WineXpert Kit Question

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Binkie Huckaback
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WineXpert Kit Question

Post by Binkie Huckaback » Fri Mar 18, 2022 5:00 pm

I have a WineXpert gewurztraminer kit on the go which was ready to bottle or rack last Friday. It was clear as a bell, but when I racked it off the lees, I managed to syphon back some of the lees. A week later, it's not cleared again. I've crash cooled beer a few times and as this helped with clearing, is it OK to do the same with wine? I've emailed the manufacturers, but have not received a reply (which these days seems increasingly common) and it appears the company I bought it fron is being wound up.

In case it's of any relevance, the fermenter in question is a Grainfather conical fermenter. When I drew some off from the sample/bottling port, the sample wasn't clear, so decided to rack it into another Grainfather conical fermenter using a hose attached to both bottling ports and gravity.

When the majority had transferred, I swapped the position of the fermenters, forgetting to turn off the valve on the first and transferred a lot of lees before I realised.

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soupdragon
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Re: WineXpert Kit Question

Post by soupdragon » Sat Mar 19, 2022 10:45 pm

You could always fine again if it refuses to settle out in a few days?

Cheers Tom

Binkie Huckaback
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Re: WineXpert Kit Question

Post by Binkie Huckaback » Tue Mar 22, 2022 12:39 am

Thanks Tom. It's been at 7°c for a few years now. If it hasn't cleared by tomorrow, I'll try finings. Any suggestions for a good brand?

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soupdragon
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Re: WineXpert Kit Question

Post by soupdragon » Tue Mar 22, 2022 9:25 am

To be fair, I'd consider winexpert as a good brand.
It depends on how forgiving your palate is really? I go for any of the kits that don't need additional sugar, so for me anything in the £30-40 mark produces a drinkable red. Generally, the more you spend on a kit, the more pure grape juice you get. It's a trade off, cost vs quality. Happily my taste buds have settled a little lower down the scale than others have.
All you can do is try different brands untill you find one you're happy with. Beaverdale do 6 bottle versions of their bigger £45 kits. I've done a few Beaverdale and enjoyed them. You could try one of those?

Cheers Tom

Binkie Huckaback
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Re: WineXpert Kit Question

Post by Binkie Huckaback » Tue Mar 22, 2022 11:19 am

Thanks Soupdragon. I've got a WineXpert kit on the go that I managed to syphon a load of lees back into while racking. I'm looking for suggestions for brands of finings.

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soupdragon
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Re: WineXpert Kit Question

Post by soupdragon » Tue Mar 22, 2022 3:19 pm

If you have a local home brew shop they'll have plenty but if not then

https://www.wilko.com/en-uk/wilko-wine- ... /p/0253122

Same stuff as supplied with most wine kits

Cheers Tom

WalesAles
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Re: WineXpert Kit Question

Post by WalesAles » Tue Mar 22, 2022 8:37 pm

Binkie Huckaback wrote:
Tue Mar 22, 2022 12:39 am
It's been at 7°c for a few years now. If it hasn't cleared by tomorrow, I'll try finings.
Binkie H,
A few years! It should be clear by now? :D

WA

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MashBag
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Re: WineXpert Kit Question

Post by MashBag » Wed Mar 23, 2022 8:01 am

WA. You are a bad man 🤣🤣🤣
I resisted.

Joking aside, I would not fine. Just let it sit somewhere cool and it will clear. Wine is not beer, it REALLY benefits from time.

Binkie Huckaback
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Re: WineXpert Kit Question

Post by Binkie Huckaback » Thu Mar 24, 2022 12:50 am

WalesAles wrote:
Tue Mar 22, 2022 8:37 pm
Binkie Huckaback wrote:
Tue Mar 22, 2022 12:39 am
It's been at 7°c for a few years now. If it hasn't cleared by tomorrow, I'll try finings.
Binkie H,
A few years! It should be clear by now? :D

WA
Oops!

WalesAles
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Re: WineXpert Kit Question

Post by WalesAles » Thu Mar 24, 2022 9:59 pm

Can`t beat a bit of banter! :roll:

Unless you hit it with a stick or something #-o

WA

Binkie Huckaback
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Re: WineXpert Kit Question

Post by Binkie Huckaback » Thu Apr 07, 2022 7:24 am

By way of an update, I dropped the temperature to 5°c for a week or so and the wine cleared again. Thanks for all your help and suggestions.

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