Thinking Out of the Box

[RCGoodin]

I have 4 white kits and I want to kick them up a notch, so I am going to do the following.

Batch 1: Calf Chardonnay, adding 1/2 lb of white raisins after 5 days of primary. Adding zest of 2 oranges, 2 lemons and 2 grapefruit in secondary.

Batch 2: Calf Chardonnay, adding 1/2 lb of white raisins after 5 days of primary. Adding 2 packages of oak in secondary. Adding 1 cup of simple syrup in secondary.

Batch 3: Semillion Chardonnay, adding 1/2 lb of white raisins after 5 days of primary. Adding oak in secondary. Adding tannins for White in secondary.

Batch 4: Gawurtztramier, adding 1/2 lb of white raisins after 5 days of primary. Adding zest of 2 oranges, 2 lemons and 2 grapefruit in secondary. Adding oak in secondary. Adding tannins for White in secondary.QUOTE]

UPDATE: To each batch I added 1/2 lb of white grapes, 4 oz of simple syrup (I made myself), and 1/2 tsp of yeist nutrient. I plan to stir daily until I decide to rack to a carboy and then add tannins, oak and extracts.

 

[joeswine]

Rc

Are these 1 gallon batches that your bench testing for taste?

 

[RCGoodin]

Are these 1 gallon batches that your bench testing for taste?

Hi Joe,

They are all 6 gallons. Do you think I'm light on the simple syrup? I'm trying to go light on changes. I will add more in later stages.

What are your thoughts?

 

[knockabout]

We tasted it all last nite and decided on chocolate and peppercorns in 1/2 and vanilla bean in he other half ! A little more reasonable I think!

 

[kevinlfifer]

Here is my "different" tweak

I know the time window has passed for others to try this, but I got a 7.5 gal bucket (one of my primaries) full of Marquette cake from a local vineyard/friend. I have been using about 5 lbs at a time as a grape skin pack in cheap kits. So far so good but time will tell.

 

[reefman]

Lee Valley sells some zesting tools.
This one is my favorite.
http://www.leevalley.com/US/garden/page.aspx?p=71177&cat=2,40733,44734