Where to Age??

Where to Age??

Post by KT4N » Thu, 08 Jan 1998 04:00:00



I have a kit wine that according to directions is ready to bottle after the 28
day or so
routine. However, a friend of mine who has made these kits told me to not
bottle it but rack in into another carbouy and let it age there and then bottle
it after 6 months or a year. My question is, will it age better in the carbouy
( 5 Gal) or better in the bottle.
Thanks for reading this.

 
 
 

Where to Age??

Post by Gary L. Bradsha » Thu, 08 Jan 1998 04:00:00


Winemaker

Additional aging in a secondary has the distinct advantage of producing a
much cleaner wine without filtering.  Depending on the kind of wine you have
made, it may even age better in oak.  Good luck.

For a complete line of brewing supplies at discount prices, contact us at

Quote:

>I have a kit wine that according to directions is ready to bottle after the
28
>day or so
>routine. However, a friend of mine who has made these kits told me to not
>bottle it but rack in into another carbouy and let it age there and then
bottle
>it after 6 months or a year. My question is, will it age better in the
carbouy
>( 5 Gal) or better in the bottle.
>Thanks for reading this.


 
 
 

Where to Age??

Post by Don Buch » Thu, 08 Jan 1998 04:00:00


Quote:
>routine. However, a friend of mine who has made these kits told me to not
>bottle it but rack in into another carbouy and let it age there and then
bottle
>it after 6 months or a year. My question is, will it age better in the
carbouy
>( 5 Gal) or better in the bottle.

Generally better in the carboy as long as it's glass; the plastic carboys are
porous and over 6 months to a year will introduce too much oxygen.

Bottle ageing is relatively quick compared to carboy ageing and therefore may
prclude some "good" ageing that can occur in the carboy.

(I know, you want to know if I bulk age.  No, I don't; I'm too impatient and
actually have to physically move a small portion of my wines to another room
to allow it to age a year.  Is it worth it?  Yup.  Some of the wines turn
out nicely and have a nice bouquet that is much more pronounced than
previously.)

I think I'll adopt the name Bryan F. gave to me in reference to my
impatience, "Grasshopper".

Grasshopper

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Where to Age??

Post by Raj Singh VE6RA » Fri, 09 Jan 1998 04:00:00


Quote:

> I have a kit wine that according to directions is ready to bottle after the 28
> day or so
> routine. However, a friend of mine who has made these kits told me to not
> bottle it but rack in into another carbouy and let it age there and then bottle
> it after 6 months or a year. My question is, will it age better in the carbouy
> ( 5 Gal) or better in the bottle.
> Thanks for reading this.

With a 28 day kit I don't think it is that crucial whether you age it in the carboy
or the bottles. It definitely will taste better and smoother after a few months.
Bulk aging i.e. in a carboy is usually better, on the other hand one only has so
many carboys, so 28 day kits can be bottled when its finished clearing and aged in
bottles without scarificing a lot of quality.

73
Raj VE6RAJ
--
To Reply remove the XXX

 
 
 

Where to Age??

Post by Harry A. Demidavici » Sat, 10 Jan 1998 04:00:00


I "carboy age". This is IMHO more important for the reds than the whites which are usually potable
after the proverbial 30 days.  I do have some whites that taste like "sex-in-a-bottle", after being
aged for a few months, however the reds really benefit from 10-12, months if you are not impatient.
I operate about 16 carboys between production [2], getting ready to bottle [2-4], and "resting". We
are presently bottling anything from Oct [96 and 97].  We live in a townhouse which is not big on
extra storage spots in the 'ba***t' [we don't have one], and still manage quite well. Anyhow, the
non-secret, is patience, or the ability to age enough wine before bottling it, or both.
Harry Demidavicius


Quote:

>> I have a kit wine that according to directions is ready to bottle after the 28
>> day or so
>> routine. However, a friend of mine who has made these kits told me to not
>> bottle it but rack in into another carbouy and let it age there and then bottle
>> it after 6 months or a year. My question is, will it age better in the carbouy
>> ( 5 Gal) or better in the bottle.
>> Thanks for reading this.

>With a 28 day kit I don't think it is that crucial whether you age it in the carboy
>or the bottles. It definitely will taste better and smoother after a few months.
>Bulk aging i.e. in a carboy is usually better, on the other hand one only has so
>many carboys, so 28 day kits can be bottled when its finished clearing and aged in
>bottles without scarificing a lot of quality.

>73
>Raj VE6RAJ

 
 
 

Where to Age??

Post by Melinda Crowle » Sat, 10 Jan 1998 04:00:00


Quote:


> > I have a kit wine that according to directions is ready to bottle after the 28
> > day or so
> > routine. However, a friend of mine who has made these kits told me to not
> > bottle it but rack in into another carbouy and let it age there and then bottle
> > it after 6 months or a year. My question is, will it age better in the carbouy
> > ( 5 Gal) or better in the bottle.
> > Thanks for reading this.

> With a 28 day kit I don't think it is that crucial whether you age it in the carboy
> or the bottles. It definitely will taste better and smoother after a few months.
> Bulk aging i.e. in a carboy is usually better, on the other hand one only has so
> many carboys, so 28 day kits can be bottled when its finished clearing and aged in
> bottles without scarificing a lot of quality.

> 73
> Raj VE6RAJ
> --
> To Reply remove the XXX

IMHO
I have to support this comment.  We aged white and red 28 day wines from
2-4 (depending on the wine) in glass carboys, bottled and aged another
month before drinking.  All the wines turned out to be very good.
Because of the hot temperatures of the summer months (Florida) we were
forced to bottle some white wine without aging in a carboy (lacked the
room to store the carboys at cool temperatures).  This wine was equally
good after aging three months in bottles. My husband has a better sense
of taste that I do and found the last batch which was bottled and then
aged to be better.
 
 
 

Where to Age??

Post by Harry A. Demidavici » Sun, 11 Jan 1998 04:00:00


I have found the "whites" to be more cooperative, in that they could be bottled fairly quickly after
finishing. However, I have found that it is definitely worth my while to bulk age the reds from 2-12
months prior to bottling. They live in carboys in my garage during this time and come out very well,
local temp & weather notwithstanding.  This may not suit a purist who insists on oaken barriers and
60 deg F etc, but the process seems to work very well with "kit" wines. No comment as to the stuff
made from "treading your own grapes" as I have never done this.  Expect that this is a less
forgiving process.
Harry Demidavicius
Calgary Alberta

Quote:



>> > I have a kit wine that according to directions is ready to bottle after the 28
>> > day or so
>> > routine. However, a friend of mine who has made these kits told me to not
>> > bottle it but rack in into another carbouy and let it age there and then bottle
>> > it after 6 months or a year. My question is, will it age better in the carbouy
>> > ( 5 Gal) or better in the bottle.
>> > Thanks for reading this.

>> With a 28 day kit I don't think it is that crucial whether you age it in the carboy
>> or the bottles. It definitely will taste better and smoother after a few months.
>> Bulk aging i.e. in a carboy is usually better, on the other hand one only has so
>> many carboys, so 28 day kits can be bottled when its finished clearing and aged in
>> bottles without scarificing a lot of quality.

>> 73
>> Raj VE6RAJ
>> --
>> To Reply remove the XXX

>IMHO
>I have to support this comment.  We aged white and red 28 day wines from
>2-4 (depending on the wine) in glass carboys, bottled and aged another
>month before drinking.  All the wines turned out to be very good.
>Because of the hot temperatures of the summer months (Florida) we were
>forced to bottle some white wine without aging in a carboy (lacked the
>room to store the carboys at cool temperatures).  This wine was equally
>good after aging three months in bottles. My husband has a better sense
>of taste that I do and found the last batch which was bottled and then
>aged to be better.

 
 
 

Where to Age??

Post by Don Schill » Wed, 14 Jan 1998 04:00:00



Quote:
>I have a kit wine that according to directions is ready to bottle after the 28
>day or so
>routine. However, a friend of mine who has made these kits told me to not
>bottle it but rack in into another carbouy and let it age there and then bottle
>it after 6 months or a year. My question is, will it age better in the carbouy
>( 5 Gal) or better in the bottle.
>Thanks for reading this.

Aging is a great thing to help improve a wine, but you must have a
good wine to start with.  The kits make a pretty fine wine.  Aging
helps them be even better.

If you choose to carboy age a wine, be sure to keep it topped up,
probably using a similar type wine to add when racking. With a kit
wine, I don't think you will need any more that 6 months.

Don
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