Port Wine Kit-Selection Speciale

I would do the port as is. If the quality is anything like the Ice Wine or Late Harvest kit, it would be excellent. Taste is quite subjective and a matter best left to the individual, but I would do it "normal" once, then maybe start tinkering.

Most port is at about 20% abv. Because of this high alcohol level it takes quite a time for the wine to mature -- to get comfortable with all that alcohol. I don't know what abv you can expect from the BK port kit but I would be surprised if it were greater than say 16% abv.

If you want to add alcohol to your kit port to up to say 20% then you can calculate how much you need --- research "The Pearson Square". Be aware that you should use a spirit with as high an "abv" as possible to reduce the amount of additional liquid you are adding to your port. The port will then need time to acclimatise to the alcohol -- it will taste quite harsh. How much time? Well when I fortify my elderberry up to 20% I then leave it to bulk mature in glass 23 litre carboys for about 4 years!!!!!!!!! I re rack it annually to taste and leave the years accumulated sludge behind and bottle up at about the 4 year point -- give or take a year or two! Also be aware that commercial brandies have a distinct flavour of their own and will change the flavour of your Kit port. The real port makers use "brandy" which is simply a young spirit distilled from the local grape wines. It is usually as much as a 25 % of the barrel into which partially fermented ( and therefore sweet )grape juice is added.

Real port-- especially vintage port is one of my favourite tipples -- which I now, sadly, treat my self to only rarely. I have a bottle of my birth year port (1937) which will be broken open for my 70th birthday (or my funeral which ever comes first) . My current 1996 Fortified Elderberry is extremely pleasant but when all said and done it is very different to port. My grandson has 2 bottles of 1991 Fortified Elderberry laid up and hidden from his eyes for his 18th birthday in 2015.

I would probably recommend that you enjoy the BK Port as it is and then dig around a bit in books and on here to see how to make it yourself.

Thanks for you advice...quite insightful. I think I will just try the port as is...I realize a year or so of aging is in order, but I don't plan on a 4 year plan at present.

I don't suppose it would hurt to add a few oz of brandy to a couple of the bottles and try them a few years from now, but I still have time to make more port later!.

Well Insprucegrove, I bought a port kit at your local WineKitz shop and added the recommended

350-750ml of brandy. While the port is still aging, it did taste good on racking. I suggest adding the brandy as it will kick-up the alcohol content. Port is a type of fortified wine, best enjoyed in small amounts as it is higher in alcohol. I think that you will end up with a more authentic taste in the long run. I suggest that you add the brandy and let the port sit for a few days (up to 10). Then filter and bulk age in another carboy for up to 6 months before bottling. Your kit will have an extra smaller bag of juice to be added after the first week or so, you can add the brandy then if you desire.