Beaverdale Merlot - First wine kit

ceejam · Nov 26, 2018

After a good few kit brews, some Turbo cider and moving onto BIAB AG brewing, I started thinking about wine.

My wife is nervous that it won’t be as good as the ALDI Malbec she likes.

Went for a 6 bottle kit as I’ve got a few DJs hanging about!

Made up as per instructions and after 24hrs it was off to a flyer! Sitting in my water bath with aquarium heater, covered with a towel!

Changed the airlock Sunday and was full of red foam again this morning!

Bigcol49 · Nov 26, 2018

Hi!
My SWMBO has often bought wine in a pub and told me that my wine was better - and I only use Winebuddy kits.
I think your wife will be pleased.

ceejam · Nov 26, 2018

There are some terrible wines served in pubs that SWMBO turns her nose up at.

She’s not a wine snob, but doesn’t drink wine she’s not 100% happy with aunsure....

Matthew Main · Nov 26, 2018

Hope it goes well, any pics ?
:)

simon12 · Nov 26, 2018

I made that kit a few years back and can confirm its very good despite not degassing enough and having a trace of carbonation. Its nice soon after bottling but much better 3 and again 6 months later longer makes little or no difference.

ceejam · Nov 26, 2018

A couple of pics of my water bath setup.

Drunkula · Nov 26, 2018

I think this was my first wine kit, too. It's good but a little soft for me and needs more tannic bite.. I really like the Chateau Du Roi. Drinking some Winebuddy cab sauv right now. It's... a drink.

Honk · Nov 27, 2018

I like this kit too, I posted elsewhere about it but recently compared one that was brewed ages ago before records began (at least 12 months,probably longer) with one at a month old. Young it tastes quite fruity but as it ages it gets smoother and starts to get some vanilla flavours which apparently come from the oak chips. Both are very drinkable but I prefer it once aged. My wife likes this too and I will be in trouble if too much gets sampled before it's properly aged.

Graz · Nov 27, 2018

I need to make more wine, my plan was to start cheap and work up to find the sweet spot (not sweet wine!), we mostly drink red at home and I think a cheap white is more forgiving.

Done a Cellar 7 Cab Sauv, that was distinctly average and very home brewed. As that was a 30 bottle kit which wound up in 30 bottles of wine that only I'd drink (not fussy!) I decided to try a 6 bottle Beaverdale, the Shiraz, much better, doesn't tasted home brewed but slightly lacking in body. Plan to try the next kit up the price range, Kenridge or Wine Expert at some stage.

Willshill1 · Nov 27, 2018

Hi started Beaverdale Nebbiolo 6 bottle on Sunday morning, bubbling nicely 8 hours later, have recently bottled 30 bottles Rioja kit, well 27 actually, tastes just ok , hoping with time it’ll improve, so decided to go with 6 bottles to learn technique as instructions are limited and advise on forum differs slightly,

stephen1546 · Nov 29, 2018

Keep reading that the reds are harder to get good results. I recently bottled a Cellar 7 Pinot, my first attempt at wine. Tasted fine to me after 2 weeks, got 26 bottles. Got another on the go. The instructions state it should be fermented after 5 days but mine took 8.

Willshill1 · Dec 6, 2018

Just transferred to secondary demijohn, tasted pretty good, haven’t stabilised yet , any advice on next step

ceejam · Dec 24, 2018

I’ve just transferred to second DJ and degassed with a solid bung until nothing came out.
Had a cheeky taste of the sample before adding stabiliser and it seemed OK!

Willshill1 · Dec 24, 2018

My Nebbiolo was stabilised and cleared last week and ready to move for aging , maybe tonight if I can get organised, but this postie is pretty tired after a long Christmas and was gifted lots of wine so not the same urgency in me.

Willshill1 · Jan 21, 2019

After aging my beaverdale Nebbiolo from 26th December in dj, finally gave in and tasted today, very pleased tasted great and I plan to move to a biab tonight for easy access to drink in the next few weeks

mitsu monkey · Mar 3, 2019

Any more news or views on these? I bottled my Nebbiolo today and have a beaverdale merlot currently aging in the bottle. I had a cheeky taste of the Nebbiolo and it tasted a bit 'thin' I'm hoping it gains some body in the bottle, (if that's even possible).

Willshill1 · Mar 3, 2019

Hi I boxed my Nebbiolo and it was a bit too tempting to leave, so my 6 bottle kit is gone , don’t think I’ll use box again ,quite nice every day sipping wine , drinkable straight away unlike my previous Rojo Tinto 30 bottle kit again by Beaverdale, it was bottled 11 November and after a month was iffy but as it aged it’s much better, in fact two bottles I gave away recently have went down very well, brother in law loved it , sister in law didn’t believe it was homemade, the other bottle to a workmates wife has her looking to make her own , have a Kenridge Classic ready to go next, a step up in quality I hope

mitsu monkey · Mar 3, 2019

Thanks for the reply, sounds promising for my wine!
Good luck with the next kit and keep us posted!

mitsu monkey · Mar 8, 2019

Well I just opened the first bottle, absolutely vile. I threw it down the sink. The instructions were followed to the letter on this one. No mistakes were made. Sterilised every step of the way. Very, no extremely disappointed, I'm going to email them tomorrow. I'll even send them a bottle if necessary.
Very, very disappointed.

Chippy_Tea · Mar 9, 2019

I am surprised this has happened as their kits are highly regarded maybe you got a bad one.

Beaverdale Merlot - First wine kit

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