Do i need to rack to secondary?

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trogdor447

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I'm a beer making kind of guy. Recently SWMBO wanted to get a wine kit to give it a try. This is an island mist kit that came highly recommended from 3 different brew shops. I got a larger primary fermenter specifically for wine. But after reading the kit it says to rack to a secondary for 2+/- more weeks before bottling.

I know this isnt a long term aging wine so I dont think there will be any major effects of the primary only fermentation. But I might as well ask you guys :)

She went with the pomegranate flavor.

PS Any other tips would be appreciated :)
 
I say yes. I too am a beer brewing no secondary brewer (usually), and I also made an Island Mist kit for the wife and her friends. And yes, you really ought to use at least a secondary and possibly a tertiary vessel for wine. Even this wine.

I think I used 3 vessel total, including the primary bucket and two rackings to a carboy. The kit says you don't have to wait too long for these wines, but I thought a couple of extra months made a lot of difference in taste anyway.

The wine turned out pretty good, BTW, but I think next time she will prefer something a little stronger after all. We did the Sangria and it's got a lot of fruit flavor and I didn't use all of the sweetener either. IMO it would be best over ice.
 
Sitting with a lot of air exposure after vigorous fermentation is the biggest mistake you can make. Oxidized wine is not very good.

The "mist" kits are meant to be weak, more like a wine cooler than a wine, but lots of people add a few cups of sugar at the beginning to get the SG up to around 1.09. It ferments to dry and will have 3 or so more times the alcohol. Add the F-pack just like the first time and the taste will not be too far off what it was.

Personally, I think the mist kits drink way too easy and fast to kick them up, binge drinking is so '90's.
 

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