First wine kit from William's Brewing, hoping to avoid newbie mistakes

Hi, I've been brewing beer for over a year now and just got my first wine kit (Pinot Noir) from William's Brewing. The instructions with the kit are pretty basic and I'm wondering if there's extra steps I should take to ensure a better final product.

Here are the kit instructions (abbreviated):

1) Pour grape concentrate into 6-7gal fermenter
2) Add cold water to make 5gal
3) Stir in granulated oak package
4) Rehydrate yeast (Red Star Montrachet dry 5gm packet) and pitch
5) Ferment at 68* for 2 weeks
6) Condition in secondary for additional 12 weeks
7) Bottle and age for 3+ months

I'm wondering specifically if I should buy more yeast to pitch, or include some yeast nutrient, or boil-then-cool the top-off water to aid in sanitation, things like that.

Pointers much appreciated, thanks!

I've made some kit wines by WineXpert. those kits include bentonite (a fining agent added in primary), as well as a secondary fining (super-kleer), and then also the potasium sorbate and metabisulfate to stabilize for bottling.

I think super-kleer or simliar fining is a good idea, along with yeast nutrients at pitching and sorbate/sulfites during secondary for bottling, especially if its a red wine that needs a bit of aging to 'come into its own'.

I always just buy 4 gallons of spring water at teh grocery store because I don't want to treat my tap water for chloramines.

I know what your intent is with the question is... but don't stress the rookie mistakes. You probably won't ruin this wine... but you will make mistakes. Well maybe not mistakes... but if you do more than one... you'll absolutely look back and wonder what you were thinking on some of it. It just takes hands on practice to learn. Relax and have fun.

Reaver said:

I know what your intent is with the question is... but don't stress the rookie mistakes. You probably won't ruin this wine... but you will make mistakes. Well maybe not mistakes... but if you do more than one... you'll absolutely look back and wonder what you were thinking on some of it. It just takes hands on practice to learn. Relax and have fun.

Click to expand...

Well, I understand what you're saying, but that's exactly why I'm researching ways to improve my first batch. I already learned that lesson from learning to brew beer. Doing a couple small things now rather than trying to rush it will make a big difference.

This is going to be a gift for someone so I want it to be good.

Having made many kits over the years..obey the instructions with your kit. CLEAN & SANITIZE. I am assuming the kit also came with other chemical packets: fining agent(s), stabilizer & preservatives. Are you sure the kit says to add cold water - if you make it up with cold tap water the temperature could be too cool for the yeast to start fermentation...I heat some of the water to warm the mixture, don't need to boil it first. But be sure it is in the range specified in the kit. And keep it in that range while it is fermenting. ( I now have a kit wine in first fermentation...I have a heating pad on low around the pail, with old blanket over it, as house is cold this time of year.) Water quality is very important, as with your beer. No need for more yeast, or nutrient. Be sure to stir the mixture well - each time you are asked to stir - STIR VIGOROUSLY for the amount of time the kit specifies. For de-gassing step you have to really stir for 5-10 minutes, helps with a drill attachment. Ensure your airlock is attached and filled - I use vodka.

malkore said:

I've made some kit wines by WineXpert. those kits include bentonite (a fining agent added in primary), as well as a secondary fining (super-kleer), and then also the potasium sorbate and metabisulfate to stabilize for bottling.

I think super-kleer or simliar fining is a good idea, along with yeast nutrients at pitching and sorbate/sulfites during secondary for bottling, especially if its a red wine that needs a bit of aging to 'come into its own'.

I always just buy 4 gallons of spring water at teh grocery store because I don't want to treat my tap water for chloramines.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply. I'll look into some fining agents. I'm hoping to avoid sulfites, but we'll see... sulfites would be to stop any additional fermentation at a certain gravity, right?

Also I've read about adding 1lb of raisins to the secondary fermenter to add some body/complexity. Have you tried this? Much risk of infection?

SzWinemmkr said:

Having made many kits over the years..obey the instructions with your kit. CLEAN & SANITIZE. I am assuming the kit also came with other chemical packets: fining agent(s), stabilizer & preservatives. Are you sure the kit says to add cold water - if you make it up with cold tap water the temperature could be too cool for the yeast to start fermentation...I heat some of the water to warm the mixture, don't need to boil it first. But be sure it is in the range specified in the kit. And keep it in that range while it is fermenting. ( I now have a kit wine in first fermentation...I have a heating pad on low around the pail, with old blanket over it, as house is cold this time of year.) Water quality is very important, as with your beer. No need for more yeast, or nutrient. Be sure to stir the mixture well - each time you are asked to stir - STIR VIGOROUSLY for the amount of time the kit specifies. For de-gassing step you have to really stir for 5-10 minutes, helps with a drill attachment. Ensure your airlock is attached and filled - I use vodka.

Click to expand...

Yeah, it's odd the instructions are extremely vague and basic, pretty much what I posted. This is the kit:
http://www.williamsbrewing.com/CALI...serID=3891849&jsessionid=d830c9ff46103063b642

I did not get any preservatives or fining agents with the kit (perhaps why it was cheaper than most at the LHBS).

It does not mention degassing steps or any mixing steps other than just mixing the cold water with the concentrate.

Also what about aeration? I'm assuming it's critical to properly aerate the mixture before pitching yeast?

Just follow the directions.

Save the "tweaks" for after you get a feel for what it is that you are doing.

The wine kit will be "good" but not "great". That comes with time and time and time and time.

Did I mention time?

damdaman said:

Thanks for the reply. I'll look into some fining agents. I'm hoping to avoid sulfites, but we'll see... sulfites would be to stop any additional fermentation at a certain gravity, right?

Also I've read about adding 1lb of raisins to the secondary fermenter to add some body/complexity. Have you tried this? Much risk of infection?

Click to expand...

damdaman said:

Also what about aeration? I'm assuming it's critical to properly aerate the mixture before pitching yeast?

Click to expand...

As was mentioned, that is an "ok" kit. Not great quality, you'll probably get a finished wine similar to a commercial $5-$7 bottle.

Don't add any raisins or anything- changing the kit isn't a good idea. Kits are meant to be super easy and complete. I can't think of anyone off the top of my head who "tweaked" a kit and came out with a better product, unless it was adding grape skins or something like that. Adding raisins might help, but not if you're already making a full bodied kit or if you're already at the yeast's ABV% tolerance.

Sulfites DON'T stop fermentation. Some people may say that, but they would be wrong. Wine yeast are tolerant to sulfites- that's why winemakers use them. Sulfites are always in a fermented product, as a natural product of fermentation. There is no such thing as a sulfite-free wine. However, you can not add additional sulfites if you'd like. Most winemakers use them as an antioxidant and preservative. It's not necessary- it's just to help prevent oxidation which will ruin the wine.

Each time you rack wine, you subject it to oxidation. If you use potassium metabisulfite (campden), the so2 will bind to the wine so that it can not have oxygen bind to it as well. Also, it's often used at bottling to help the wine keep for a bit.

Kits are hard to mess up, short of air exposure. Don't aerate this kit, Do keep temp at proper levels(important) Do Have fun with your science project. Welcome to the addiction

..

Here's my questions to Williams and their response. I've done about 10 Winexpert kits with great success. I'm leaning more towards Winexpert's methods.

Question(s): I just received 4 of your wine kits. I was surprised to only find oak chips and yeast. I have always purchased Winexpert kits that contain bentonite, metabisulphite, sorbate and a fining agent. Does your juice contain any of these chemicals? Why such a big difference in instructions between your kits and Winexpert? Why wouldn't I want to use perservatives, stabalizers and a fining agent. You do sell these items for a reason. Also, is there a concern if I use a 6 gallon carboy for the secondary fermentation? Is the surface area a concern for oxidation? Thanks

Williams Brewing Response:
Glad you jumped in and tried our William's California Wine Kits. I am not very familiar with Wineexpert, but they may be making claims of quick drinkability (wine ready after 3 months). Also, they may be concerned that their wines look like commercial wines in clarity, and we are not so worried about this. All our California Wine Kits only contain pure juice and a bare minimum of sulfiltes needed to process them (less sulfiles than most commercial wines).

We do not do this, and the reds in particular should be aged 6 months and ideally a year or two before drinking. The Riesling should be good after 6 months and ready to drink. If you want a crystal clear white wine, a filtering system is the best way to do it (see our items Q73 and Q77). Our Riesling will be clear, but not quite as clear as commercial filtered white wines. With the reds, we do not worry about how clear they are, and gravity clears them pretty well in 6 months.

As far as a 6 gallon carboy, a 5 gallon is better for secondary fermentation, as there is less air space. If a 6 gallon is all you have, go ahead and use it, it will not ruin your wine.