To age or not to age? That is the question?

[mike383838]

So! 2 thirds of my first brew is in the bottle :party: , 2 DJs racked, bottled, and labelled and I was very pleased with myself. :)

So I decided I needed to try it for real and cracked open one of my bottles. The wine was started 40 days ago so its had almost 6 weeks in DJs and at least a month of that time was without visible fermentation. Remember this was a kit.

So then I drank it, and at first the bouquet was a little synthetic in a fruity kind of way, not very appetizing, but on drinking it, it seemed better. As I got to the end of the bottle I found I wanted to drink some commercial wine to get some body, because this wine started to feel thin and I needed to clear this fruity/synthetic taste from my system. I'm disappointed but I know this might need more time to mature.

So what happens if I leave this another month or till Christmas, what will happen to it, do I want it to malolactic ferment to mellow it, will this synthetic/fruity bouquet change or have I messed it up. I thought it would be like a cheap wine at least by now, but the harsh bouquet starts to make me feel a little boaky after 3 glasses so it had better get better. :)

Her indoors wont even drink it and we don't drink wine above a tenner in this house unless out for a meal.

Can someone put into words the way a wine would change with ageing? I know some of you don't drink wine this early, is this the reason? Anyone got any hope for me :?

Thanks Moley, That Wiki is great, I have been reading many of your posts due to the fact you seem to have what I need in your head. When you go to the brew-house in the sky I want your brain not your boots. :) You are worthy. LOL

 

[oldbloke]

Never done a kit, but I find only a few of the wines I make are "good" right off, though many are "OK". Equally, only a few need more than, say, 4 months aging to become "good". Almost all do improve with age, but most of the improvement is in the first 8 weeks or so. It's to do with chemistry, according to an article I read once.
We find we tend to be quite critical of my wine (we generally have one wih Sunday dinner) then realise it was actually pretty good when we settle down with a commercial one in the evening (Sunday Times wine club, hardly ever a duff bottle).

If it's lacking body, maybe add a little gelatin when you bottle that last DJ?

 

[furks]

Hi Mike,
I've done a few kits, whites, roses and reds. White kits a pretty drinkable straight away but the red kits do require a time to get better. There is also a big difference in quality from cheap red kits to the more expensive ones. The more expensive kits will have more juice consentrate and the yeast that is supplied will be a recognised brand and not a one size fits all yeast. If you are going to store it in djs it is important to cover as UV light will affect the wine. Try and keep the temperature constant also, as the wine hates change. The aftertaste should dispel after a couple of months and there should be a big improvement by the 6th month. If all else fails add some blackcurrent cordial to a decanter before you add the wine. This used to be done in dodgy resturants with cheap wine..... Don't ask me how I know this

 

[oldstout]

If all else fails add some blackcurrent cordial to a decanter before you add the wine. This used to be done in dodgy resturants with cheap wine..... Don't ask me how I know this

:rofl:

 

[mike383838]

Ill keep you posted if it gets better, I hope it sorts in the next month. I'm gona buy some glycerine tomorrow :thumb:

And some Ribena

Please anyone who has done one of the Connoisseur kits please post here of how they matured or if this one might have gone bad for me.

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[oldbloke]

Oh, yeh, I meant glycerine, not gelatine. I think. Ignore me, I've been drinking carrot wine.

 

[Moley]

Please remind me what kit you've made.

I don't even begin to understand the chemistry involved and have no intention of trying to, but it makes a huge difference even to what would be considered short-term wines.

Your wine needs a little time to get over the shock of bottling, and then it starts to soften and mellow.

Try this Wiki link.

 

[mike383838]

The kit is the California Connoisseur - Rioja Tinto 5 gallon Wine Kit as advertised here http://www.the-home-brew-shop.co.uk...noisseur_-_Rioja_Tinto_5_gallon_Wine_Kit.html

On the up side my berry cider has carbonated and tastes great, I drank 3 pints last night, just to be sure they weren't toxic. The Brewbuddy pear kit was a little thin as explained to me by the home-brew shop owner so I added 100% organic berry juice to it at the start. It still lacks a little flavour so if I do it again I'm gona add that Melinda polish raspberry syrup instead of the berry juice. I used the Melina it to back sweeten (only a little) on drinking and it shapes up like a Bulmers. Kids love it. That's Christmas sorted for them. :

Malina Thread = http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=14965

Thanks Moley for that Wiki, its great. I have read many of your threads because you seen to have the information I need in your head, when you go to the brew-house in the sky I want your brain, not your boots. Can you place me on your donor card?

 

[Moley]

you seem to have the information I need in your head, when you go to the brew-house in the sky I want your brain, not your boots. Can you place me on your donor card?

It's a shame they haven't yet found a way to plug you into a computer and take a back-up, then maybe download the relevant bits into some Joe 90 glasses.

Then again, there's quite a bit of stuff in there I would never want anyone else to be able to access :whistle:

 

[furks]

"Oh, yeh, I meant glycerine, not gelatine. I think. Ignore me, I've been drinking carrot wine."

If I was a suspicious man I would think perhaps you had talents other than wine making :shock:

 

[mike383838]

Moley, I'm hoping that will happen one day that we can plug you in, hence why I want your brain, I think I could keep it fresh in this Connoisseur wine until the tech is available, I hoping the wine might be of some use :) I will send you my details to draw up the papers, in the mean time drink moderately so you don't forget all that stuff you know.

 

[oldbloke]

"Oh, yeh, I meant glycerine, not gelatine. I think. Ignore me, I've been drinking carrot wine."

If I was a suspicious man I would think perhaps you had talents other than wine making :shock:

Hah. Not for a long time.
Seriously, carrot wine is great. Make some.

 

[yellafella]

"Oh, yeh, I meant glycerine, not gelatine. I think. Ignore me, I've been drinking carrot wine."

If I was a suspicious man I would think perhaps you had talents other than wine making :shock:

Hah. Not for a long time.
Seriously, carrot wine is great. Make some.

Recipe please!! I will take you up on that challenge!!

 

[oldbloke]

"Oh, yeh, I meant glycerine, not gelatine. I think. Ignore me, I've been drinking carrot wine."

If I was a suspicious man I would think perhaps you had talents other than wine making :shock:

Hah. Not for a long time.
Seriously, carrot wine is great. Make some.

Recipe please!! I will take you up on that challenge!!

2011-11-27
4lb carrots, scrubbed, sliced, simmered ~30 minutes; strained onto 3lb sugar, 1Tbsp citric, 1/2lb chopped raisins; simmered ~20 minutes
Into FV, cooled to 21(ish), Gervin GV1 yeast, nutrient, 2tsp pectolase
Stirred daily for a week; strained to demi
2012-01-26 Racked. Long way off clear, taste promising
2012-03-23 Racked. Beginning to clear, taste promising but still sweet - plenty of sugar left to ferment
2012-05-20 Finings
2012-05-24 Bottled, with sulphite. Good taste, just a tiny hint of bitterness. Less sugar next time
Slight bitterness soon aged out. Very tasty now. Would only do 2.5lb sugar next time - or even just a kilo.

 

[oldstout]

[/quote oldbloke]

2011-11-27
4lb carrots, scrubbed, sliced, simmered ~30 minutes; strained onto 3lb sugar, 1Tbsp citric, 1/2lb chopped raisins; simmered ~20 minutes
Into FV, cooled to 21(ish), Gervin GV1 yeast, nutrient, 2tsp pectolase
Stirred daily for a week; strained to demi
2012-01-26 Racked. Long way off clear, taste promising
2012-03-23 Racked. Beginning to clear, taste promising but still sweet - plenty of sugar left to ferment
2012-05-20 Finings
2012-05-24 Bottled, with sulphite. Good taste, just a tiny hint of bitterness. Less sugar next time
Slight bitterness soon aged out. Very tasty now. Would only do 2.5lb sugar next time - or even just a kilo.[/quote]


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