Why have a secondary ferment?

[spinnychick]

Perhaps I'm missing something and you're all thinking "Is she really asking that?" or perhaps it's one of those "because it's always been done that way" things, but I'd really like to know why all the recipes and instructions I've seen have several days in the primary fermenter and then the rest of the fermentation finish in a carboy. After following that kind of instruction religiously, I had two batches on the go where murphy's law kicked in and kept me from being able to even check on the must until way after it had fermented dry.

I can't think of a reason why it would make much of a difference what kind of fruit it was (although I'm the newbie here so if I'm mistaken please correct me), but one batch was sweet cherries (with the fruit in a bag) and the other was chokecherries with the fruit floating freely. It didn't start out free, but the bag broke and all the berries escaped. I didn't bother trying to catch them all, they eventually sank to the bottom on their own.

I have to say I'm really REALLY pleased with the results. Neither batch needed degassing, I was able to siphon the wine off with very little sediment coming along-even off the loose chockecherries, with a little inventiveness to keep them from being sucked into the tube-and both settled out to almost crystal clear within a couple of days of putting them into carboys. The flavour and aroma in the two wines is much more intense than I had expected from either. I'm accustomed to cherry wines not having much distinct cherry taste and only a vague hint of aroma, but these ones really pop with both the flavour and the aroma. I don't think the colour is really any richer than it was while it was still fermenting though.

So... what purpose would it have served to remove the fruit while the yeast was still active? Am I missing something?

Vikki

 

[BobF]

The fruit does matter. Generally speaking, leaving fruit too long results in overextraction - extraction of things you don't want. Bitterness from seeds, excess tannins, etc.

Moving the wine to a carboy to finish ferment is done to prevent oxidation. During the initial ferment, oxygen is beneficial to the yeast. Later, not so much. As the ferment slows, co2 production slows and the wine becomes more prone to oxidation. Even worse, leaving fruit too long can result in H2S as reduction begins.

That you've had good results isn't surprising. There are a lot of bad practices you can get away with a lot of the time. However, the first 6g batch that goes bad will make you long for the hours you spent picking and preparing fruit ... and make you picky about process.

There are no redos!

 

[jet]

You normally rack out of primary before fermentation stops to prevent oxidation. While actively fermenting, it is producing CO2 that protects the wine from O2.

 

[winemaker_3352]

I agree with what Bob and Jet said..

 

[spinnychick]

Ok, that makes sense. Thank you!

Although I still think the extra flavour is worth it, at least in this case. Maybe. I guess it's hard to say what it would have tasted like if I HAD been able to rack it sooner.

Vikki

 

[Julie]

how many pounds per gallon are you using?

 

[robie]

That you've had good results isn't surprising. There are a lot of bad practices you can get away with a lot of the time. However, the first 6g batch that goes bad will make you long for the hours you spent picking and preparing fruit ... and make you picky about process.

There are no redos!

Very well stated and very good advice, Bob. If you don't do it right, it is just a matter of time before it will bite you.