RJ Spagnols Question about BC Meritage Add-Ins.

[bluecorporal]

I recently purchased the RJS BC Meritage kit. It includes 2 kinds of oak, elderberries, Wine skins , and a gauze sock.
My questions are,
Do I place all the dry ingredients into the sock or just the dried fruit?
Do I sprinke the yeast on the must before or after putting the bag in?
Thanks for the info

Doug N.

 

[cpfan]

I know that you will get different answers to the first question.

I would not use the gauze bag. I would put everything in loose.

If I did use the gauze bag, I would add it before the yeast. I would push it under/stir it around/dunk it/whatever was needed to get it as wet as possible. Then I would sprinkle the yeast trying to avoid getting any on the bag. Then everyday (or twice a day), you need to dunk the bag/flip it over/whatever.

Steve

 

[Tom]

The only reason to put the skins in a bag is its easy to remove. For that reason I add the skins to the bag. I also rehydrate my yeast before adding.

Steve's right about punch the bag 2X a day

 

[Dugger]

I've made this kit a few times and it is good. I used a large strainer bag each time rather than the sock that comes with it. The strainer fits over the bucket nicely and allows you put all the dry goods in loose but still take them out easily at the end. At the end of the first week ( under loose lid) I would tie off the bag so I could then put a tight lid on the bucket. I punched down twice daily as mentioned and by the end of the first week most of the additives were submerged so I didn't have to punch down while under a tight lid.