testing a kit

The kits are designed to have the right acidity among other things. If you reduce the water, they will probably come out too acid, maybe too tannic, and may have other problems. If they are thin, you might try boosting them with some bananas which can add body or even some fruit juice. But it may not come out the way you expect. (Maybe better than you expect.)

Ray

After reading much about reducing the total volume of water to the set kit here on this newsgroup, I bought 3 different BrewKing Chilean Merlot kit in Dec –03 for the purpose to see if there was any truth to it all.

I used Lavlin Bourgovin RC 212 yeast on all batches. One I did as told, all without the clay and other adjuncts of course. The other two I divided up to several 2.8gal batches. The first problem I run into was that some of the batches that started high on the SG did not go down to 00090. So I was left with a wine that was sweet. Which I later turned to cooking port, but that is another story.

All I can say is maybe my choice of yeast was wrong.

The best of them all was one started at 1092, that went like this: 2nd

In the end I think one have to pay special attention to what kind of yeast one is to use for these high starting SG so you can get the wine down to full dryness. I wish there was a "complete guide" of this for the various different yeasts.

SG Brix

After reading much about reducing the total volume of water to the set kit here on this newsgroup, I bought 3 different BrewKing Chilean Merlot kit in Dec –03 for the purpose to see if there was any truth to it all.

I used Lavlin Bourgovin RC 212 yeast on all batches. One I did as told, all without the clay and other adjuncts of course. The other two I divided up to several 2.8gal batches. The first problem I run into was that some of the batches that started high on the SG did not go down to 00090. So I was left with a wine that was sweet. Which I later turned to cooking port, but that is another story.

All I can say is maybe my choice of yeast was wrong.

The best of them all was one started at 1092, that went like this: 2nd

In the end I think one have to pay special attention to what kind of yeast one is to use for these high starting SG so you can get the wine down to full dryness. I wish there was a "complete guide" of this for the various different yeasts.

SG Brix

SG, I didn't quite follow all of your test. Are you saying that by breaking them down to 2.8 gal batches they were made up with less than the recommended final volume ie. 23l?

Don

The following is from a previous post that explains how to determine this when planning each ferment. It is really quite simple and once you learn to do this you should have no further problems with sugar management. HTH

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When (or if) a ferment will "end" (die off) depends on which yeast strain is used and how much sugar is in the must. It is really quite simple to determine this when planning a ferment. First, go to:

Second, Get a decent (full range) Sugar/SG chart with a PA column.

Third, (example) Take an SG reading of the must. Look at the PA column on the SG/Sugar chart for that reading.

Next, compare the PA to the AT of the yeast you have elected to use. If the PA is *less* than the AT, you will end up with a dry wine with alcohol equal to that PA. BUT - if the PA is *greater* than the AT, the ferment will "end" (die off) with alcohol equal to the AT and there will be "residual" sugar left in the wine. Just how much sugar will remain can be determined by locating the AT *number* in the PA column of the SG/Sugar chart. The *difference* between this number and the PA of the must will tell you how much sugar will remain.

Of course, there are a myriad of variables, but this method will give you very good "working" estimates for planning your ferments. This is especially important when doing "old fashioned" (residual sugar) ferments because it allows you to balance residual sugar levels against the somewhat elevated alcohol levels encountered when doing such ferments. HTH

FWIW - If you are going to do "old" recipes, you will be best served by selecting yeasts with ATs in the 13-14% range.

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I happen to have several small glass carboys 2.8g ea so I mixed all the kits except one together in my primary fermentor and divided the juice out into the various glass carboys for fermentation and set the different starting SG by dilution.

I then used the original kit processed as per instructions to top these up after racking.

Sorry for the confusion.

SG Brix

Where did you get these 2.8 gal carboys? I've been looking for something just like that. Everyone sells 3+ gal ones.

I bought mine several years ago. The proprietor of my local winemaking shop says they are no longer available.

-- Regards, Doug Miller (alphageek-at-milmac-dot-com)

For a copy of my TrollFilter for NewsProxy/Nfilter, send email to autoresponder at filterinfo-at-milmac-dot-com

I bought them from a bottle water company called High Mountain Valley Water Co in Vermont eons ago. As you get older they get better :)

SG Brix

I bought one just a month or two ago from Midwest Supplies

Doug

I bought on in December from Arctic Brewery here in Anchorage, Alaska.