Other Primary fermentation question ?

[Natrix]

Hi all, this morning i've done my first racking and i'm a little bit worry about my specific gravity. Yesterday, day 6 of primary fermentation, the wine was still bubbling a bit, so I wait today to take de gravity. It was at 0.998. Is that normal to get it so low at this time after 7 days ? It is a Fontana Select 17L wine kit.
My specific gravity at the beginning was around 1.085-1.088. My temperature going up a bit after 2 days, but reduce the temperature of the room and seem to be good after all.
What you think about it ?

Thank's

Fred

 

[GreginND]

Sounds like everything is proceeding normally. No ferment is the same as the last one. Some go quick, others drag on - for a variety of reasons.

 

[JohnT]

Agree.. The important thing here is that you let the specific gravity (and not the calendar) dictate when you rack to your secondary.

 

[bkisel]

I'm pretty certain you're okay...

I'm not familiar with that particular kit but I have done at least one 18L kit that also fermented to below SG 1.000 in a weeks time. I say at least one because with my lower end kits I'll generally ferment to dry in my primary and not check the SG for 2 weeks or more so don't actually know on what particular day they might have dropped below SG 1.000.

 

[Natrix]

OK, thank you all for reply.
Tell me if i'm wrong, but at this stage, it's not a big deal if my carboy is not fill to the cap, but only to the shoulder ?

 

[GreginND]

For now you should be ok. Once the fermentation nears the end and slows way down, you want to make sure to avoid the head space.

 

[Natrix]

Seem to have almost no activity on the carboy.

 

[JohnT]

at 0.998, I do not think that you would have a whole lot more activity.

I would top up the carboy and just keep an eye on it for the next day or two.

 

[Natrix]

at 0.998, I do not think that you would have a whole lot more activity.

I would top up the carboy and just keep an eye on it for the next day or two.

Top with water ? Seem to need half a gallon to top up !?!?

 

[sour_grapes]

No, most here would recommend topping up with a similar wine so that you do not overly dilute your batch.

 

[scram]

Yeah, don't top up with water... Like sour grapes said, use a similar wine. You could also rack to a smaller carboy, that's typically what I try to do. You'll eventually get to a point when you'll have 6gal, 5gal, 3gal,1gal containers. I even airlock 750ml bottles too...

 

[Natrix]

Ok, thank's a lot.