Clearing Question

[Phelpsmeister]

So time to bottle my RJS Strawberry Riesling, and I noticed today that there are particles hanging in suspension in the wine. The normal particles have dropped to the bottom, but I wasn't expecting to see little pieces just suspended in the wine. I can't really get a picture but I am sure you get the idea. I assume it's just little parts that caught the ridges of the carboy and thus kept them higher up in the wine. Which on a side note...I am starting to hate carboys with ridges on the sides.

I guess my question is should I keep waiting or do I need to a add something like super-kleer to get all of it to drop to the bottom. Or it this just going to be a wine I pour through the decanter first to get the particles out.

I will add that this is has been in the carboy clearing for about a month, and over all seems "clear" other than what I described.

 

[Phelpsmeister]

Here is another picture that shows over all clarity.

 

[TonyP]

I have concern that in this case you didn't siphon properly because there seems to be an overabundance of sediment on the bottom. The instructions call for filtering the wine and that makes sense to me. There's no need to add chemicals.

 

[Phelpsmeister]

You know...now that I look at it after a while, I think what I was seeing was just stuff that was stuck on the ridges of the carboy and became dislodged when I set it on the counter to rack it. Most of it has settled back to the bottom.


Thanks for listening to my crazy. I think I was just getting worked up over nothing.

 

[Phelpsmeister]

I have concern that in this case you didn't siphon properly because there seems to be an overabundance of sediment on the bottom. The instructions call for filtering the wine and that makes sense to me. There's no need to add chemicals.

Tony, wouldn't there be sediment at the bottom due to the clearing?


Just to explain what I have done so far: It has gone from primary, then into the secondary for stabilizing and clearing. There was never a third racking.

 

[Putterrr]

When your wine is clearing fine stuff gets caught up in the carboy ridges as it settles. this is normal. next time just give your carboy a few quick twists for the first 3-4 days of clearing (or more if necessary). this will dislodge the stuff clinging to the sides and it will settle to the bottom.

for your present wine if there is still stuff on the sides, use the same technique and wait a bit longer for everything to settle before bottling

cheers

 

[TonyP]

Tony, wouldn't there be sediment at the bottom due to the clearing?


Just to explain what I have done so far: It has gone from primary, then into the secondary for stabilizing and clearing. There was never a third racking.

Absolutely, there would be sediment at the bottom. It's just that the level of sediment seems high to me. Having said that, though, I've never made the exact wine you're doing so I'm not certain.

The last post suggested a few twists and that makes sense to me. Just be careful not to dislodge much of the sediment on the bottom. And when you rack, start near the top and work your way down - so you're not near the sediment until the end. Then gently tilt the carboy and continue.