Young's Winebuddy Chardonnay

[Sportyfish]

Anyone with any feedback to report on doing this kit?

Bought it for the wife as she quite into the whole brewing thing (more than I ever expected!). We did the initial wort of concentrate, water, yeast and oak chips yesterday afternoon and there's a decent layer of froth on top this morning.

Beers have been turning out ok so far, hopefully this will too. Should I bottle after completing the 7 day instructions or put into airlocked Demi to work out yeast a bit more?

Already enjoying the fruits of our labour, hoping for a sozzled summer of homebrew!

 

[walter wizard]

I now have a couple of these kits but the 30 bottle variety.Anyone tried doubling up the packs and not putting in so much sugar?

 

[brianc]

Hi I'm interested in any comments on your thread. I've also bought one of these from tesco direct on special offer. Before I start it I was wondering if anyone could recommend adding anything to enhance the kit.

I've done a few beer kits and come to realise that adding spray malt etc improves the finished product so was wondering if the same is true of wine kits. Or should I say the cheaper end of wine kits. I wouldn't chance messing around with the more expensive kits.
But this one was less than £7 so I thought I would chance tweeting it a bit but without a clue how to go about it.
Some of the reviews are less than complimentary so perhaps it's worth adding something at the start.

However if forum members think I should just go for it as it is I'll probably do that. After all for £7 plus the cost of brewing sugar for 30 bottles it's got to be reasonable value.

I hope you don't mind me jumping in on the post.

Cheers to all Brian

 

[brianc]

Duplicate post

 

[FatCol]

Hi I'm interested in any comments on your thread. I've also bought one of these from tesco direct on special offer. Before I start it I was wondering if anyone could recommend adding anything to enhance the kit.

I've done a few beer kits and come to realise that adding spray malt etc improves the finished product so was wondering if the same is true of wine kits. Or should I say the cheaper end of wine kits. I wouldn't chance messing around with the more expensive kits.
But this one was less than £7 so I thought I would chance tweeting it a bit but without a clue how to go about it.
Some of the reviews are less than complimentary so perhaps it's worth adding something at the start.

However if forum members think I should just go for it as it is I'll probably do that. After all for £7 plus the cost of brewing sugar for 30 bottles it's got to be reasonable value.

I hope you don't mind me jumping in on the post.

Cheers to all Brian

I've got one on now that will be ready for "bottling" in a few days - if you hold fire, I will reply to this post again and let you know what it's like. I made it as per instructions and will pop it in my 20ltr polypin for barbecues. It is, after all, cheap plonk, but as you say, at the price it has to be worth a punt.

FatCol :

 

[brianc]

I've got one on now that will be ready for "bottling" in a few days - if you hold fire, I will reply to this post again and let you know what it's like. I made it as per instructions and will pop it in my 20ltr polypin for barbecues. It is, after all, cheap plonk, but as you say, at the price it has to be worth a punt.

FatCol :

Thank you for your reply.
I am away on holiday next week so don't intend starting till I get back so I will hang on for your reply after I'm back. I'm sure on its own it will make a passably cheap plonk ideal like you say for barbecues. I should have bought two really for the price then added some enhancer to one and done the other straight just to get a comparison.
The 6 bottle kits I suppose are more suitable for experimenting but at the price of the 30 bottle kit I was too tempted. It would just be frustrating if I completly ruined it by adding something.

Thanks again for your reply
Best wishes Brian.

 

[FatCol]

As promised, I can now give you my opinion on the kit made as per instructions. I made it with 4kg of Tate & Lyle as I couldn't see the point of using dextrose on such a cheap kit. I also used Tesco value still water. I left the kit to ferment out to .990, which took around 9 days. I added the finings and let it sit for 3 days.

I have just racked it directly into my polypin and taken a small glass as a taster. Even though it has just come straight out of the FV, it is drinkable, however, I suspect even a couple of weeks will pay dividends. There is a slightly sugary note to it which whilst not unpleasant, I hope rounds out over time. It is crystal clear and a pale straw colour. With my FG, it came out around 12.5%.

Overall, for a cheap, quick BBQ fodder, it is more than acceptable - at £8 a kit, it's a no brainer. Not the best wine you will ever taste, but I've bought worse from supermarkets.

Would I pay circa £20 for the kit - no. I'd pay more and go for a Beaverdale, but at the price I am very happy with the early results.

Hope that helps
FatCol :

 

[brianc]

As promised, I can now give you my opinion on the kit made as per instructions. I made it with 4kg of Tate & Lyle as I couldn't see the point of using dextrose on such a cheap kit. I also used Tesco value still water. I left the kit to ferment out to .990, which took around 9 days. I added the finings and let it sit for 3 days.

I have just racked it directly into my polypin and taken a small glass as a taster. Even though it has just come straight out of the FV, it is drinkable, however, I suspect even a couple of weeks will pay dividends. There is a slightly sugary note to it which whilst not unpleasant, I hope rounds out over time. It is crystal clear and a pale straw colour. With my FG, it came out around 12.5%.

Overall, for a cheap, quick BBQ fodder, it is more than acceptable - at £8 a kit, it's a no brainer. Not the best wine you will ever taste, but I've bought worse from supermarkets.

Would I pay circa £20 for the kit - no. I'd pay more and go for a Beaverdale, but at the price I am very happy with the early results.

Hope that helps
FatCol :

Following on from your results I've decided to do my kit as per instructions.
I'm looking forwards to trying it . For the price I've paid plus the cost of the sugar and taking on board your comments I'm sure it will be a success.

I've also got no shortage of friends who will be happy to help me dispose of it as well even if it is slightly rough.

Thank you for responding with your early thoughts on your kit.

Brian

 

[reddibaggie]

You could always add more white or red grape juice instead of water, you'll have to adjust the sugar, but that's easy done using your hydrometer.

 

[brianc]

Thank you for your reply.
I am away on holiday next week so don't intend starting till I get back so I will hang on for your reply after I'm back. I'm sure on its own it will make a passably cheap plonk ideal like you say for barbecues. I should have bought two really for the price then added some enhancer to one and done the other straight just to get a comparison.
The 6 bottle kits I suppose are more suitable for experimenting but at the price of the 30 bottle kit I was too tempted. It would just be frustrating if I completly ruined it by adding something.

Thanks again for your reply
Best wishes Brian.

Well my wine kit is now fermented out. It took a few days to clear after adding the finings but it's ok now. I've got it sat at the moment in four glass demijohns.
With the remainder in a plastic milk bottle in the fridge from which I'm forcing tasters onto anyone who comes to visit.

My own opinion is that I'm really happy with the results. It will benefit from a few weeks waiting because it does have a slightly harsh after taste as my friend calls it, but he does quite a few kits and has more experience than me. He didn't see the tesco offer for the kits but says if it occurs again at that price he will certainly buy a few.

So all in all a positive result. Just need to have a couple of barbecues to get it all consumed. Or better still get invited to friends barbecues and take a gallon with me.

Regards to all
Brian

 

[FatCol]

Well my wine kit is now fermented out. It took a few days to clear after adding the finings but it's ok now. I've got it sat at the moment in four glass demijohns.
With the remainder in a plastic milk bottle in the fridge from which I'm forcing tasters onto anyone who comes to visit.

My own opinion is that I'm really happy with the results. It will benefit from a few weeks waiting because it does have a slightly harsh after taste as my friend calls it, but he does quite a few kits and has more experience than me. He didn't see the tesco offer for the kits but says if it occurs again at that price he will certainly buy a few.

So all in all a positive result. Just need to have a couple of barbecues to get it all consumed. Or better still get invited to friends barbecues and take a gallon with me.

Regards to all
Brian

There is an aftertaste that I described as being like drinking "real" Chardonnay whilst sucking a pear drop - a sort of chemical artificial aftertaste. I think if I make another one, I will only use 1/2 to 2/3 of the flavouring pack.

Glad you're happy with the results, enjoy the fruits of your labours! :

FatCol

 

[FatCol]

Why r u adding sugar- I am sure they make wine from just grape juice? Soz for the noob question

The kits only contain 1.8kg of juice, which doesn't contain enough natural sugars to ferment out to the target ABV. Additional sugar is therefore added to up the level of fermentables, thus allowing the finished product to come in at around 11% ABV.

Hope that helps
FatCol

 

[Grand gris]

I added this but added 5 White grape Juice and reduced the sugar.

The result is what I describe as a creamy chardonnay - a bit on the medium side for me but most people love:drink:

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I have just bottled this kit and as has been said it has a strange after taste, the WinBuddy Sauvignon Blanc kit tasted great as soon as it was bottled i was hoping this would be the same, how much does it improve and over what time period.

 

[FatCol]

To me, this kit is spritzer fodder only - I can't drink it straight up and even after a couple of months sat in a polypin, it still has the strange chemically aftertaste. I mix it with lemonade as the lemon flavour helps it, whereas soda water wouldn't. Not one I would rush to do again, even though I have 4 kits that I bought when Tesco had them at £8.

FatCol

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Thanks Col looks like i will be buying some lemonade if it does not grow on me in a couple of weeks time, i only bought it because they didn't have a Sauvignon Blanc kit, i will not buy this kit again.