Best tasting carlo rossi?

Hey so I am working on having plenty of 1 gallon carboys for experimentation and as some should know carlo rossi jugs work extremely well. The problem is that the one I have tried (merlot) was complete swill and I doubt I can stomach another one of those. So I am looking for suggestions on which variety to try next for those out there who have done this before.

They're all swill, but the Burgundy is really good in spaghetti sauce- it's my secret ingredient in my sauce.

The Sangria is bad, but it's fruity and is ok with Sprite.

The burgundy also make a good coq au vin. And probably boef bourguignon.

My experiences with carlo rossi mostly involve lugging a jug around Kerouac style. Stay away from the reds if you plan on drinking the whole thing - worst hangover ever. IMHO the best thing you can do to any of them is dump a pint or two down the drain, add a ton of fruit and a dash of triple-sec or cherry brandy and make yourself some sangria.

You can get organic apple juice in 1g jugs for $5 in some places. Buy some of those and make some apfelwein or just enjoy the juice. The suggestions above all sound like good ideas for the Rossi, but please don't force yourself to drink it all just for the jug.

I've gone dumpster diving at the recycling center for Carlo Rossi jugs and got many that way! (I did ask permission- and once they stopped laughing, they gave me permission. I think they liked my hind end hanging out over the side of the dumpster since I went in headfirst.)

A #6 stopper fits very well, so I have many fermenters.

YooperBrew said:

I've gone dumpster diving at the recycling center for Carlo Rossi jugs and got many that way! (I did ask permission- and once they stopped laughing, they gave me permission. I think they liked my hind end hanging out over the side of the dumpster since I went in headfirst.)

A #6 stopper fits very well, so I have many fermenters.

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Ohhhhhhhh, you mean in the Carlo Rossi jugs....

Whole foods in Cincy sells apple cider in one gal jugs. Makes good hard cider too.

YooperBrew said:

I think they liked my hind end hanging out over the side of the dumpster since I went in headfirst.)

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a vivid image.

Beerbeque said:

Whole foods in Cincy sells apple cider in one gal jugs. Makes good hard cider too.

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Any particular location? I will be in town next weekend and stock up then.

+1 for CR dumpster diving

I drink a lot of Carlo Rossi chardonnay. I've been saving the jugs thinking I'd use them for something but I'm sure I have more than I'll ever need. So I've got close to 20 jugs. Come out to Chicago and I'll give ya some

I vote the CR vin rose. It reminds me of white zinfandel... or gevurztraminer... only it's a blush...

OK, it's sweet and mild, totally an acceptable wine.

But if your goal is just the jugs, +1 on the Whole Foods cider. $6 for something drinkable in a 1gal carboy is better than $14 on something undrinkable in a 1gal carboy.

jkpq45 said:

I vote the CR vin rose. It reminds me of white zinfandel... or gevurztraminer... only it's a blush...

OK, it's sweet and mild, totally an acceptable wine.

But if your goal is just the jugs, +1 on the Whole Foods cider. $6 for something drinkable in a 1gal carboy is better than $14 on something undrinkable in a 1gal carboy.

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Yea at least I can make apfelwine from it :rockin:

seanhuber said:

I drink a lot of Carlo Rossi chardonnay. I've been saving the jugs thinking I'd use them for something but I'm sure I have more than I'll ever need. So I've got close to 20 jugs. Come out to Chicago and I'll give ya some

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Haha I wish I were closer

YooperBrew said:

The Sangria is bad, but it's fruity and is ok with Sprite.

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That's what I was going to suggest. There might be something you can mix the rhine with to make it drinkable too. The apple juice idea sounds pretty good. I'm going to have to keep an eye out for those

You can always recruit old ladies that flock in groups. They'll drink whatever wine you put in front of them if it comes with some kind of mexican snack. And word to the wise...make sure there are more than 2 of them. They won't touch an ounce unless there's a third.

My mother has 2 groups of friends and I swear they can take out 3 CR bottles in a week. I'm going to start buying the wine for them so I don't have to drink it to get the empty bottle. That crap is rank.

I've had the Paisano, AKA Chianti. It's OK when cut with Sprite or 7-UP, like most of their other beverages.

But +1 on the apple juice suggestion. There's nothing like a head-start on some apfelwein!

My LHBS sells glass gallon jugs for only $4. Northern Brewer does, too, although you'd have to pay shipping. If you don't think the wine or cider is worth the price in excess of $4, you might want to go that route.

viking999 said:

My LHBS sells glass gallon jugs for only $4. Northern Brewer does, too, although you'd have to pay shipping. If you don't think the wine or cider is worth the price in excess of $4, you might want to go that route.

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Yea the shipping is what stopped me there. Not a ton more but figured to get a few good buzzes off of getting a carboy was worth it.

I can send my girlfriend over and she can drink it all for you. She loves the sangria and admits its her trashy pleasure. To be honest, I don't really mind the taste of it. We've been known to fill up our water bottles with the sangria and go on bike rides. I have 4 or 5 gallon CR jugs and several half gallon ones.

Has anyone tried making apfelwein in the one gallon jugs the juice comes in at Whole Foods? Are there airlocks that you should use, or just not completely screw on the lid? Any other tips?

A # 6 stopper fits perfectly. They are available at the homebrew stores. A #7 stopper fits 3, 5 & 6 gallon carboys, so this one is just a little bit smaller.

bubbachunk said:

Hey so I am working on having plenty of 1 gallon carboys for experimentation and as some should know carlo rossi jugs work extremely well. The problem is that the one I have tried (merlot) was complete swill and I doubt I can stomach another one of those. So I am looking for suggestions on which variety to try next for those out there who have done this before.

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If you decide to just pound the jug, then I suggest Blush.

I see Carlo Rossi jugs as $10 fermenters. The contents at the moment of purchase are inconsequential. I usually dump them out after a glass or two.

I buy the blush. It's like a lightly alcoholic cool-aid. Unfortunately, my local stores only have the 3L and not the 4L bottles. Oh well, they still work.

jamesnw said:

Has anyone tried making apfelwein in the one gallon jugs the juice comes in at Whole Foods? Are there airlocks that you should use, or just not completely screw on the lid? Any other tips?

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Spray some Star-San on a small sheet of aluminum foil and wrap it around the mouth. It'll keep anything from falling in, and as long as you don't crimp too tightly, it'll let the CO2 out. Bacteria don't crawl, so no worries about them getting in.