Wine kit instructions

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gregO83

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Hello all,

Quick question regarding the instructions in an 8 week winexpert kit with grape skins.

The instructions say on day 14 to transfer over and add kielsol and on day 15 stir in chitosan and then an hour later another dose of kielsol and all the oak additions. Can this be done all in one day? I am making this with my father and will only be at his house on Saturday. What is the reasoning for two separate days?

Thanks for any help in advance!
 
I see this is your first post. Welcome to the forum. If this is your first kit, just blindly follow the instructions. There is a reason for the timings.
 
What those directions leave out or don't explain well is you can't completely degas a wine stirring it by hand, unless you really have a good way to agitate it. If you add the clearing agents, while there is CO2 in suspension in the wine, it won't clear. To test if you have all the CO2, sanitize your wine thief and you hydrometer test jar, thief out enough wine to fill the test jar about 1/2 to 3/4 of the way. Cover it with your hand (if my wife is around, she will tell you to sanitize your hand, not a bad idea). shake the heck out of it, if you remove your hand and hear a poof, you still have CO2.

Also, the step that says add the Sulphite/sorbate to the carboy after racking. I always add it to the bottom of the carboy I am racking into, after filling it about 1/3 of the way, the carboy gets a shake to mix it up well.
 
Thank you for the responses! We have the all in one wine pump do degas and rack. We are trying it out for the first time! This is our second kit.

I will follow the instructions to the T and wait the extra day. I was told to usually double the time mentioned in the kit instructions too.
 
Your correct, follow the instructions , but with a twist, oñce out of the primary just let it sit in the carboy for two weeks, you'll see it start to semi clear, then transfers to another container then back to the carboy and then add the chems all of them.Done.
 
Hello Greg - and welcome to the forum.

I disagree with the notion of following instructions blindly. Once you drop your yeast into wine, you’re better served by letting your wine tell you when it’s ready to move from one step to the next.

Do you have a hydrometer? If not, you should get one and use that as your guide for racking from primary to secondary.

Also, lots of people (myself included) will skip some of the additives that are included in a wine kit.

* If your wine ferments to 0, you really don’t need the sorbate.

* If you have some patience with your wine and let it age in the carboy, it will clear on its own. So you can skip the chitosan and kielsol. Plus, your wine will degas over time if it’s stored in a 70* + room.

The timing prescribed in your kit instructions are just about the bare minimum time it takes to go from juice to wine. While the wine may be drinkable, it will be substantially better with time. The most important ingredient in winemaking is patience.

Have fun!
 
Following the instructions should be used as a guide line, the standard and process along with the tools for wine making then come in to play.
The manufacturer of kits don't know who's buying there product their skills or abilities so they then set for a standard of process of there product.

Following the instructions is supposed to be used as a guidline nothing more you as the wine maker are supposed to no beyond that.
If you're not a proven winemaker then the instructions are what you need to follow , we're hear to answer your questions.
 
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