How many wine makers do we have here?

[Jenlyn9483]

OK so do i just let it rest without checking it til like day 6 or 7 then put into secondary if its within the right SG range?. The instructions came with my kit. IT was VERY active at 24 hour point so I dont think it had a problem getting going.

 

[Totalcolour]

OK so do i just let it rest without checking it til like day 6 or 7 then put into secondary if its within the right SG range?. The instructions came with my kit. IT was VERY active at 24 hour point so I dont think it had a problem getting going.

You have to watch the airlock. As long as the airlock is bubbling away, you are okay. You really don't need to worry about the S.G. until the end of fermentation. Then it should be reading under 1.00. If it's a good strong fermentation, there's no need to think it's going to stop until it goes dry [as long as you didn't overdo the sugar]. "USUALLY", you can expect about 1° brix drop per day initially, but then it slows down a bit after the first, vigorous fermentation.

If I'm fermenting on pulp, I usually remove it after 4-5 days (sometimes leaving it longer can give off tastes, plus, it can also cause the fermentation to stick - because when you transfer it, you are adding more oxygen, thereby causing it to go back to an aerobic ferment, instead of anaerobic.)

Really, if you have done all the right things at the beginning, like adding the right amount of acid, tannin, super food, pectic enzyme etc, the wine practically makes itself.

Keep it in a nice cool, dark place and just check on it occasionally. Don't move it, leave it alone and in about 2-3 weeks you should have something resembling wine. Rack it, then leave it to settle. Wait. If it drops more sediment, rack again. Wait. Continue like this until it's clear.

If it doesn't clear, well, that's another story - - - for another post

 

[Jenlyn9483]

OK i checked my SG today it was between the .990 and the 1.000 line. I racked it into secondary added some bottled water to bring up to the neck of the bottle and attached airlock. Today is day 5. The airlock is not bubbling at all.. Thoughts?

 

[codechicken1]

Hi Totalcolour, question for you.
So I thought I was ready to bottle a batch of Syrah that has been sitting in a secondary for about 8 weeks. (again, my directions tell me to bottle)
I noticed today that it is still giving off tiny air bubbles, very slowly, but they are there.
There is a little over 1/8" sediment in the bottom of the carboy, so I thought I would rack again.
question: Should I rack it again or let it sit? If I rack it, I do not have any in reserve to add to the carboy to bring it up to the neck of the carboy, it will be low. (I tasted it, it is very good, but thats why I am out of my extra that was in reserve)
Should I add something to increase the volume or not worry about it.? or, should I just add Campden tabs and bottle?
Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Totalcolour]

Hi Totalcolour, question for you.
So I thought I was ready to bottle a batch of Syrah that has been sitting in a secondary for about 8 weeks. (again, my directions tell me to bottle)
I noticed today that it is still giving off tiny air bubbles, very slowly, but they are there.
There is a little over 1/8" sediment in the bottom of the carboy, so I thought I would rack again.
question: Should I rack it again or let it sit? If I rack it, I do not have any in reserve to add to the carboy to bring it up to the neck of the carboy, it will be low. (I tasted it, it is very good, but thats why I am out of my extra that was in reserve)
Should I add something to increase the volume or not worry about it.? or, should I just add Campden tabs and bottle?
Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

We use ordinary glass marbles to bring up the level in the carboy if it's low. Glass won't contaminate the wine!

Yes, I think another racking won't hurt. To let it sit on the lees can contribute to some off tastes in the finished wine. It is possible that your wine is undergoing a "Malolactic" fermentation (which would really mellow it out) but it usually doesn't taste as god "during" that fermentation. It could simply be just outgasing a bit.

I don't ever bottle until it stops "dropping" out sediment, OR, I filter and then bottle. If you don't have a good filtration method, then I think you'd be better off racking and letting it do it naturally. Do you have any "titrettes" to check the K-meta levels? I like to keep mine about 40 ppm (most "experts" recommend 50 ppm but I'm a bit sensitive to it so keep it a bit lower.

Or, it could be tartrates, although I think that's unlikely at this stage.

So, if it was my wine, I'd rack again (or filter) and let it sit for a few weeks. If then it hasn't thrown any more sediment, then go ahead and bottle.

Sound like you have a keeper there! Good luck

 

[Totalcolour]

OK i checked my SG today it was between the .990 and the 1.000 line. I racked it into secondary added some bottled water to bring up to the neck of the bottle and attached airlock. Today is day 5. The airlock is not bubbling at all.. Thoughts?

Day 5! That's really quick to a full ferment. Are you sure you got the S.G right - even at outrageous speeds wines don't ferment to dryness for less than 9-10 days unless it was low to start with.

What does it taste like? Could be a low alcohol wine. I'd let it sit for a while, make sure it's not going to start fermenting again, and then bottle it. But really check that S.G. you don't want any accidents. If it starts to ferment in the bottle, they can explode. A good friend of mine lost an eye to an exploding champagne bottle.

Good Luck!

 

[mickey328]

Just started this spring. My first ever is a batch of dandelion that is coming along nicely. Racked 3 times now and is just aging and clearing. Trying to be patient and let it be till next spring some time. I have lots of others too, and also mead. Started with just gallon batches of everything except some black raspberry mead...did that one in a 5 gal carboy. Picked up some good cherry juice last week, so that's going to be my next effort...cherry/chocolate mead...oh, yum!

 

[Totalcolour]

Just started this spring.

Started with just gallon batches of everything except some black raspberry mead...did that one in a 5 gal carboy.

We started out in one's, but the wine was so good, and the work so much easier for five gallon batches, that now I rarely do anything less than a five. By the time you've racked one gallon several times, you've lost quite a bit of wine!

The dandelion sound wonderful, I'm simply too lazy er busy to go and pick them

 

[mickey328]

I figure that once we find what we like best, I'll make larger batches of them. There's just the two of us, so I figure what we get from a 1 gal will do us for quite a long time.

Picking the dandelions was tedious and processing them even worse...you have to remove all the green stuff and use just the petals. It was bad enough for 1 gallon...it'll have to be spectacular for me to want to gather enough for more, LOL.

 

[ladyrsanti]

The day I gathered and plucked dandelions was the day the Kirby salesman decided to weasel his way into my house. It was a BAD day.