Newbie questions regarding kit

[Jared77]

Hello,

Very first go round here with wine or any brewing for that matter. Starting with the chocolate raspberry dessert wine kit from WineExpert.

I thought this would have broad appeal for friends and family to enjoy and a kit would be a good place to learn instead of jumping in head first with just a recipe.

So Im the reading directions and I saw that if I wanted to bulk age it past 1 month I need to top it off with a similar wine to prevent oxidizing or use a smaller vessel. It says to rack into 3 gallon carboys for reference.

What wine should/could I use to top it off without making a bad blend? Or if I go to a smaller vessel what should I use?

Should I use a 2.5 gallon carboy to age it and bottle the remaining? The directions explain how to age it for past 1 month and past 6 months if I want to

Can I simply bottle all of it and age it that way? I thought bulk aging was better from what I had read but I figured better to ask than assume.

I know age is a wines best friend however with a dessert wine should I let it sit 6 months? A year? The kit didn't give a time it just said if I wanted to.

I'm a busy Dad to 3 kids so aging it in my basement isn't an issue (hard part is finding time to complete the next step!) I just need to date it so I'd know when to bottle it.

Thank you for your help on this

 

[mredge73]

What is designed ABV of this kit?
Some dessert wines are in the 6-8%, if that is the case you don't need to age it at all.
The main benefit of aging is to diminish the effects of fusel alcohols that the yeast produce under stress.
The normal ABV wine range of 10-14% produces large amounts of fusel alcohols that contribute to "hotness" and can be unpleasant.
With time they will turn into esters.

Wine ages better in bulk than that does in bottle. If the wine is super sweet any cheap white/pink moscato should work fine for topping off if necessary.
Ageing in a keg is easier as you can just purge the head space with CO2.

 

[Jared77]

Thank you for the fast reply. This is from where I ordered it from

Wonderfully balanced, Chocolate Raspberry Port

Kit Yield: 3 Gallons
Alcohol by Volume (ABV): 17%
Oak Intensity: Light
Sweetness: Sweet
Body: Full
Grape Skins Included?: No
Labels Included?: Yes

Apparently I forgot it was a port. I ordered it when it was too cold to make it in my basement so now with the weather change I'll be ready to brew shortly.

So because of the higher ABV I should let it age a year?

 

[mredge73]

Ouch, that isn't what I would consider a dessert wine.
You can ferment it in a standard 5-6 gallon food grade bucket. If you can control the temperature ferment on the low side of the yeast range. Also, double up the yeast and hydrate first.
You want to minimize fusel alcohol production that is made when the yeast is under high stress like your yeast will be. Ports are ambitious for a first round, but the chocolate will cover some flaws.
Read as much as you can on fermenting a Port, they can stall out and finish early if you aren't careful.
If you think you will be doing more 3 gallon kits in the future I would advise you to get a 3 gallon glass carboy to age this in.
Otherwise just bottle age this due to the low volume. Use synthetic corks and store them on the side in a dark cool place.

Usually topping off is required where there is a large headspace to fill due to your final volume being lower than that of the aging vessel. For example, I have used as much a 5 liters to top off a 50 liter barrel.
If you need any top off wine for a 3 gallon carboy you will just need a few ounces, however even cheap Ports can be expensive. Distilled water will work in a pinch and a few ounces won't hurt anything.

 

[Jared77]

Gotcha. Figures I go reaching out and putting the bar high.

Good to know about the yeast and temps. I'll start reading....

 

[buckhorn]

Jared, I made this kit several years ago. My experience....
During the process at some point, you should be removing some of the wine to add the (smaller bag) F-pack. Save this wine in a bottle or mason jar in your fridge and use it to top up later if you need it.

Based on advice I read on another wine site, I split the chaptalisation (added sugar) pack into 2. I added half at the 1.020 point and the second half when it again reached 1.020. This reduced the stress on the yeast from adding the sugar all at once. It also allowed me to get an ABV of a little over 19%

I bottled mine right away as I was just starting and did not have equipment (or patience) to let it sit in my carboy too long. It will probably need to age in the bottle. Mine was really sharp at first with an almost sickening "raw, unsweetened chocolate" taste. After about 6 months, it tastes much better and I regret that my supply is running low. I think bulk aging would be better and help it, but it can be bottle aged and do just fine. (Note: I made this over 3 years ago, and still have a couple bottles hiding in the corner)

Also, since it is a higher ABV wine and I knew I would not be drinking it everyday, I bottled the whole batch in 30 - 375 mL bottles.

Have fun and enjoy.

-brian

 

[Jared77]

That was another question I had was bottling it. The 375ml bottles crossed my mind but I wasn't sure.

I will definitely follow your advice on this it makes a lot of sense. Thank you for the suggestion.

I'm happy to let it sit and age so it tastes better than rush it as my debut and not make a good impression to friends and family as a homebrewer.