"To stir or not to stir that is the question."

The kit instructions don't mention regular stirring it in the primary (after initial ingredients mixing when I stirred
well). I know, and believe (truly I do) that with kits it IS worth carrying out instructions to the letter. I am not
used to refraining from stirring the primary though, so I am wondering if it is an assumption I am missing...

This kit has toasted oak and plain oak, bentonite, yeast and 16L juice to make 23L. The kit says "Leave the container in
a warm spot (20-25 C / 70-77F) to ferment for 8/10 days".

I'm 3 days in and bubbling nicely. The smell from the primary is already beautiful, but I can't help but think that I
should give it a whirl.

Would you guess that I am I right to trust the instructions on this? I have emailed Vineco but since it's the weekend I
thought it might be more timely to ask the experts here!

Opinions gratefully received, Jim

Jim:

I run a small Ferment on Premises, and make a lot of Vineco kits
(although not that one). I do not stir while in the primary fermenter
UNLESS one of two conditions.....

1) I take an sg reading and am not transferring to a carboy. This
usually means that the wine has not reached around 1.000 by day 7. I
stir then because ( IMHO), this a) wakes up the yeast, and b)
replenishes the CO2 layer over the wine. [FYI, for me , many Vineco
reds are .992 to .996 by day 7]

2) There is something big floating. Not likely unless you're doing
one of their grape pack kits, or you wish to stir under the oak cubes
that come with one or two kits.

Steve

Excellent Steve, that is a pretty much perfect answer - my mind is at ease. There is nothing big floating just a lot of
oak chips in foam.

Many thanks, Jim


"Steve" > wrote in message ...
> Jim:
>
> I run a small Ferment on Premises, and make a lot of Vineco kits
> (although not that one). I do not stir while in the primary fermenter
> UNLESS one of two conditions.....
>
> 1) I take an sg reading and am not transferring to a carboy. This
> usually means that the wine has not reached around 1.000 by day 7. I
> stir then because ( IMHO), this a) wakes up the yeast, and b)
> replenishes the CO2 layer over the wine. [FYI, for me , many Vineco
> reds are .992 to .996 by day 7]
>
> 2) There is something big floating. Not likely unless you're doing
> one of their grape pack kits, or you wish to stir under the oak cubes
> that come with one or two kits.
>
> Steve

On Sun, 7 Jan 2007 01:03:03 -0000, "jim" >
wrote:

>"To stir or not to stir that is the question."
>
>The kit instructions don't mention regular stirring it in the primary (after initial ingredients mixing when I stirred
>well). I know, and believe (truly I do) that with kits it IS worth carrying out instructions to the letter. I am not
>used to refraining from stirring the primary though, so I am wondering if it is an assumption I am missing...
>
>This kit has toasted oak and plain oak, bentonite, yeast and 16L juice to make 23L. The kit says "Leave the container in
>a warm spot (20-25 C / 70-77F) to ferment for 8/10 days".
>
>I'm 3 days in and bubbling nicely. The smell from the primary is already beautiful, but I can't help but think that I
>should give it a whirl.
>
>Would you guess that I am I right to trust the instructions on this? I have emailed Vineco but since it's the weekend I
>thought it might be more timely to ask the experts here!
>
>Opinions gratefully received, Jim
>

I recently bottled some of this and I did not follow the kit
instructions, but rather I used the extended instructions found on
Jack Kellers wine blog:

http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/wineblog2.asp

Scroll down to December 18, 2003. It suggests light stirring of the
must to help keep yeast in suspension. I followed suit and I don't
know whether this aided the end result, but I'm very pleased
regardless.