What to add to secondary fermetation to help sediment drop

[mr2step]

So I posted a quick question about my primary fermentation previously and now I am about to rack to secondary in 2-3 days so am trying to find out what things I need to add to help my muscadine must drop some of it's sediment as it seems to be fairly chunky. I plan to strain it through a mesh bag and press but am sure there will still be things leftover. I do have bentonite and some clearing agent but not sure how much of what to use for this 5 gallon batch. Do I add it right when I rack or wait some given time before adding. Also, since I already added k-meta/campden to the primary is it necessary to add more now or just keep it as is?
Sorry for so many questions but am trying to keep it simple and don't wanna screw this one up as it's my very first batch of ANYTHING. Thanks

 

[robie]

So I posted a quick question about my primary fermentation previously and now I am about to rack to secondary in 2-3 days so am trying to find out what things I need to add to help my muscadine must drop some of it's sediment as it seems to be fairly chunky. I plan to strain it through a mesh bag and press but am sure there will still be things leftover. I do have bentonite and some clearing agent but not sure how much of what to use for this 5 gallon batch. Do I add it right when I rack or wait some given time before adding. Also, since I already added k-meta/campden to the primary is it necessary to add more now or just keep it as is?
Sorry for so many questions but am trying to keep it simple and don't wanna screw this one up as it's my very first batch of ANYTHING. Thanks

When you say "secondary", I'll assume you mean the second stage of alcohol fermentation to get the wine dry.

Most paint stores and places like Home Depot sell paint strainer mesh bags in one gallon and five gallon sizes. You sanitize the bags, then put the wine in one of these (you should buy three or four because they can become completely clogged quickly). Squeeze all the wine out and into another bucket. Then pour the wine into a carboy container and add an air lock.

Let the wine continue to ferment until it stops. With a hydrometer, test that the specific gravity does not change for three days in a row. The small lees that will make it into secondary will settle to the bottom during that time.

After secondary, to another carboy you will rack the clean wine off the top of the sediment/lees; add stabilizers (Kmeta and possibly sorbate); and possibly clarifiers. At that point, the wine should be topped up and have an air lock installed to protect it from oxygen. The wine will eventually clear; how long it will take depends on whether or not you use a clarifier.

We can give you a play by play of how to do all this, but for your own good, it might be good if you get on the internet and read up on the whole wine making cycle from start to finish. This way you will have a good understanding ahead of time. Then, if you have specific questions, we can help.

 

[mr2step]

Robie- Thanks. I did not mean to imply I had NOT been reading and researching this wine making thing as I have very much so. I was just unsure if I had to add the bentonite at the same time I racked to the carboy for the start of secondary fermentation or at later time. This was something I could not find by doing searches elsewhere is all. Thanks for the tips. Appreciated.I did not know about the paint bags. I bought a mesh bag from a wine making supply store. I need more. Thanks again!

 

[robie]

Sounds like you are using the bentonite as a post fermentation clarifier. It should be added after secondary is done and the wine has been racked off the secondary sediment.

The paint bags are pretty much a staple for home wine makers. They are nylon, strong and can be easily sanitized. They are your friend. The mesh bags you get at the LHBS usually are not strong enough to hold up when trying to strain and hand press several gallons of grapes. Home Depot also sells an orange, food grade, 5-gallon bucket into which you can let the wine strain. These buckets are great for very short term use.

 

[saramc]

BTW--there is NO reason you need to add bentonite to help with clarifying...time should clear this wine up just fine. But, completely up to you if you want to add bentonite post-fermentation.

As mentioned above, if you use a mesh bag to help capture the residual pulp as you transfer to fresh container for the rest of fermentation to complete (to dry) you will have no issues. If there are any GROSS LEES remaining, they will drop over time, as will the FINE LEES. Future rackings will take care of the lees-if you do it properly.

As far as the dose of k-meta/campden--if you added it at the initiation of ferment I would not dose again until you do your first racking after transfer to "secondary container", typically a month from now. Then you will want to dose once a quarter while you are bulk aging. Many people do it differently, but if you are able to determine your free SO2 that takes the guess work out of how much and when to dose.

 

[mr2step]

Great stuff everyone. Thanks for the input. I made a trip to the local box store and got myself some 5 gallon paint strainer bags for $3.50/2 and an extra 5 gallon food grade bucket. I just pressed off the skins and boy what a chore! Those mesh netting strainers are so thing it takes forever as they keep getting clogged up with pulp. However, I am getting ready to transfer to carboys for secondary fermentation. Thanks for all the help it was MUCH needed and GREATLY appreciated.

 

[jswordy]

What to add? Time.

On the mesh bags, yes it is a chore and it is best in my world when doing it like you are to just buy a bunch and use a clean one each time, then divide up the must into successive squeezings of about a gallon each. This is where a genuine press is very, very handy.

 

[pete1325]

mr2step.....you mentioned that your must was from grapes....how did you go through the crush/destem/press proceedures? It sounds like you have a lot of pulp/skins from the grapes. When we press we almost have no pulp/skin....just must...and what sediment/lees we have eventualy falls through the nature process. We sometimes rack three or four times in the course of a month until we bulk age. As stated here so frequently.....time is your friend, don't rush things.

 

[mr2step]

Pete1325- I picked my muscadine grapes from my own vines then froze them. Since muscadines don't grow in bunches like Vinerifera I had to hand pick each and every grape. Also, since they don't ripen all at once but rather in stages I had to select the ripe ones from unripe and leave those for later pickings.It was a lot of work lemme tell you. I then froze them in gallon size zip lock bag for a couple of weeks and waited until al the grapes had been harvested. I thawed them gently mashed them in a big pot with a potato masher one bag at a time. It did not take much as the freezing really does a great job of breaking down the skin and cell structure of the grapes. Muscadine grape skins are VERY thick so this was a blessing. I think the freezing is what caused so much pulp because everything turned to mush rather easily without much pressing on my part. I tried to be as gentle as I could but still ended up with a lot of pulp/skins/seeds. I am hoping they will fall off over time and with proper racking and clarifying procedures.

mr2step.....you mentioned that your must was from grapes....how did you go through the crush/destem/press proceedures? It sounds like you have a lot of pulp/skins from the grapes. When we press we almost have no pulp/skin....just must...and what sediment/lees we have eventualy falls through the nature process. We sometimes rack three or four times in the course of a month until we bulk age. As stated here so frequently.....time is your friend, don't rush things.

 

[jswordy]

You are fine, it will all settle out. There are two ways to do it - press the juice first, then ferment, or do as you did and ferment first then press the juice. I gathered that you do not have an actual press, so that makes it a bit harder to do.

Give it time, it will all work out over the rackings. Been there.

 

[winemaker_3352]

Before thinking about adding any fining agents - make sure your wine is degassed. If it is not degassed - the wine will not clear well..

I would recommend degassing your wine - letting it go for a while letting it clear naturally.

If after a long period of time it is not clear - it might need some help...

 

[Poormanfarm]

You might want to look into a steamer juicer and use pure juice to make your wines. you never have to worry about what you are experiencing.

 

[mr2step]

Thanks everyone. It looks like the sediment is beginning to drop and the juice is clearing. I think secondary fermentation is almost done as I am hardly getting any bubbles in my airlock. Gonna wait another day or so and take another S.G to see where we are at. I am amazed at how much crap has dropped to the bottom of the jug. I will try to do this without using any clarifying agent if possible as I hate to dd things I may not need.