I got this reply from a guy regarding one of 4 kits I have (Cellar Classic Pinot Noir), after starting it on Thursday (along with a Cellar Classic Gewürztraminer):
Thing is, he and a few others (including Yoop!) drilled it into my head to follow the directions for wine kits to a "T". Now that it's apparently not so cut-and-dry, I have a few more questions, but I don't think I'm going to see them answered by said guy any time soon. So I have a bunch of questions for people that really know their stuff.
Of course, there are a bunch here, so if you can even answer only one or two questions, it would really help and be greatly appreciated. I'm particularly interested in the answers to A/B, and H.
A) Is the powder only bad to use because it can't be removed, making the resulting wine possibly over-oaked?
B) If that's the case, would it help to just rack it off a bit earlier than the 2 weeks these two particular kits indicate to keep them in primary for?
C) The next two wines (En Primeur Amarone and Cellar Classic Winery Series Old Vine Zinfandel) include grape skins, and also have oak CHIPS that are meant to be put into a hop bag... is that okay (given that the powder in the other kit was recommended against), or should I be doing something else?
D) Can you give me a link to malo-lactic culture that you use? NONE of my kits include it, so is it really that beneficial to these 4 styles? If so, when and how do I even use it? I'm unfamiliar with this whole aspect of winemaking. Any good references out there about this process and the reason for it?
E) All the kits include a small packet of sulfite to stabilize after primary fermentation, but all of their instructions say that if I'm going to age for more than 6 months, they recommend using a bit more than the single packages they provide. Should I buy extra sulfite in order to follow this recommendation?
F) ONLY the amarone comes with metatartaric acid to prevent wine diamonds. Should I get some for every batch, regardless of style?
G) None of the kits came with wine yeast nutrient nor energizer, and they don't even mention them either. As a brewer it just feels so wrong! Should I be using some anyways, or it truly unnecessary (perhaps even added to the grape must beforehand)?
H) Any idea why all the instructions *specifically* say NOT to stir after sprinkling the yeast on top, especially when they recommend stirring vigorously at other points and even to go crazy with a drill-powered wine whip?! There must be a reason they don't want people to stir at that point.
Thanks to everyone that took the time to read this. Hopefully I'll eventually get answers for each question, but I'll be happy if I only even just get answers for a few!
Now, rudeness and crudeness aside, I know he actually knows quite a bit about making wine, so I consider the opinion reliable.Name_Redacted said:I am 99% sure we told you to throw any oak powder in the fvcking garbage. Oh, and get some malo-lactic cultures or GTFO!
Thing is, he and a few others (including Yoop!) drilled it into my head to follow the directions for wine kits to a "T". Now that it's apparently not so cut-and-dry, I have a few more questions, but I don't think I'm going to see them answered by said guy any time soon. So I have a bunch of questions for people that really know their stuff.
Of course, there are a bunch here, so if you can even answer only one or two questions, it would really help and be greatly appreciated. I'm particularly interested in the answers to A/B, and H.
A) Is the powder only bad to use because it can't be removed, making the resulting wine possibly over-oaked?
B) If that's the case, would it help to just rack it off a bit earlier than the 2 weeks these two particular kits indicate to keep them in primary for?
C) The next two wines (En Primeur Amarone and Cellar Classic Winery Series Old Vine Zinfandel) include grape skins, and also have oak CHIPS that are meant to be put into a hop bag... is that okay (given that the powder in the other kit was recommended against), or should I be doing something else?
D) Can you give me a link to malo-lactic culture that you use? NONE of my kits include it, so is it really that beneficial to these 4 styles? If so, when and how do I even use it? I'm unfamiliar with this whole aspect of winemaking. Any good references out there about this process and the reason for it?
E) All the kits include a small packet of sulfite to stabilize after primary fermentation, but all of their instructions say that if I'm going to age for more than 6 months, they recommend using a bit more than the single packages they provide. Should I buy extra sulfite in order to follow this recommendation?
F) ONLY the amarone comes with metatartaric acid to prevent wine diamonds. Should I get some for every batch, regardless of style?
G) None of the kits came with wine yeast nutrient nor energizer, and they don't even mention them either. As a brewer it just feels so wrong! Should I be using some anyways, or it truly unnecessary (perhaps even added to the grape must beforehand)?
H) Any idea why all the instructions *specifically* say NOT to stir after sprinkling the yeast on top, especially when they recommend stirring vigorously at other points and even to go crazy with a drill-powered wine whip?! There must be a reason they don't want people to stir at that point.
Thanks to everyone that took the time to read this. Hopefully I'll eventually get answers for each question, but I'll be happy if I only even just get answers for a few!