A couple questions about my first batch

[TonyP]

Great take a reading. If it's 0.994 (your previous reading), continue as you've planned. If it's not 0.994. wait a day or so and take another reading.

 

[wkingsnorth]

Ok, on day three of degassing. How do I know when there is no more gas?

 

[rhythmsteve]

as a general rule of thumb i always leave my wines in the carboys for at least a week after the fermentation has been noticeably stopped, or slowed significantly. Like the others above have mentioned, I usually go by my target SG/AC number and wait for it to reach that. There can be many reasons for it to ferment quickly, temp, yeast, acidity, etc....so its not surprising that some ferment quicker than others. I had a Skeeter Pee once ferment dry in 10 days

 

[cpfan]

To test your wine ABV after the wine is finished you can use a vinometer. They are somewhat accurate and very inexpensive.

IMO, a vinometer is difficult to use successfully (especially with whites), mostly INACCURATE (yes not accurate), and even though quite cheap, it is basically a waste of money.

OK, the kit I bought was from Kraus. It was the California Connoisseur. The instructions were KenRidge, but I am not sure that is who made the juice. The target weight was supposed to be .995 according to the instructions. There has been no discernible activity with the batch. I tasted my sample and it tasted much better than the last time. Dry though.

California Connoisseur kits are made by Vineco. When I ran a Ferment on Premises store (up to 2007), I made these. I would expect the final sg to be around .992.

Steve

 

[Olbuscap]

W.........
I would very much like to sit down with you once we return in April. In the meantime, if you have never been into Adventures in Homebrewing on Jackson Road, stop in and talk to Matt and the rest of the crew there.

 

[wkingsnorth]

W.........
I would very much like to sit down with you once we return in April. In the meantime, if you have never been into Adventures in Homebrewing on Jackson Road, stop in and talk to Matt and the rest of the crew there.

That is where I get all my stuff now.

 

[wkingsnorth]

Took a reading and it is still at .994. It has been 5 days since I started the degassing and have stirred the wine at least 2 times per day. I am getting ready to add the Potassium Sorbate and some wine conditioner to sweeten the wine a bit. It tastes good but is very dry.

 

[wkingsnorth]

OK, it is supposed to site for 6 days. It will sit until it looks clear.

 

[wkingsnorth]

I took out a sample yesterday. It does not seem to be clearing up and perhaps I should have added more conditioner because it is still quite dry. So, can I add more conditioner, or will that mess up the clearing.

 

[wkingsnorth]

Took another sample today. Much more clear but still a bit cloudy. Definitely sweeter, not as sweet as white zinfandel should be but better than last week. Going to adventures in home brewing today to get a corker and bottle tree. Not ready to bottle yet. It is not hurting anything sitting in the carboy. Would it help to re-rack this into a clean carboy?

 

[Boatboy24]

I'd let it sit. Sometimes, very little clearing will happen for several days, then 'Bam!'.

 

[wkingsnorth]

I talked to the guys at Adventures in Home Brewing and they told me thesame thing. Let it sit. It is only 70 degrees in my house and it will take longer because of that.

 

[wkingsnorth]

I purchased a warming belt for the carboys. My house is rarely ever going to be above 70 degrees even in the summer so I need something that will raise the temp to 75 degrees. I purchased my next project batch on Saturday. It is Strawberry White Zinfandel. It is Orchard Breezin Mist. I assume that is the brand. Still waiting on the first batch to clear. Hopefully by this coming weekend.

 

[wkingsnorth]

I have a couple more questions. The wine is clearing up quite well, however it is not as sweet as I would like it. Can I add more wine conditioner to it to sweeten it more? If I do that will I have to let it sit longer or how exactly should I do it?

 

[jswordy]

Wait until your wine has been racked to a clean carboy and stabilized at the end. After that, you can back sweeten it with a sugar syrup (sugar and water that has been warmed on the stove and stirred to make syrup). Let it set 3-5 days after that to make sure it does not re-ferment, and bottle.

 

[jswordy]

I purchased a warming belt for the carboys. My house is rarely ever going to be above 70 degrees even in the summer so I need something that will raise the temp to 75 degrees.

Al kinds of opinions, but yeasts work just fine in a wide range of temps at my house. On that Mist kit, if it is 6-gallon, IMO you will be better off for flavor making it a 5 gallon batch.

 

[wkingsnorth]

Just plucked a glass out of the carboy just to check the progress. This tastes good!!! I can tell it wont last long. Better get that second batch started!

 

[wkingsnorth]

I was going to bottle this weekend however I was reading the instructions on the filter kit and they said that the filter will not turn cloudy wine into clear. My wine tastes great, but it is still cloudy. Should I add more clarifier? (Kieselsol & chitosan?)

 

[saramc]

I was going to bottle this weekend however I was reading the instructions on the filter kit and they said that the filter will not turn cloudy wine into clear. My wine tastes great, but it is still cloudy. Should I add more clarifier? (Kieselsol & chitosan?)

For a kit that you just started on 1/14 you still have some time, plenty of time, even though this is a 28-day kit. You need to make sure this is degassed, otherwise it will not clear properly. Even clarifiers will not clear gassy wine. If it is degassed then try to park it somewhere that is at least 10F cooler and it may clear up.
Out of curiosity, did you add any k-meta when you added sorbate and the wine conditioner & check a gravity reading (so you could ensure fermentation was not kicking in after you backsweetened)?
Also, do you have any sediment on bottom of carboy? If so, you really are not ready to bottle since you want to also ensure no sediment dropping for 1-2 months since last racking once wine is clear.

 

[wkingsnorth]

It is degassed. I put everything that I was supposed to put in according to the directions. Don't know what k-meta is. The last time I racked the wine, there was almost no sediment at the bottom.