Wilco wine kits

[must_dash]

Just about to do a Wilco wine kit for the winter and see that they recommend 3kg of Brewing sugar. I dont have that in stock at the moment and not quickly available. Any issues with using normal sugar?

Thanks

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Non at all, i have never used anything else.

A tip with the wilco kit, it will say to top up on day 2, leaver it until day 4 as mine came out of the airlock and i have read many posts here saying the same. :thumb:

 

[simkin]

I, also, have noticed no difference ( apart from the cash left in my wallet ) sugar wise. Also, they give you FAR too much potassium ( or sodium ) metabisulphite [ about 5 times normal ]! It comes out so chemically. Homebrewers usually use 1 campden tablet per gallon to stabilise. That is about 0.44 grams or something, or a 16th of a tsp of powdered meta, easier to measure than you'd think. A £1 measuring spoon set has 1/8th tsp usually so just judge. The kit gives you something like 5 times what you need, and the clearing agents seem to contain a bucket load too. Maybe use bentonite then Vinclear, I find that works a treat and no off flavours.

That's my two penneth :

 

[Scots_Pagan]

I've only done one wine kit (indeed, only one brew) but I racked it today, it's fined etc. and I have to say, based on the lack of flavours evident, do as many here recommend, and instead of 3+ litres of water to top it up, substitute in one litre of red-grape/white-grape juice from tescos etc.
Give it some flavour, 'cause god knows the kit doesn't come with any.
Just my (n00b) tuppence.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

The cheap kits I have tried have been a little disappointing, rather than paying for a kit then paying for the extra juice why not try making wine from supermarket juice then you can make it as strong as you like for little money, see the link in my signature below.

 

[Heisenberg]

Sorry to hijack your post but I am doing a wilco wine kit too, but only the 6 bottle rose one ATM, I was thinking of topping up with water today as its been on the go since Saturday, so is it suggested to use a litre of tesco wgj? Or would rgj be better for he rose?

Tia and apologies to must dash :hat:

 

[graysalchemy]

If you want to make a decent wine from a kit then you really need a beaverdale or vintners reserve, as they are made from 100% grape juice and need no added sugar. However they are pricey £45-55 for 30 bottles but that is about £1.50 -£1.75 for a bottle which has a quality equivalent to spending £4-5 for a supermarket bottle of wine.

I have never had sucess with WOW style wines (supermarket Juice) they have always turned out too sweet and you will only ever make whites or rose styles you can't make a full boddies red wine without a decent red grape. :grin:

 

[Chippy_Tea]

so is it suggested to use a litre of tesco wgj? Or would rgj be better for he rose?

I have a wilco 6 bottle Rose kit clearing, i topped up with water as per instructions, i am sure it will be fine.

I don't see the point in adding juice instead of water unless you know the one topped up with water was not to your taste, i would make it to the letter and then decide if you need to add anything to your next one.

If you only intend to make cheap kits why not give a supermarket juice wine a try, have a read of the thread in my signature below.

 

[Heisenberg]

Hi chippy tea I have topped it up with a litre of wgj and finished up with water, I figured it can't hurt it any, I did this about 20 mins ago and the airlock is going every 2 seconds as opposed to evey 30 or so beforehand.

I have made a apple tc which was not bad and have a pear tc which I racked last week and am going to bottle today since it appears to plop every 10 mins or so, I don't want it to completely stop as I would like a little fizz in it.

I have also checked out the wows you mentioned and have a few I want to try, I figure if I cover the Demi's swmbo won't know when I refill them :whistle:

 

[leelee]

I, also, have noticed no difference ( apart from the cash left in my wallet ) sugar wise. Also, they give you FAR too much potassium ( or sodium ) metabisulphite [ about 5 times normal ]! It comes out so chemically. Homebrewers usually use 1 campden tablet per gallon to stabilise. That is about 0.44 grams or something, or a 16th of a tsp of powdered meta, easier to measure than you'd think. A £1 measuring spoon set has 1/8th tsp usually so just judge. The kit gives you something like 5 times what you need, and the clearing agents seem to contain a bucket load too. Maybe use bentonite then Vinclear, I find that works a treat and no off flavours.

That's my two penneth :

Simkin,I have one of the wilko cab sav kits in the DJ now,(my first ever go at wine making) do you think I would be better just bining the sachets and racking onto 1 ct and adding a tablespoon of vinclear? Cheers

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Follow the instructions to the letter, i have just bottled the wilco 6 bottle Rose kit, it is a very deep colour and tastes great, at £3.50 in the sale it was a steal.

 

[leelee]

Will do,cheers chippy tea

 

[beermaker]

I just got a wine kit from Wilkos - can't remember what make it was but it wasn't an own brand. It was a 30 bottle white wine kit which came as a jerry can of concentrate with all the stuff you needed in the box and no added sugar required. Normally I'm skeptical of such things but as it was reduced to a fiver to clear I took a punt. Fermented out a treat, came in at a tad over 12% ABV and whilst its no Moet and Chandon 1963 special reserve, its not a bad drop , especially given the very reasonable price! Only problem is I don't have 30 wine bottles to put it in so we're swigging from demijohns! Can't buy class like that!

 

[simkin]

leelee, I personally wouldn't bin them, you need to stabilise it. Just halve ( at least, if not maybe 1/3 ) the amount of stabiliser they provide and fine with bentonite ( if you can ) then, a few days later, with vinclear. I realise it is a personal opinion. My ones I did in January are only lately unchemically. Look at the amount of meta they give you and then how much you need to stabilise on these forums. 0.44g per gallon is the norm ( 1 campden tablet ). They give you 2.2 grams? for a gallon [if my memory serves]? over 5 times as much. It was such a shame, as it was my first kit and tasted OK when I sampled on racking, then was so very chemically after stabilising.

Good luck and, if you want to be sure and follow the amounts they give you, you will, with a little patience, enjoy a lovely homebrew :)