I have purchased a 4 week wine kit and am looking for advice on how to improve upon the process. I am not limited to the 4 weeks but because we are moving I need to have the wine bottled in 3 months. Does anyone have any suggestions on possible improvements to prolong the process?

Tags: improving kit wines, modify wine kit

Does anyone have any suggestions on possible improvements to prolong the process?

Do you want to make it last longer ?
As long as you rack it off the lees (crud at the bottom) when it is what,1/8 ...1/4 inch you could make it last a year in the carboy or longer. My friend and Teacher, Wyo says that this is a patience oriented sport so longer is better.

All the stuff in the kit is geared for a certain time frame. use the kit as it suggests, then you can let it age in the carboy after the process is finished.

Do you want to make it faster ?
three weeks is pretty fast, "prolong" means longer so ill stop here.

I do agree with one thing. It is hard finding things at Jack Keller's web site. I think extending the time frames probably will work well to give a better wine. I like to age my wine for up to 8 months although I don't have a lot of use for kits. some of the concentrates seem to work out fairly well.

The problem I have with the complete kits is you add things per directions. Never really knowing what is in those magical chemical packages.

I suggest new wine makers start out with some off the shelf juice from their grocery store that doesn't have meta-bi-sulphate in it and give it their best effort. When the wine gets finished it may not be the best but they will have learned how to make wine, what chemicals to add, if the wine didn't clear, why? When they add certain chemicals and end up with a big gob of goo they learn to make a slurry first. All of that knowledge comes cheap with some inexpensive juice.

Once learning how to make wine give one of those super kits a shot. I am sure the wine kits make good wine or they wouldn't be selling so many of them.

I keep hearing the same thing about kits. I forgot to add my F pack or I added this pack at the wrong time what now?

I've been making wine for 35 years and still don't what an F pack is. I do know about campden, tannin, bentonite, yeast nutrients, yeast energizers, potassium sorbate, acid blend, pectic enzyme and citric acid. I also know if my wine doesn't taste quite right at the end what to experiment with to change the taste. Over the years I have also learned by experience about leaving wine on gross lees too long. At 8 months my wine is clear with out any magic solutions.

wyo wino

Just some humble thoughts.