Beaverdale Wine Kit

[Jim]

Hello JBK winemakers!

I'm about to start a Beaverdale 6 bottle Cabernet Sauvignon kit, and have a couple of questions: -

1. The instructions seem straightforward and sensible, but is there anything else I need to know, or do you have any tips to ease my passage into winemaking.

2. I'm planning to used filtered then boiled and cooled tap-water to make up the kit - are any issues likely with doing that?

3. Oak chips - yes or no?

4. Anything else at all that might help me is welcome!

[Geezah]

Sounds like a fine approach to me.
Definitely use oak chips, or if you can get your hands on some, an old whisky or sherry cask chips.
Also, as these kits have a stabilizer, dependent upon your /wifes taste you can stop it a few points early if you dont want it so dry.

..ooohhh.. forgot to mention, time.
The longer you leave it the better it will taste.

[GAZ9053]

It`s a very nice wine Jim, if you can leave it to age for a year it gets even better, as usual the instructions can be optimistic.

[Jim]

Thanks chaps. I'll probably have a go at it tomorrow.

[Brewhunter]

Beaverdale make excellent wine kits.. Enjoy

[Jim]

All done with no fuss or problems.

Mind you, I would describe the oak 'chips' as sawdust. Smelled nice though.

[GAZ9053]

Most are sawdust Jim, only had one kit that looked more like chips.

[Horden Hillbilly]

Hello JBK winemakers!

I'm about to start a Beaverdale 6 bottle Cabernet Sauvignon kit, and have a couple of questions: -

1. The instructions seem straightforward and sensible, but is there anything else I need to know, or do you have any tips to ease my passage into winemaking

Here's how I do mine.

[Jim]

Hello JBK winemakers!

I'm about to start a Beaverdale 6 bottle Cabernet Sauvignon kit, and have a couple of questions: -

1. The instructions seem straightforward and sensible, but is there anything else I need to know, or do you have any tips to ease my passage into winemaking

Here's how I do mine.

Nice! I wish I'd looked at your pages before I did the kit - I forgot you had wine pages as well. Luckily, I've pretty well followed your method so far anyway.

Re corking, I notice you use a two handled corker - is that the same as the Wilkos £15 one? I currently have a 'hand corker' from years ago but it's about as much use as a chocolate fireguard - every cork I ever put in with it got distorted out of shape and wouldn't go right into the bottle.

Where do you get the siliconed corks from by the way?

[sbond10]

Also I've never got 6 bottles only ever got 5 still good wine kits

[sparky Paul]

I notice you use a two handled corker - is that the same as the Wilkos £15 one? I currently have a 'hand corker' from years ago but it's about as much use as a chocolate fireguard - every cork I ever put in with it got distorted out of shape and wouldn't go right into the bottle.

FWIW, the Wilko one looks exactly the same as the corker I've had for many years. Very easy to use, and I can't remember it ever failing, even with cheap corks. I never bother with the coated corks, just use decent quality plain corks.

The Beaverdale and Kenridge kits are the best out there for the money, IMHO... I usually do the Kenridge 30 bottle kits. If you start doing more wine, A filter is a worthwhile investment... makes the final wine look really professional, and zero chance of any sediment forming. I use a very old Vinbrite kit, works perfectly well.

[Jim]

I notice you use a two handled corker - is that the same as the Wilkos £15 one? I currently have a 'hand corker' from years ago but it's about as much use as a chocolate fireguard - every cork I ever put in with it got distorted out of shape and wouldn't go right into the bottle.

FWIW, the Wilko one looks exactly the same as the corker I've had for many years. Very easy to use, and I can't remember it ever failing, even with cheap corks. I never bother with the coated corks, just use decent quality plain corks.

The Beaverdale and Kenridge kits are the best out there for the money, IMHO... I usually do the Kenridge 30 bottle kits. If you start doing more wine, A filter is a worthwhile investment... makes the final wine look really professional, and zero chance of any sediment forming. I use a very old Vinbrite kit, works perfectly well.

Yeah, I had a good look at all the corkers on sale, and was convinced that they are all the same. I found a cheap one on line (about £9.50) but unfortunately the postage was £6.50 so I ended up getting one for £14.99 at the stall in Durham indoor market (owned by Wine Online). I also got a pack of coated corks there.

I have a Boots wine filter from aeons ago; hopefully I'll still be able to get filter pads for it.

[sparky Paul]

I have a Boots wine filter from aeons ago; hopefully I'll still be able to get filter pads for it.

I think they recently stopped making the pads for these again, but there might be some left in circulation... Failing that, it must be feasible to make summat else fit.

If you're desperate, I might have an old box of Boots filter papers somewhere.

My Vinbrite is ancient, but fortunately the design hasn't altered.

[GAZ9053]

When you use the vinbrite do you just let the wine drip out into your demijohn?

[sparky Paul]

When you use the vinbrite do you just let the wine drip out into your demijohn?

That's all I do... well let it run into a 5G fermenter.

Just make sure you are fully degassed before fining, then leave to settle out before syphoning through the filter. Time under airlock is the best degasser, if you're in no hurry.