Other Racking & timing

[Broge5]

I'm hoping for a little confirmation that what I'm doing is okay. Being that I haven't actually tried any of my wines yet, I'm still a little nervous.

Most of what I've been making is big reds - cab, syrah, tuscan, etc. premium kits with scans.. I've been following directions to a T until after adding sorbate, KMeta, splash racking with the AIO couple of times to degas and then clarifying agents.

Once these are added, I splash rack with the AIO in about 2 to 4 weeks to get it off the sediment.

I time the next racking to be 90 days after adding KMeta the first time at clearing. At 90 days, I add a quarter teaspoon of kmeta and then splash rack again with the AIO to degas one last time then either set back again for 90 days or bottle.

I think the timing is okay, but I guess my main question is if I am okay splash racking being that I'm using the all-in-one pump? Or am I still risking oxidation?

I realize one option is to leave it in the carboy much longer and D gas on its own. I understand how that's probably safer, but due to space and number of carboys I have been generally getting it into a bottle about 90 days after starting the clearing process.

I would love opinions from the group.

 

[Runningwolf]

. I've been following directions to a T until after adding sorbate, KMeta, splash racking with the AIO couple of times to degas and then clarifying agents.

Once these are added, I splash rack with the AIO in about 2 to 4 weeks to get it off the sediment.

I time the next racking to be 90 days after adding KMeta the first time at clearing. At 90 days, I add a quarter teaspoon of kmeta and then splash rack again with the AIO to degas one last time then either set back again for 90 days or bottle.

I would love opinions from the group.

It sounds like to me you're on your way to make a great batch of sherry.

 

[jamesngalveston]

Running wolf you the man...
I have never made a kit, i would do as the kit instructions says.
I dont think that you have to splash rack when using the aio to degass are rack.
I never add sorbate until the wine is realatively clear.

 

[Runningwolf]

I'm not the man, but never splash rack if you don't have to. This will only lead to oxidation. Treat your wine gently.

 

[Broge5]

So runningwolf and James, you guys are essentially recommending against splashing. On my first kit, I used a drill stirrer, and racked it down the inside of the carboy like a film with the AIO pump. But even using the pump, it seemed to have co2 when I went to bottle. Because of that, I started splashing.

I can stop splashing, but I am concerned about not getting the co2 out the other ways. Seems the only other choice is to let it bulk age until the co2 is gone? Maybe I'm too concerned about the co2.

 

[bkisel]

Maybe continue with what you're doing except do a sheet rack as opposed to a splash rack? After all you are using an AIO which is creating a vacuum.

 

[jamesngalveston]

broge..,.do you know how to degass without racking.

 

[jamesngalveston]

should have said...do you know how to degass your wine with the aio and not racking at the same time.....

 

[Broge5]

I don't know how to D gas using the all in one pump without racking, but now that I think about it I do remember some threads talking about break bleeders and such. Maybe I can give that a shot.

 

[jamesngalveston]

Broge....you have the best tool out for vacuum degassing, hands down.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnH-EB0LoG8

 

[jamesngalveston]

make sure your carboy has about 6 inches of space, run your hose thrugh the bung, making sure its tight fit.
make sure you have an overflow conatiner.
turn on pump, and set guage for about 23 lbs...watch the bubbles.
run it for about 15 are 20 minutes.
to make sure of this....send steve, aka (vacuumpumpman) a pm and ask for driections...
hes very helpful

 

[Broge5]

Thanks James. I'll send Steve a message. For some reason I was under the impression that I was not supposed to vacuum without racking with the pump for fear of burning it up.

 

[vacuumpumpman]

I just stumbled on this thread - I always use the Falling Film Degassing method (http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/f6/falling-film-degassing-36757/) every time I rack my carboys. In the all the time I have been making wine for at least 12 years + I have never made a sherry on accident.

The Allinone is designed to be a closed system so when you transfer or bottle that there is very minimal exposure to any oxygen content due to the negative pressure in the carboys or bottles.

I think this process takes alot less time when transferring compared to doing gravity - so alot less oxygen exposure to your wine.

I think it is alot safer to splash rack rather than put the carboy under excessive vacuum pressure which can cause problems. I have done extensive tests where over and over that splash racking will remove the CO2 out of the wine over several rackings faster and easier.

 

[Broge5]

Steve, glad you chimed in. With my splash racking I'm definitely getting the CO2 out. But not quite sure what I'm adding back in. I'll go back to using the film or racking down the side method. Not sure how you guys do it, but I just turned my racking cane upside down in the carboy.

I hate to find out that I have five or six batches (150-180 bottles) of Sherry six months from now. Yikes!!!

 

[Broge5]

I have to throw out another good word for Steve the vacuum pump man. He gave me a call after reading this thread and we went through some possible procedures and things for the vacuum pump. Terrific service. Great product.