Just curious; why not top up?

[Tnuscan]

not sure what you're referring to but you haven't done me any harm. These forums are for sharing experiences, opinions and ideas. And i'm such a newbie I need all the help I can garner.

Speaking of, how do you delete your posts? I looked round for a delete option once and couldn't find any. The board moderator said we couldn't because they want other newbies to come in later and be able to gain from our past questions, etc.

I shouldn't have erased it but I edit and proof read and sometimes confuse myself. I tried to use capital letters on words I was wanting someone not to miss. My wife said capitals in the sentence looked like your yelling. I was trying to fix it and just keep messing it up.Just decided, heck I'm better off just reading and not typing. It took me over 10 minutes to type this. lol
I use the edit button and delete. A few friends have told me they became confused at the area of stabilizing, on rack or not rack.

 

[Fedoradude]

I don't believe your wine is ruined. From your previous posts, I assume you don't (yet!) have a second 6 gallon carboy. I would do what you posted in the above referenced quote.
The minimum I would let it sit would be for 14 days...that is generally the length of time WE kits recommend be allowed for final clarification (read the section number 4 in your instructions). There is also a note (usually typed in brown rather than black ink) about an additional addition of 1/4 tsp of KMeta if you plan on aging the wine greater than 6 months.
If you have done this already and you still have thick sediment, I would rack it again. Does this help?

OK, I racked it again tonight. Will let it sit another 14 days then hopefully bottle. Here's the hydrometer reading:

 

[Fedoradude]

I'll be switched if I know why that pic rotated 90 degrees on posting....

 

[Tnuscan]

Are you still in a open pail or bucket?

EDIT: Ok I reread and figured you racked from carboy to bucket, took your reading, then guessing you racked back to carboy and are under airlock.

 

[Fedoradude]

Are you still in a open pail or bucket?

Nope. It's back in the carboy.

 

[Tnuscan]

Nope. It's back in the carboy.

Looked like it is clearing, what do you think?

 

[Fedoradude]

Looked like it is clearing, what do you think?

I thought so too.

 

[Tnuscan]

I thought so too.

What you planning for next wine?

 

[Fedoradude]

What you planning for next wine?

I don't know.... I'm torn between trying another cab to see if i can refine my processes or branch out and try a Reisling...

 

[Tnuscan]

I don't know.... I'm torn between trying another cab to see if i can refine my processes or branch out and try a Reisling...

I've made several of these kits from WE. The post I deleted I was trying to emphasize the stirring up of the lees. This is a battonage if you will, in a small way. No one has caught it though, so I thought I'd better not get into a debate. Making wine is fun, kits are different, so are opinions. This is a good place to learn.

 

[jgmann67]

In winemaking, opinions are like a$$#0£%s and elbows, everyone has one or two. Sharing them is what helps others... Deciding between the wheat and the chaff is what makes you a better winemaker.

The beginning stages of kit wine making are all about fermenting your wine to a desired final gravity (FG) which is different whether you're after a dry, off-dry, semi sweet or sweet wine.

While you probably won't do yourself any harm going until the end of the prescribed days before moving to the next step in the process, your hydrometer is what really dictates whether it's time to move on.

In your primary bucket - stirring (or punching down) daily is good thing. It helps with the extraction of flavor from your grape pack (typical in better quality red kits) and keeps your skins and oaks from drying out and leaving a bitter taste behind.

When you move from bucket to carboy for the first time, it's because you're approaching your desired FG. Your wine is giving off less CO2, so it doesn't have the same layer of protection to keep it from oxidation in a big bucket.

Once you're done fermenting, the process is about clearing and finishing your wine. You do that by adding the remaining oaks (or tannins), dosing your wine with stabilizers (this is where all that stirring comes in) and most importantly separating your wine from the junk.

That means that CO2 goes up and out of your bubbler, while finer lees settles to the bottom. You rack your wine so that when it's time to bottle, your wine is perfectly clear and is no longer dropping junk or burping gas.

You have two powerful allies on your side - time and temperature.

You can follow the directions to a tee and transfer at the prescribed times. But once you get to the bottling step, only you know whether it's actually time to move. Is it sufficiently degassed? Is it perfectly clear? Does it taste anything like the wine you want? if the answer to any of those questions is "no," then you shouldn't bottle. Wait a while. Seek advice. Consider your options.

The three hardest words for a winemaker to say - I can wait.

 

[Tnuscan]

I don't know.... I'm torn between trying another cab to see if i can refine my processes or branch out and try a Reisling...

Just curious, will you be following the instructions, or will you do the kit differently at certain steps?

 

[Fedoradude]

Just curious, will you be following the instructions, or will you do the kit differently at certain steps?

No matter which way I go, I hope to do a better job of reading/following the directions next time round. I kind of missed that stirring the lees back in after the first racking this batch.

On another note, after Monday's racking, I've already got another thinner, duller sediment layer in the bottom of the carboy.

So...to rack again in a couple weeks or just bottle it then. Decisions, decisions.

BTW, to the poster who mentioned how many varying opinions there are on this stuff; I'm very appreciative of that. Really helps me get a deeper understanding of what can be done at each of these steps.

And I must compliment this forum and its members. I have yet to have anyone post anything rude, condescending etc in response to some really basic questions. A very pleasant experience compared to some other non-wine-related forums I've been on.

 

[Tnuscan]

No matter which way I go, I hope to do a better job of reading/following the directions next time round. I kind of missed that stirring the lees back in after the first racking this batch.

On another note, after Monday's racking, I've already got another thinner, duller sediment layer in the bottom of the carboy.

So...to rack again in a couple weeks or just bottle it then. Decisions, decisions.

BTW, to the poster who mentioned how many varying opinions there are on this stuff; I'm very appreciative of that. Really helps me get a deeper understanding of what can be done at each of these steps.

And I must compliment this forum and its members. I have yet to have anyone post anything rude, condescending etc in response to some really basic questions. A very pleasant experience compared to some other non-wine-related forums I've been on.

Well to be honest, I know several that have gotten confused with the instructions. I am one of them, and it is a bummer when it happens. Seems like every batch, I wonder what I could have done different. I have the Cab. Sauv. in bulk age right now. I follow instructions, but am thinking of doing the same one and not using some of the packets and seeing what the different outcome will be. Keep reading, read older threads when you can, and soak it all in. Have a problem, hit the forum. Maybe some have different ideas, and opinions, they all seem to work. If you want to let it clear more go for it. It always seems to drop sediment every time. Have fun.

 

[Tnuscan]

I've made several of these kits from WE. The post I deleted I was trying to emphasize the stirring up of the lees. This is a battonage if you will, in a small way. No one has caught it though, so I thought I'd better not get into a debate. Making wine is fun, kits are different, so are opinions. This is a good place to learn.

I usually edit to make statements more clear, this time I am trying it this way so you will see it as I try and make it more easy to understand. (I hope). I am not stating this is Battonage but a small similarity. The reason for bentonite and first racking is a clearing step, then at the stirring up of the sediment ,then adding#3 and#4 packets to stabilize, and the last one the #5 Chitosan you are doing another clearing step. Its still a two step process, it's just done at different stages. Hope I haven't confused you.