Extreme disappointment with local wine store

[marker5a]

I won't give any names yet of the store I went to until I speak with them on the phone tomorrow... but here is my gripe!

My wife and I drove about an hour to a well known wine and beer making supply store about an hour from us to pick up a corker, corks, etc... for my recently finished wine.

While I was there, I decided to pick up a 6 gallon cabernet sauvignon bucket of juice to get started. I opened the bucket up tonight to pitch my re-hydrated yeast, and low and behold, there is less than 5 gallons of juice in the bucket.

I said to myself, ok, no big deal, one less gallon of wine... worse things have happened. Let me just grab a sample and take a hydrometer reading... 1.024!!!

I put a lid back on it and stuck an airlock in the lid so I can write this post and go to sleep. Anyways, Im calling the store tomorrow to get a refund or credit... should I pitch the yeast and let it ferment out?

 

[pumpkinman2012]

Unfortunately it is real late in the season to buy juice buckets, most likely, they didn't store it properly, in a walk in cooler between 34° -40°, this would have prevented the yeast that most manufacturers and suppliers of the juice buckets add, from starting to ferment.
By the sounds of it, not only did this must start fermenting, it was fermenting fairly strong, strong enough to exit from the hole in the lid.
I would absolutely complain and ask for a refund, but they may tell you to drive it back, at that point, would the hassle of driving back and hr, and the cost of gas to get there and back be less than the $65-$80 that you paid for the bucket?
As far as adding yeast, it is too late, fermentation is almost complete, the yeast would be wasted, unless fermentation has stopped at 1.024, then I could recommend a good yeast to restart it.

 

[marker5a]

Hey pumpkinman,

Appreciate the info... I am sort of a new to wine making (experience lies more with beer) but all good points. I actually didn't even think about timing the purchase of the juice pail with the seasons so I will keep that in mind next year.

Anyways, appreciate the info again!

 

[pumpkinman2012]

Anytime, I'm always glad to help!

 

[novalou]

I won't give any names yet of the store I went to until I speak with them on the phone tomorrow... but here is my gripe! My wife and I drove about an hour to a well known wine and beer making supply store about an hour from us to pick up a corker, corks, etc... for my recently finished wine. While I was there, I decided to pick up a 6 gallon cabernet sauvignon bucket of juice to get started. I opened the bucket up tonight to pitch my re-hydrated yeast, and low and behold, there is less than 5 gallons of juice in the bucket. I said to myself, ok, no big deal, one less gallon of wine... worse things have happened. Let me just grab a sample and take a hydrometer reading... 1.024!!! I put a lid back on it and stuck an airlock in the lid so I can write this post and go to sleep. Anyways, Im calling the store tomorrow to get a refund or credit... should I pitch the yeast and let it ferment out?

It's not that unheard of to get buckets nearly or fully fermented.

The way I avoid such episodes is to pick up pails right after the brew store received their shipment. It is a pain to keep calling them, but it's one way to ensure you are getting it as fresh as possible.

 

[Yooper]

I bought some juice pails from Midwest a few years ago- they were kept frozen solid, and I bought them frozen. Otherwise, if they aren't frozen, they will ferment. They need to be purchased at harvest time, or frozen from the beginning.

 

[causeimthesquid]

I'm guessing this is corados in Clifton NJ. I used to live near there and had tons of problems with that store. It was an hour drive for me so I would call to double check if they had grains/hops/yeast that I needed for a recipe. They repeatedly lied regarding their inventory. If you don't have something, fine. I can figure out a substitute, but to go in and have almost nothing I need- that's just unacceptable.

I had heard of a few people in my homebrew club having the same problem there so it's not an isolated incident

 

[pumpkinman2012]

It's so much easier going to M&M, they are knowledgeable, and they have top of the line products!