Beginner questions

[hodge1]

I started my first kit yesterday and just had a couple questions. I followed the instructions exactly but I have read on here that maybe I shouldn’t? Especially with putting lid on without the airlock? Also when should I know if I am the clear and know I didn’t ruin it in any way?<?amespace prefix = o ns = "urnchemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" />

 

[Scott B]

Welcome to the Party!

Detail will help answer your question. <?amespace prefix = o ns = "urnchemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" />

In general wine starts out in the Primary needing a lot of O2 so you do not need to lock the lid down.


Also in general if you follow the instruction you should be fine.

 

[Runningwolf]

What kit are you making? Follow the instructions with the kit. They usually have you snap the lid down with air lock then rack to a carboy when the sg is down below 1.01. You still have the stabilizing and degassing steps to go through before worrying about clarity. Welcome to the forum. Keep asking questions and we'll walk you through it.

 

[CassieV]

I always put an airlock in just to keep anything from getting into my wine. I do wait to snap the lid down though. I'm sure others will chime in as well.

 

[hodge1]

yes details.. I started with Grand cru Pinot Noir

 

[hodge1]

should i stir daily?

 

[grapeman]

Welcome hodge. Yes........ or no. Some of us stir it daily, others don't. It certainly won't hurt it at this stage to stir. Sometimes it helps us connect with the process to get a spoon into it.

 

[Flem]

Welcome hodge! I'm a newbie myself. I just joined on January 1st. I guess I'm the New Year's baby.
Don't worry about a thing. These guys are great. They'll help you, as they have me, every step of the way (even though I've only taken a couple of steps). You can see by my number of posts, I've had a lot of questions.


Good Luck!

 

[hodge1]

great thanks agian!!

 

[Wade E]

I have been snapping down the lid for many years and have never had a problem. I do open every day and stir in some 02.

 

[Randoneur]

Welcome Hodge!
As you can see by the responses, it is all about letting the wine have some oxygen at the start.


As you watch your first kit you will see the yeast really takes off and puts out a lot of CO2 gas. That CO2 has a lot of oxygen in it (2 times as much oxygen as carbon) - so when the yeast is very active you feed it oxygen by doing a daily or twice daily stirring. It doesn't make much difference if the lid is snapped on or not at this stage because the bucket will be full of CO2 anyway, but it iscritical to make sure fruit flies and other things cannot get in and you want to hold that CO2 on top of the wine so it doesn't get too much oxygen.


At the end of fermentation when the yeast slows way down and can't use much oxygen, then you isolate the wine from anymore contact with the air (oxygen). It will still be gassing off trapped CO2 for a while, so you can move it out of the bucket when fermentation is done or almost done and still be ok.


When fermentation is complete you must, must, must protect the wine from oxygen.

 

[tonyt]

On lids I generally follow the specific instructions with each kit concerning kids. Some kits say to snap some say not to. I don't mind tweaking other things like oak, raisins, and aging.

Welcome and good luck, listen to the great folks on this forum.

 

[hodge1]

great thanks for all the input!

 

[hodge1]

ok now i have a question about the sg levels. So when i started the kit a couple days ago i believe i had a reading of 1.1, now today it looks like i have 1.5? i must be reading this thing wrong

 

[hodge1]

it looks like its saying potential alcohol of around 6%

 

[hodge1]

actually it looks like 1.05

 

[Bert]

As your fermenting goes along the SG numbers will go down....sounds like you have things working as planned....GOOD LUCK

 

[hodge1]

As your fermenting goes along the SG numbers will go down....sounds like you have things working as planned....GOOD LUCK

lol thanks, i thought the readings were going up so i had a panic moment. once i calmed down i figured out i was reading it wrong.

 

[Bert]

Don't be afraid to ask.....there is a lot of help here.....I think we have all been there one time or another..

 

[hodge1]

great thanks again