Other Tweeking Cheap Kits

[Digital-monk]

Just a note. I did this rose passport kit by the book and it turned out to be one of the best in the last5 years. Tweaks may help, but the juice was already greAt!

 

[MTJoeT]

Hey @joeswine, when you tweak the cheap kits to only make 5 gallons instead of the 6 are you changing carboys to a smaller one or what is your process to diminish headspace (1 gal +) in the clarification stage in a 6-gallon carboy? Thank you, Sensei, for all your help.

 

[joeswine]

Will get back to you later today

 

[joeswine]

Only after primary fermentation, I go from bucket to 6 gallons for about 10 days or so., this allows the gasses to discharge, then shift to 5 gallons to reduce headspace.
And add Chems.
On the other hand, I can go from primary to 6 and allow the nitrogen layer to work for me as long as I control the process, then in time (as above) add Chems .
Make sense ?

 

[MTJoeT]

Only after primary fermentation, I go from bucket to 6 gallons for about 10 days or so., this allows the gasses to discharge, then shift to 5 gallons to reduce headspace.
And add Chems.
On the other hand, I can go from primary to 6 and allow the nitrogen layer to work for me as long as I control the process, then in time (as above) add Chems .
Make sense ?

Great thank you.
Would you describe the nitrogen process you are referring to please?

I do understand you switch to a 5 gal sometimes and others you are using a nitrogen layer (vs CO2) to protect the wine

 

[joeswine]

lets see if I can do this .. cant find the pic of the nitrogen set up , Ill get it later. you see the different headspaces with using good surface control with the nitro and always keeping the water in the bubbler on the positive side I'm in control.

 

[Spiros]

So I have a rjs grand cru Malbec kit aging, added a 1 lb black berry fpac and a tablespoon of tannin. I decided to buy the exact same kit to try with Zante currants, so I put it together yesterday, added 1.5 cups of Zante currants and 1 tablespoon of tannin. I also decided to switch my yeast to rc212. Eager to see the difference between the 2 batches

 

[joeswine]

Nice plan should be just fine, keep me posted.

 

[joeswine]

That's a good profile, let me know what you think

 

[MTJoeT]

lets see if I can do this .. cant find the pic of the nitrogen set up , Ill get it later. you see the different headspaces with using good surface control with the nitro and always keeping the water in the bubbler on the positive side I'm in control.
View attachment 62833

Oh I love the idea of placing Carboy in milk crate, awesome.

 

[joeswine]

Used them for years, nice tool

 

[rca]

@joeswine When you do the Wine Lover's kits are you starting with the low end, listed as light body, kits that show around 7% ABV? I'm just wondering what the main difference is in the kits, light, medium and full bodied, other than price.

 

[rca]

Update, I see the difference now, just the amount of juice in each kit. The light bodied are 4.8 liters, the medium are 5.2 liters and the full bodies area 16 liters of juice extract.

 

[joeswine]

That's correct, it's the changes you make , that makes the all the difference to the mix.

 

[joeswine]

That's correct, it's the changes you make , that makes the.
I've never looked at the quality of the body ( product base) ,always just proceeded to process, it didn't matter.

 

[Spiros]

I have a question about additives that come with these kits. I have been reading about some of these additives creating off flavours with the finished product and the fact that some may not be necessary. So my question is which additives do you use and which do you delete? Also if you delete one how does that change your process?

 

[joeswine]

They come with the kits for a reason correct?
I use all the Chems and don't have a problem with them, some do. The reason their ,there is the MFG. Doesn't know who's putting together their kits or any of the other factors involved in the process or the skills of the winemaker , make sense? Once again I use them.

 

[sour_grapes]

I have a question about additives that come with these kits. I have been reading about some of these additives creating off flavours with the finished product and the fact that some may not be necessary. So my question is which additives do you use and which do you delete? Also if you delete one how does that change your process?

In my opinion, you may safely skip the potassium sorbate with a couple of caveats: (1) the wine must be fermented all the way to dry, and not backsweetened at all; (2) some kits combine the sorbate and the metabisulfite into one sachet. If that is the case, you need to add the sulfite by itself.

 

[cmason1957]

I have a question about additives that come with these kits. I have been reading about some of these additives creating off flavours with the finished product and the fact that some may not be necessary. So my question is which additives do you use and which do you delete? Also if you delete one how does that change your process?

My response to anyone who asks, is it okay to leave out (blank), if you have to ask that question, then the answer is no, it is not okay. I generally add all the additives, except for the potassium sorbate, provided the wine is fermented to dry and no further sugar sources are added.

The suggestion that potassium sorbate creates off flavors (that's usually the one folks complain about) is vastly over exaggerated. yes, it can cause a bubble gum flavor, if to much is used, but at the levels supplied by kit manufacturers it will not cause issues.

 

[joeswine]

It seems like everything I text doesn't take the first time???