A new beginner :)

[adrianvas12]

Thank you.

 

[adrianvas12]

Hello friends.
Back again for your advice.
My juice stopped fermenting and before I do anything I would like to hear your thoughts. Usually, at this stage, all I do is just rack the juice in a clean, sanitized carboy, all the way to the top.
Should I add any chemicals?

Thank you again.
Adrian

 

[sour_grapes]

Need some more info. Is this the same batch that you started in March? What is the SG now? That is, I don't know if you mean it "stopped fermenting" because the fermentation has completed (and SG < 1.000) or if you mean that the fermentation has stalled (and SG > 1.020 or so).

 

[adrianvas12]

Good questions Paul - it is the same batch but I don't have the SG reading yet.
Fermentation has stopped - I will get the reading tonight.

Thank you again for your help.
Adrian

 

[sour_grapes]

Good questions Paul - it is the same batch but I don't have the SG reading yet.
Fermentation has stopped - I will get the reading tonight.

Thank you again for your help.
Adrian

The only sure way to tell that fermentation has stopped is by the SG. Bubbles are very unreliable.

 

[adrianvas12]

Good morning - I was able to look at the wine last night; really late too but things are crazy everywhere I guess.
Anyway, the SG show around 990; the taste was not that great either - very dry. I could feel the alcohol but I would like to make it more sweeter if possible.

What do you think?
Thank you!

Adrian

 

[Turock]

Allow it to age for 1 year--rack as needed, but you may only need one rack, or so, on a juice bucket. After it has aged, evaluate it for any sugar addition. Most of these big reds are MLF'd and are never sweetened, but that is your choice. Sorbate can't be used until the wine is clear and the bulk of the yeast cells off of it. You have to use sorbate when sweetening wine to keep it from refermenting. It will take at least a year before the flavor comes totally forward. Some reds take even longer.

 

[adrianvas12]

Turock thank you for your answer. So you are saying do not add anything yet?
Is the SG good enough? My problem is that I am not sure of the next step - as I mentioned the fermentation has stopped, at least visually. Usually, at this step I transfer the wine in a different, clean carboy and let is sit for few more months.

So sweetening is out of discussion then?

 

[Turock]

Yes, siphon it to a carboy with an air lock. When you rack it off the lees the first time, add 1/4 tsp of meta. Just let it sit in the carboy to age for 1 year, at least. At the 6 month mark, you might add another 1/8 tsp meta. To have good control over free SO2, you should be testing, in the future. It's the only way to truly know if you have proper free SO2. Of course, you also need to know the PH of the wine to know how much free SO2 it needs. If you stay with this hobby, you really need PH measurement of your musts so you know where you're at--and a free SO2 test method.

Regarding sugar---no, it's not out of discussion. If you think you'd like to have some sweetness on it when you taste it after that year of aging, go ahead and sweeten it some. You should make the wine the way you want, and the way it tastes the best to you.

 

[sour_grapes]

Another small point, in addition to Turock's excellent advice: When you transfer it to a new carboy, you should top off that carboy so that there is little airspace above the wine. Earlier in this thread, I told you not to top off at that time. Now is the time for this. Use a similar commercial wine (a Cabernet or a Merlot would do nicely), and fill the carboy so that the wine is up in the neck region.

 

[adrianvas12]

It may sound silly and I apologize but what is meta?

 

[sour_grapes]

He means potassium metabisulfite. This is available in powdered form (which is what Turock had in mind for the doses he cites) or in a more dilute form called "Campden tablets."

 

[adrianvas12]

I thought about it but I wanted to make sure. then what about the SO2 and the PH test - do you happen to know how they affect the wine?

You guys are great again.
Thank you for your help.
Adrian

 

[sour_grapes]

To have good control over free SO2, you should be testing, in the future. It's the only way to truly know if you have proper free SO2. Of course, you also need to know the PH of the wine to know how much free SO2 it needs. If you stay with this hobby, you really need PH measurement of your musts so you know where you're at--and a free SO2 test method.

I thought about it but I wanted to make sure. then what about the SO2 and the PH test - do you happen to know how they affect the wine?

You guys are great again.
Thank you for your help.
Adrian

Potassium metabisulfite ("k-meta") increases SO2 levels in the wine, which provides protection against oxidation and spoilage. How much SO2 you need depends of the pH of the wine.
Turock is saying that if you really want to be sure about these quantities, you must test for them. However, in the absence of such tests, the doses he gave you are good ballpark figures that should be about right.

 

[adrianvas12]

Got it - thank you guys.