1st time kit winemaker

[barbabyras]

When I was racking over from primary I got some sediment in. Is there something I can do, or should I not worry? Am making a pomegranate wild berry Zinfandel. Kit.

 

[Putterrr]

dont worry. its all good. consider it nutrients for the yeast to finish its job.

cheers

 

[Phelpsmeister]

Yeah...don't worry at all.

 

[g8keeper]

When I was racking over from primary I got some sediment in. Is there something I can do, or should I not worry? Am making a pomegranate wild berry Zinfandel. Kit.

no worries whatsoever when going from primary to secondary....as a matter of fact it can be beneficial as it means less topping off that has too be done at a later racking, as well as the fact that with some sediment coming over, you assuredly also carried over some yeast cells which will help make sure that fermentation will continue on in your secondary fermenter.....it's not until you reach your final racking, after stabilizing and clearing, and preparing for bottling, that you need to be concerned with tranferring sediment over....

 

[Terry0220]

Don't worry about it,, I did it too my first time. Now I actually think it help because when I did the second time on the same kit and was very careful, it didnt quite taste the same. But I wouldn't leave it there for too long.

 

[barbabyras]

Thanks . This makes me feel good that I didn't goof it up.

 

[cimbaliw]

I did my first racking after clearing last night and transferred some sediment, I'll probably rack again. I do have to say that after the fact, I wished I had racked from a 6gal to a 5gal carboy. There was so much sediment left in the secondary fermenter that I ended up topping the racked carboy with probably a bottle of wine and another bottle's worth of filtered water. I suspect I'll get better at this over time.

 

[DoctorCAD]

You should have taken almost all the sediment on the 1st racking. Second and the rest, worry about clarity.

According to the kit manufacturers, one quart is all you should ever need to replace.

 

[barbabyras]

When you say not to leave the secondary too long , how long should I leave it. My directions say 14 more days and then I can bottle.

 

[Rocky]

Barbabyras, you need to throw away your calendar and rely on your hydrometer. Leave the wine in the secondary until the SG reaches something around 0.992, which is "dry." I am not sure what kit or wine you are making, but if you plan to back sweeten the wine, you will do that after if ferments to dry, and is stablizied and cleared. When instructions refer to days for various steps, they are "estimates" or "typical" and not hard a fast rules.

 

[cimbaliw]

Thanks Doc, very helpful. barbaby, you may want to check out some of the threads on bulk aging. I don't want to speak for Terry0220 but I suspect the thought was not to wait too long before racking again? From what I've read on this forum you've got all kinds of time before you bottle.

 

[Terry0220]

That's right, once the sg is .998 rack off the sediment, stablize. Once it is done fermenting, you want to get it off the lees, and continue to clear. Good luck and welcome to the obsession!!!

 

[barbabyras]

Last reading was .0998 that's when I put wine into secondary

 

[RegionRat]

Last reading was .0998 that's when I put wine into secondary

I have been racking when I get the same sg for 3 days in a row.

RR

 

[barbabyras]

When I racked to secondary my SG was 0.998. It now sweetened and clarifier put in a little over one week, if the SG reading is the instruction reading can I bottle today?

 

[fivebk]

If you hurry to bottle your wine you will take a chance at having a fine sediment develop in your bottles. I know first hand about this ( been there/done that )!!!!

BOB

 

[barbabyras]

Thanks Bob, not the answer I wanted. Here's another question, do you have rack over to another Carboy or bucket before you bottle, or can you just bottle from secondary making sure no sediment gets into the bucket?

 

[DoctorCAD]

If you rack into another carboy or a bucket, you will be able to take more lees out before bottling.

I rack to a bottling bucket and let it sit a few hours before actually bottling. It lest any leftover stuff settle.

But do yourself and your wine a favor...wait 90 days minimum after fermenting to bottle.