Berry454
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 2, 2021
- Messages
- 180
- Reaction score
- 74
Just finished brewing the 30 bottle Solomon Grundy Gold Cabernet Sauvignon wine kit. This was the first "low" value kit I've brewed previously I've only brewed cellar 7 and wine expert.
When I opened the kit I was fairly disappointed. It came with a tiny little bottle of grape concentrate which looked to be about 1-2 litres in size. Nothing compared to the 5-8 litres of grape concentrate included with my prior kits.
I wasn't expecting much but I brewed it regardless.
It started at 1.85 OG and FG of 0.995. it gone from start to finish in 8 days at 25 degrees Celsius. Heated constantly with a fish tank heater.
It cleared ultra fast with the finnings and I added the flavouring pack today and bottled.
I thought tonight I would try a little sip for a taste test. I shocked to see that it actually tastes really good! Fairly fruity on the start with warm woody oak after tones. Easily beats any bottle of red from the supermarket in the £5 price mark and tastes on par with most the £10 bottle of reds that I've had.
I have no doubt that the flavours do not come from the grape concentrate. I believe the flavours come from the flavour add back pack. And while these may not be the usual way at creating wines it definitely makes a lovely bottle of red that absolutely doesn't need to be aged and probably wouldn't improve with age.
Me and my fiancee are currently on our second bottle tonight between us. I'm honestly shocked as this is the first kit that I've ever consumed a bottle of before a month of aging!
Stay tuned for my upcoming brews. I currently have 4 fermenters finishing this weekend and another 4 to start next week with a range of kits from Solomon Grundy, Solomon Grundy fruit wines, Vine Co and a range of others. Plus a few beers and ciders.
When I opened the kit I was fairly disappointed. It came with a tiny little bottle of grape concentrate which looked to be about 1-2 litres in size. Nothing compared to the 5-8 litres of grape concentrate included with my prior kits.
I wasn't expecting much but I brewed it regardless.
It started at 1.85 OG and FG of 0.995. it gone from start to finish in 8 days at 25 degrees Celsius. Heated constantly with a fish tank heater.
It cleared ultra fast with the finnings and I added the flavouring pack today and bottled.
I thought tonight I would try a little sip for a taste test. I shocked to see that it actually tastes really good! Fairly fruity on the start with warm woody oak after tones. Easily beats any bottle of red from the supermarket in the £5 price mark and tastes on par with most the £10 bottle of reds that I've had.
I have no doubt that the flavours do not come from the grape concentrate. I believe the flavours come from the flavour add back pack. And while these may not be the usual way at creating wines it definitely makes a lovely bottle of red that absolutely doesn't need to be aged and probably wouldn't improve with age.
Me and my fiancee are currently on our second bottle tonight between us. I'm honestly shocked as this is the first kit that I've ever consumed a bottle of before a month of aging!
Stay tuned for my upcoming brews. I currently have 4 fermenters finishing this weekend and another 4 to start next week with a range of kits from Solomon Grundy, Solomon Grundy fruit wines, Vine Co and a range of others. Plus a few beers and ciders.