...oh no, fermented to dry in primary!?

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lhunkele

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Is there such a thing as too much patience? I'm following Jack Kellar's Peach and Grape Wine. Today is day 10, time to siphon off sediments into secondary and fit airlock. Before doing so, I took a SG and a PH teststrip reading. Not knowing if I should stir before taking the readings or not, I did one before and one after. Before was .994 / after .998. PH test strip was 3.2-3.4.

I have since transfered to the secondary and fitted with the airlock, but I'm not seeing ANY activity... I'm afraid I waited too long, have I ruined it?

I'm thinking I'm supposed to take a couple more readings over the next two days to confirm it's dry, then in 3-4 weeks rack off the lees and then again in another 30-days or so until clear, is this correct? Should I have added another Campden Tablet? I did initally when preparing the must...

Fretting in Michigan...
 
Gave a glass of wine and relax.
Everything is fine. Did you stir or racked and left the sediment behind?
 
I've been fermenting to either dry or close to dry.
When I get a reading of 1.010 I've been snapping down the primary lid and putting an airlock on. The CO2 from the fermenting wine will protect it for a few days.
No worries!
 
%ve been fermenting to dry in bucket for all my reds and typically whites unless it is a very easily oxidized fruit like Pera or apple and those I rack around 1.010.
 
Got the glass of wine, that was the first thing I went for after we finished - lol!

I poured the liquid through a funnel with a strainer and a tube that extended to the bottom of the carboy.

I guess I was worried that too much oxygen may have gotten to the wine, that if the fermentation stopped, then the carbon dioxide wasn't there for that protective layer (or something like that...)

I ended up with more than 1-gal and poured the rest into a 1/2-gal jug (although its only 2/3 full) and fitted both with an airlock.

You think it'll be ok, huh? Thanks - I feel better now.

Linda
 
It wil be fine for awhile especially if there is still some fermentation left to create a blanket of C02 in the vessel.
 
I too ferment dry most wines then rack. The short amount of time is not a problem.
 
...now that it is in the secondary, am I supposed to stir it in-between rackings?

Thanks again,
Linda
 
...now that it is in the secondary, am I supposed to stir it in-between rackings?

Thanks again,
Linda

Linda, are you clearing now or making sure it's done fermenting? If you are clearing you will let it sit 4-6 weeks then rack.

As far as the one that's 2/3 full you need to get rid of that headspace. Siphon it into a wine bottle or two and put an airlock on it. You can refer it with saran wrap on top for a few days if you need to get some small bungs/airlocks.

or sample in a few days after settling. It would be nice to use that to top off when it's thru clearing.
 
Linda, are you clearing now or making sure it's done fermenting? If you are clearing you will let it sit 4-6 weeks then rack.

I just transfered from primary to secondary. Before transfering I took two SG readings and they were .998 & .994. I also took two more this morning and both were .994, so I'm thinking it's done fermenting, yes? I am not seeing any activity in the airlock. So I guess I'm clearing now (?)...

And I did re-transfer from the 1/2-gal to a 750 & 375, to get rid of the headspace, thank you.

I was going to wait until racking before adding another campden tablet (every-other time, is this correct?)

Thanks again for your help!
Linda
 
p.s. I relocated the bottles back upstairs from the basement as I was concerned the temp in the basement was too cool, 68 in the basement and 72 upstairs. I'm under the impression that for fermentation the temp needs to be 70 or above?
 
Wine will clear better in warm temps. @70's-75

Will you be using anything to clear or not? You should add sulfite at this time.

Did you degas? Remove excess C02

It should clear in 4 -6 weeks then you could rack to let it age before bottling. You can try a small sample at this time if you like.
 
Will you be using anything to clear or not? You should add sulfite at this time.

Did you degas? Remove excess C02

It should clear in 4 -6 weeks then you could rack to let it age before bottling. You can try a small sample at this time if you like.

This is my first time through. LOL - I don't know what I'm doing!! I was trying to follow the recipe, but it left out several steps to be desired...

I initally purchased Super-Kleer but now see it is for 5-6 gals and mine's only
1-gal so I guess I need to pick up something else. I believe you suggested Sparkalloid?

I think I also need some K-meta (something I can measure) since my wine is in several bottles now and all I have at the moment is campden tablets.

No I have not degassed yet. I was going to get one of these drill attachements but I don't have one yet. I do have a long stirrer, what do you think about doing it manually?

I've also learned from this site that I will want to add an F-Pak and backsweeten, but before I do I'll also need to add sorbate...

I'd like to sample it but I'm afraid to... I think I'll wait a bit yet.

Care to help me put all this in order and help me with a time-line? :i

p.s. how often should I be testing the SG & PH?

Thanks again,
Linda
 
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Ok, I sampled my wine... hmm, kinda has a 'bite' to it, a bit of a peach flavor in there and thankfully it doesn't taste like vinager, whew!!

Also checked the SG, still at .994. Added the sulfite, but my brew shop only carries Super Kleer (and I already have that) so I have not added anything to clear it yet (how much time do I have?) They were also out of the drill attachment so I have not degased yet either, again, how much time do I have...

what's next?

p.s. started mangos in my primary ;)
 
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