Wine kits - made a few - good results but could use your input

[BenPowell]

Hi all,

I have made a few kits over the last few months with good results generally with one exception (it was my first "cheap" kit wine - no flavour!). I have read loads of useful information from the forums and hoping that you can give me some pointers to make the wine better and me more educated!

My general rule so far has been to make the kits to the instructions. The ones I am making at the moment are WineWorks kits as they seem to give good taste and are not budget breakers. I am fermenting the wine in a 23l bucket with airlock. No issues there it seems. After around 7 to 10 days when the bubbles have stopped I start taking hydrometer readings and when the same for 2 days I move on to the next stage. Generally it seems that when the bubbles have completely stopped its ready but always leaving a couple of days to be sure. I add the stabiliser, degas thoroughly add part 1 of the clearing solution and the next day part 2. After a couple more days I syphon the wine off into a plastic 23l demi john and let it clear for a couple more days. Generally speaking this leaves me with a sparkling clear wine that is drinkable right away. I then syphon into bottles with screw tops and put them in the shed. Most get polished off between us in a few weeks (hic).

Now I know that if I leave the wine longer it should be better so after reading a recent post I will get some 5l water bottles from the supermarket, drill the lids and fit an airlock to them. Put the wine in here from the demi john once cleared and again leave it in the shed where its cool. A couple of questions pop up here.

Should I leave the wine to clear in the original fermenting vessel (with the dead yeast still at the bottom) and then go straight into the 5l water bottles? Should I go to the 23l demi john (carboy?) with airlock for a few days first? When in the 5l containers do I need the airlock or a sealed lid?

I am thinking of leaving one container for a long time to see how it improves (6 months plus) whilst the others will be left and drunk when ready (at the moment I am hardly waiting at all as it tastes good already).

I have no issue with changing anything and really do appreciate any help you can give. I have just finished a WineWorks Pinot Rose which is struggling to clear after 5 days so leaving that in the demi john in the shed. It tasts OK but has a slight yeasty smell and tiny yeasty taste so may put these through the new 5l water bottle trick to finish off.

Many thanks again.
Ben

 

[Chippy_Tea]

All the wine kits i have made have been from start to finish in the first FV so there is no problem leaving it on the dead yeast for the length of time its clearing, i always bottle as soon as its clear so leaving it on the dead yeast isn't a problem.

If you have made a few kits why not give this a go - How to make Supermarket Juice Wine - HERE.

 

[BenPowell]

Many thanks. I am interested in the WOW Supermarket wines - just read through hundreds of pages. There is soooo much to digest (pun intended). I would love to make a white wine sort of WOW so will have a good search through. Love the fact that so many people do it but for me I need simple (unfortunately thats how my brain works).

Many thanks.

 

[johncrobinson]

Supermarket juice wines are both cheap,nice,and easy to make
Because of all the different juices the variety is almost unlimited.
Just be sure to buy the PURE juice with NO additives.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I would love to make a white wine sort of WOW

You are not alone unfortunately white grape juice has been scarce for years there is a thread about it here - The White Grape Juice shortage thread .

 

[johncrobinson]

I wonder why white grape juice is in short supply ?????
Been hearing about this since before covid.

 

[johncrobinson]

Just thought to say i use a lot of apple juice for my wows.It tastes like white wine,Not at all like cider.

 

[BenPowell]

Thanks for your help guys. Off to get some 5l water containers from supermarket to store my Pinot Rose in for a few weeks. Also might check out the juice whilst I am there :) 100% fruit of course. Also will see if I can get a glass Demi from Wilko but if not might resort to using a water bottle. Having said that I have 23 litres of rose finishing and 23 litres of sauvignon blank bubbling away so may give it a little change before I move onto another. Thanks again.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I wonder why white grape juice is in short supply ?????
Been hearing about this since before covid.

The answer was in the thread i linked to above (see quote below) basically demand was so low they decided it wasn't worth stocking Tesco said the same, strange how red grape juice is always available in both i wonder why red grape juice is so popular when white wasn't.

ASDA have contacted me and explained they stock on demand and apparently in some areas demand is so low they have stopped stocking it, she said she will bring this matter to the buyers attention in our area and we should see it on the shelves again, if you cannot get hold of it in your local ASDA give them a call.

 

[BenPowell]

As you can get white wine juice from "the bay" does anyone know what its like? A litre is around £12 so could be viable?

Thanks for all your input everyone.
Ben

 

[Chippy_Tea]

As you can get white wine juice from "the bay" does anyone know what its like? A litre is around £12 so could be viable?

Thanks for all your input everyone.
Ben

Wiko use to sell white wine concentrate but at over £3 for the equivalent of 1 litre of juice the tight wads here (including myself) didn't try it.

 

[BenPowell]

I suppose it gets to a point where the cost of getting Wilko or ebay grape juice is the same as buying a kit! I am having great results with WineWorks kits at the moment and you get 5 litres of juice for the money. Just cleared a winner of a pinot rosé and its sitting in the 5l tesco special £1.10 water bottles right now. Very pleased with it. Been researching wow for ages now. time to take the plunge i think! Thanks all.