Why should I buy a Wine Kit?

[arcticsid]

I have asked this question before, but for the benefit of those who are new to wine making, I am going to ask again.

Many new wine makers envision making wine from fruit, juice concentrate, etc.

Some of you in here buy kits, some "juice buckets".

Tell us again, what makes a kit wine so special, when I can use fresh fruit etc, follow all the best advice, and come out with fantastic wine?

What do these "kits" offer that I cant do myself?

As always...just wondering.

 

[Wade E]

Troy, most new winemakers need for 1 a guide to make their first wine meaning written instructions and everything they need to make that first batch. Kits come with everything you need. You will not have to go out and buy a container of sorbate, sulfite, fining agent,nutrient, bentonite, and oak chips. These kits are also guaranteed. These kits are also per balanced meaning you wont need PH and TA testing equipment. IMO the high end kits make better wine then juice buckets and even lots of grapes if you dont know what you are doing. For the most part grapes make the best wine but again you are at the mercy of the quality of the grapes and your experience in making wine so even the best grapes can make a terrible swill!!!

 

[arcticsid]

Well said.

Christmas is gonna be a little tight around her for me and am thinking about buying one myself.

But Wade, in your opinion is a kit, even a "low" end one a good way for a beginer to start? Assuming thet have no prior brewing experience?

Will a wine kit just provide instructions, or will it try to explain the various steps and the why behind them?

 

[Runningwolf]

But Wade, in your opinion is a kit, even a "low" end one a good way for a beginer to start? Assuming thet have no prior brewing experience?

Troy my answer is NO. Stay away it is not a hobby but an obsession that can not be stopped. Your spouse does not prevent the obsession but becomes an enabler.

Look at me. I started out with an Island Mist Blackberry and now have enough wine bottled and in carboys to open a winery. I knew nothing about making wine and did not know anyone that did until I joined this forum. Oh yeah, stay away from this forum also if your trying to kick the habit. It will only entice and help you along making new wines and give you the confidence you need to go over board. I would not change a thing.

 

[Wade E]

Im nit big fan of the lower end kits myself except for a few whites. IMO the reds are very thin even for a thinner style wine like a Pinot Noir or the such. Even the white kits in lower end arent as good as the bigger ones but there is a huge difference between lower end reds vs. lower end whites!!! They dont explain too much of whats happening at any particular point but more of what time frame everythng will happen. In example it wll say after 14 days your sg should reach the .996 area and fermentation should be complete and if so it is time for you to continue on to the nest stage which would be sulfiting, stabilizing, degassing and the addition of the f-pac and fining agent.

 

[arcticsid]

Great! now you tell me! I have to go to England, fight off King Arthur and his boneheads just to rescue the woman who talked me into this in the first place! All I wanted was a beer and a piece of pie! Well, maybe some apricot wine too!!

 

[Runningwolf]

All I wanted was a beer and a piece of pie!

I not touching that one!

 

[JordanPond]

A kit also provides the home vintner access juice that is not available in their area.

 

[Rocky]

Troy,

I agree with what Wade has stated and I would add that I also appreciate that I can have varieties of grape juice and kits and kits that are not otherwise avaliable to me. As an example, I have 18 gallons of Brunello on right now that are from juice from Italy. I would not be able to get the fresh fruit to make this wine.

Jordan: I did not mean to step on your reply. You and I had the same thought, but you were faster on the trigger.

 

[Dugger]

In addition to what Wade said, kits allow you to make wine year round (even in the frozen north!), give you access to some of the best grapes from around the world that would ordinarily be not available and allow you to make certain wine blends that would be difficult to achieve on your own. This, however, reflects the benefits of the high end kits and not necessarily the lower end ones.

 

[JordanPond]

Troy,

I agree with what Wade has stated and I would add that I also appreciate that I can have varieties of grape juice and kits and kits that are not otherwise avaliable to me. As an example, I have 18 gallons of Brunello on right now that are from juice from Italy. I would not be able to get the fresh fruit to make this wine.

Jordan: I did not mean to step on your reply. You and I had the same thought, but you were faster on the trigger.

No problem.

My wife and I had our first Brunello and Borolo wines last week. Now I understand when people talk about "BIG" reds. These are definitly on my kit list.

 

[Wade E]

Just started the new Mosti Mondiale Impressions kit which has the biggest grape pack out of them all. Excuse me, I didnt start it yet, its down in the cellar warming up to room temp. I got a littl ahead of myself there LOL. Its the Barolo!

 

[UBB]

A Barolo kit is the next kit I plan on making. My dad had made one and it was a cheaper kit and everyone enjoyed it. I'm very excited to see what a higher end one yields.

 

[GrandpasFootsteps]

I plan to continue using kits in addition to my homemade wines. I think they are just fun and reasonably priced. Here's another reason that I think the Wine Kits are a good idea...

I have had friends and family ask if I have any or can make a specific type of wine (their favorite). Of course I don't have that kind of stuff in stock (yet) but I have told several people - you pay for the kit at the LHBS and I'll make it and keep 10-12 bottles, you have the other 17 (more or less) bottles. So far 2 people have taken me up on the offer and I've delivered one. So, I get 10 bottles of a pretty dang good wine for $0.

My time spent on it doesn't count since it is a labor of love and I would be doing it anyways except spending my own money on it.

 

[Rocky]

There is a true Win-Win idea!

 

[Wade E]

Thats a great deal!!! Do they supply the bottles also?

 

[Putterrr]

I plan to continue using kits in addition to my homemade wines. I think they are just fun and reasonably priced. Here's another reason that I think the Wine Kits are a good idea...

I have had friends and family ask if I have any or can make a specific type of wine (their favorite). Of course I don't have that kind of stuff in stock (yet) but I have told several people - you pay for the kit at the LHBS and I'll make it and keep 10-12 bottles, you have the other 17 (more or less) bottles. So far 2 people have taken me up on the offer and I've delivered one. So, I get 10 bottles of a pretty dang good wine for $0.

My time spent on it doesn't count since it is a labor of love and I would be doing it anyways except spending my own money on it.

I was just asked about something similiar to this. A friend's husband is working way up north (arctic circle north) and they have 12 or so 6 week wine kits that are just sitting. We will be making at least 6 for her in exchange for 12 bottles from each batch. Sounds like heaven to me expecially since they have many WE LE's and RJS RQ's

I love this sport

 

[Micah]

My first 3 batches of wine were from kits and I'll probably do quite a few more kits in the future.

It was a nice intro because I had 0 clue on what I was doing and having step by step instructions really made the process easier. They also helped to ease the learning curve because I was able to grasp the basics (what the devil does "racking" mean) without getting bogged down in the really gritty details (like what chemicals do I add in what order and how much am I supposed to use).

I've only just started my first from scratch batch of wine (if you can consider Skittle wine to actually be "wine") but even so, I'm not comfortable enough with the process to get a load of grapes and go through the process start to finish.

 

[cpfan]

I feel like making a nice German Gewurztraminer, where will I get the grape juice from?

Vineco!!! Ken Ridge Showcase German Gewurztraminer wine kit. (Well it's not just grape juice, but it works very well for me.)

That's one of the reasons that I make wine kits.

Steve

 

[Angelina]

I agree! That is a great idea! As a line is already forming and friend's and family are getting curious around here

There is a true Win-Win idea!