WineXpert This may be late but...

[JBHarris]

Very first batch...used a VR Cab kit. Funny thing was that the primary fermentation bubbled like crazyday and night. SG was .994 after the required time period, so off it went into the carboy. Here is the strange part, I don't think the wine fermented a bit in the carboy. The SG went to .992 and stayed. So I put the clarifying packets in, degasssed and put the carboy back in the fermentation area ( @74 defrees F)...did I do something wrong or am I just expecting different things to take place????? Edited by: JBHarris

 

[geocorn]

Sometimes all of the fermentation will take place in the primary. It depends on several factors, including temperature. Warmer temps make faster fermentations. I have found that it is best to start checking the S.G. on day 5. That way, if the fermentation is fast, you can do the first racking earlier.


The whole point of the first racking is to get the wine off of a lot of the lees (not all) and get your wine under an airlock to protect it from oxygen. If the wine is still fermenting, the CO2 created will create a new cap in the carboy. However, there is still a lot of CO2 in the wine, even if the fermentation is finished, so you still should get a cap.

 

[Wade E]

Looks like you had a great fermentation and that is all there is to be
said. Usually it is slower and gets racked to secondary at an SG of
about 1.030. You were expecting a normal fermentation and received a
super fermentation. Nothing wrong with that at all. Wish we all could
get that. I just did a batch of grape juice that went from 1.065 to
-990 in 4 days flat. My pear wine on the other hand took forever. Good
luck

 

[JBHarris]

Thanks Gents...I'll let everyone know how it goes!!