Baja_Brewer

Recipes 

Hi, I was just wondering if anyone here has ever made island mist wine from their boxes. Is it any good?

What abv does it come to?? Is it better when aged?

Thanks, just thinking about doing simple wine kits.

Yooper

Recipes 

Oh, yes, they are good, depending on what you are looking for. My best friend LOVES them, and has made the mango citrus something at least twice, and the kiwi something, and is planning on more.

They seem to be more like those Arbor Mist "wines" or like a wine cooler. Fruity, sweet, etc, they can be very enjoyable if that is what you like.

I don't mean to be disparaging- I just re-read what I wrote and it sounds like I'm insulting them. I am NOT! I am more of a dinner wine person, and tend to like big dry reds, or fruity dry whites, so it's just that those Island Mist kits are not suited to my taste for wines. For someone who loves to sit and sip cocktails, it's a great kit. I heard is said as a joke, "Island Mist kits are wines for people who don't like wine". Like Bud Lite is for people who really don't like beer, I guess.

I don't remember what the ABV is on these kits- but for some reason I think it's in the 6-7% range. They are NOT designed to be aged, and are ready to drink in just a few weeks. I think my friend is drinking them in 6 weeks or so.

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Broken Leg Brewery
Giving beer a leg to stand on since 2006

MikeInCtown

Recipes 

I made the Mango Citrus and it is pretty good, but way fruity. Not in any way like a wine cooler. More like a wine with a lot of added flavor. Ready to bottle/drink in like 6 weeks as mentioned. I have Leeners near me and they had a batch of Wildberry Shiraz to try and it was some of the best stuff I have ever tried. I think in a few weeks that will be in my primary.

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Primary - Apfelwine
Secondary - Niagara white wine
Kegged - AH Special Holiday Ale, AH Cream Ale, AH Honey Wheat
Bottled - Continental Pilsner, Island Mist Mango Citrus, Island Mist Wildberry Shiraz
Up next - AH Foster's clone, Labatt's clone, Hard Apple Cider,
The Independence Street Brew House

JVD_X

Recipes 

My wife and I love it... we plan on making a lot more.

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- JVD_X

Baja_Brewer

Recipes 

Thanks for the input, I think (as YooperBrew said) I prefer a dry red or a fruity dry white, so I may look for another kind of kit to try that, something that may take a while, but Im in no hurry. And since I dont drink a ton of wine myself, I know I can get bottles from friends.

Does anyone have suggestions for some good white wines? Kits are probably better, because if not I dont really even know where I would begin!

BigKahuna

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SWMBO did the Kiwi one...It's ok. 6% and fruity as hell...I actually like it over ice.

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beer_guy_dave

Recipes 

My son in law made about 15 cases of 375ml bottles of the wildberry shiraz
for favors for my son's wedding. The samples were great! ABV about 6%
(est) as we wanted something light for the favors. I recently made the apple
riesling kit with about 2 pounds of corn sugar added to primary. Bumps up the ABV to about 11% (again an estimate). SWMBO picked out the kit and
she LOVES it. I'll probably make it again.

I'll also probably do some of the other kits with bumped up alcohol and I may
try adding some fruit to a secondary ferment, just for the heck of it.

SueMac

Recipes 

Beer guy dave:
Was the riesling overly sweet with the additional corn sugar or did the yeast deal with it? Also, did you have to degas a lot? Thanks!

SuperiorBrew

Recipes 

SWMBO & I did a blueberery one and it turned out good. I like it carbed a little she likes it just like it is.

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Rich

Bitter Creek Homebrew Supply