and enough of the Fpack to get the taste and sweetness where I want it.

Whatcha think??

 

[sour_grapes]

In general, I like the idea, but I think there are some details off. I think that if you reconstitute only to 3 gallons, your SG will be way higher than 1.110. Maybe more like 1.180? If I am right, then your yeast will not be able to ferment that.

I think I might, instead, dilute until you get a SG of 1.135, however much that takes. Then use EC-1118 yeast, which may get you in the neighborhood of 17.5%. Then fortify with brandy, and sweeten to your liking.

 

[Greydog]

Yep. I was a little vague on my intentions for the OG. Will have to wait until I can get a hydrometer in the concentrate to decide how much to dilute. I have a RJS Orange Chocolate in a 3 gal secondary right now so I planned on following along as closely as possible to those instructions with the Blackberry and see what happens.
Thanx for your reply.

 

[SouthernChemist]

While there's nothing wrong with experimenting, there are a few caveats to keep in mind. The problem with reconstituting at a lower volume is that it is not just the sugar levels you would be increasing. Everything else, from acid quantities to tannins (though there are probably not much to begin with) will also be increased. These kits also depend heavily on their respective f-pack for flavor sugar, but the all the changes combined with the much higher alcohol level might not go together so well. In short, there's no guarantee that it will end up tasting the way you want. This isn't to discourage you or anything. Feel free to try it out!

 

[Greydog]

The kits arrived today and I opened up the Blackberry Red Zin. Not much meat and a lot of potatoes, ie; corks, labels and flavor pack but not much concentrate. Decided I'll just beef up the concentrate with Welch's frozen to gain some body, tweak the OG to 1.085 and follow the directions from there. I've done several RJS and WE kits and really liked them. Guess one gets what they pay for....Probably won't do any more of these Paklabs.

 

[Greydog]

I added six cans of Welch's frozen concentrate to the concentrate in the kit and two cups of sugar in a simple syrup to get the OG up to 1.080 when reconstituted to six gallons. Racked to secondary after 5 days (SG 1.020). Racked off lees yesterday @ .998, stabilized, added fining, degassed and added the F-pack. It had settled out practically clear by this morning so I sneaked a taste. I was pleasantly surprised!! The Welch's Concord marries really well with the Blackberry F-pack with no "grape juice" taste. Alcohol content balances well with the flavor and body. It has a real blackberry flavor with no after taste like you get with the little bottles of flavor concentrate.
This is gonna be a pretty nice blackberry flavored wine in a month or so.