WineXpert Crushendo
- Thread starter SIXTO
- Start date
Help Support Winemaking Talk - Winemaking Forum:
The mesh filter will not work with the auto siphon. Here is a tutorial George and I worked on together with a great solution for the first racking of a Crushendo.
http://www.finevinewines.com/Crushendo-2006.htm
http://www.finevinewines.com/Crushendo-2006.htm
Ok but I got a few problems... First I do not have a straining bag, the only thing I have is a funnel with a very fine mesh filter that would take ungodly forever.. And ofcourse time... I am on my 7th day in the instructions...
Sorry just a little concerned cause this kit was not cheap...
Sorry just a little concerned cause this kit was not cheap...
You are right the mesh filter in the funnel is no good for this task.
Get yourself a new pair of pantyhose and rinse them well and sanitize.
Use can use one leg to slide over the Autosiphon to block the solids from clogging it and you should be able to rack most of the liquid out of the primary. Most of the solids are at the bottom so put the bottom of the autosiphon into the liquid only a few inches and they slowly lower it as the liquid drops. This will help keep it from clogging so quickly.
Use can also use the rest of the pantyhose as a straining bag with the funnel to do your best to get all the liquid separated from the solids.
Good Luck and lets us know how you make out!
Any other ideas out there...feel free to chime in!
Edited by: masta
Get yourself a new pair of pantyhose and rinse them well and sanitize.
Use can use one leg to slide over the Autosiphon to block the solids from clogging it and you should be able to rack most of the liquid out of the primary. Most of the solids are at the bottom so put the bottom of the autosiphon into the liquid only a few inches and they slowly lower it as the liquid drops. This will help keep it from clogging so quickly.
Use can also use the rest of the pantyhose as a straining bag with the funnel to do your best to get all the liquid separated from the solids.
Good Luck and lets us know how you make out!
Any other ideas out there...feel free to chime in!
Edited by: masta
Ok first thanks alot masta..
I did siphon it like you said and it worked great.. second I did use the funnel, just had to put a little in at a time.. Eventually I got the juice from the "Slop"..
Next question since it took me a little while, will the oxygen effect the wine?
Thanks again Masta for all your help
cheers
I did siphon it like you said and it worked great.. second I did use the funnel, just had to put a little in at a time.. Eventually I got the juice from the "Slop"..
Next question since it took me a little while, will the oxygen effect the wine?
Thanks again Masta for all your help
cheers
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2005
- Messages
- 15,188
- Reaction score
- 1,207
Don't worry about oxygen at this stage. You actually need the oxygen anyway for the yeast as it works. Once in the secondary, it will form a gas blanket to protect it until fermented dry. Just keep following the directions and you will be good to go.
Sixto: Most glass carboys that I have seen that come with the new equipment kits, come with a 6 1/2 gallon carboy. These are nice for secondaries, but I have as many 5 gallon carboys as I have 6.5 gallon carboys just for that reason. If I rack off the lees from the 6.5 (with 6 gallons of wine in it) I get a 5 gallon carboy full to the top, as well as a 2 liter bottle full and a 750ML bottle full. After all rackings, I usually end up with just the 5 gallon carboy and the 2 liter bottle. As time goes on, you'll start looking at different size glass bottle and jugs in a different way.
At the risk of asking a stupid question (newbie status gives me that right), why not put the skins in a straining bag and then add the straining bag to the primary from the very beginning. Then remove and squeeze out the bag prior to racking?
A bag like this http://www.finevinewines.com/ProdDetA.asp?PartNumber=5056should work.
I'm also interested to hear how well the Crushendo's come out, especially when compared to Selection Estates.
GrapeApe
A bag like this http://www.finevinewines.com/ProdDetA.asp?PartNumber=5056should work.
I'm also interested to hear how well the Crushendo's come out, especially when compared to Selection Estates.
GrapeApe
geocorn
Vendor
- Joined
- Jul 4, 2004
- Messages
- 2,096
- Reaction score
- 12
The Crushendo grape pack is more like jam than grape skins. If you put them in a mess bag, the grapes would all ball together. As a result, juice could not get to the skins in the middle of the ball and you would only get part of the benefits. You want maximum exposure to get all of the goodies from the grape pack.
Makes sense. My 2nd crazy idea would be to put a stainless steel 12 inch grease splatter screen at the bottom of the primary before starting the kitand when it's time to rack to the secondary, reach in and grab the handle that is bent up. If you bring it up slowly enough the wine should pass through and only the fine solids would be left on the screen.
http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Splatter-Screen/dp/B000BAT67M/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_k2a_1_txt/102-7313254-2801743
Thoughts?
GrapeApe
http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Splatter-Screen/dp/B000BAT67M/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_k2a_1_txt/102-7313254-2801743
Thoughts?
GrapeApe
Last edited by a moderator:
geocorn
Vendor
- Joined
- Jul 4, 2004
- Messages
- 2,096
- Reaction score
- 12
You may be onto something. I bought a large strainer for my MM kits with raisins and my intitial thought is that you could do the same thing with the grape pack. You will stir up the sediment, but the sediment in the first racking of a crushendo is not an issue as you will rack before you add the stabilizers and fining agent.
Looks like a good excuse to start another crushendo Super Tuscan.
Looks like a good excuse to start another crushendo Super Tuscan.
Smurfe that was my exact thought also and I used a fine mesh straining bag to help separate the liquid from the skins on my first Crushendo kit. It was difficult and blinded the bag because of the jam like consistency of the skins.
This is the reason we decided to suggest the use a course mesh straining bag in the Racking of a Crushendo Tutorial.
Edited by: masta
This is the reason we decided to suggest the use a course mesh straining bag in the Racking of a Crushendo Tutorial.
Edited by: masta
How about one of these in 12 inch:
http://www.canningpantry.com/stainless-steel-colander.html
I would love to try a crushendo kit, but seeing that my first kit is being bottled today, I'm a little intimidated by the thought of making an absolute mess (and wasting a lot of wine).
Never the less I've added the SuperTuscan to my wish list.
GrapeApe
http://www.canningpantry.com/stainless-steel-colander.html
I would love to try a crushendo kit, but seeing that my first kit is being bottled today, I'm a little intimidated by the thought of making an absolute mess (and wasting a lot of wine).
Never the less I've added the SuperTuscan to my wish list.
GrapeApe
smurfe
Senior Member
- Joined
- Jun 20, 2005
- Messages
- 3,625
- Reaction score
- 16
I really wouldn't let the Crushendo's intimidate you. They aren't that tough. I happened to have a mesh bag here when I made mine. I didn't use it until I got down to the bottom of the primary though. I used my 3/8" auto-siphon with the strainer tip on it and it worked great.
I then said what the heck and drug out the mesh bag and dumped the remaining 1/4 of bucket or less of the gunk in the bottom. I probably could of racked all of it with the auto-siphon though. Your strainer/colander idea might work if you rack down as much as possible and then use the colander to strain the remaining liquid.
What is nice about the mesh bag is that you can give it a good squeeze at the end to get every drop out. I actually had a bit more liquid than would fit in the carboy when I did mine.
Smurfe Edited by: smurfe
I then said what the heck and drug out the mesh bag and dumped the remaining 1/4 of bucket or less of the gunk in the bottom. I probably could of racked all of it with the auto-siphon though. Your strainer/colander idea might work if you rack down as much as possible and then use the colander to strain the remaining liquid.
What is nice about the mesh bag is that you can give it a good squeeze at the end to get every drop out. I actually had a bit more liquid than would fit in the carboy when I did mine.
Smurfe Edited by: smurfe
