DB color question. One of these things is doing its own thing.

[RedRockGirl]

I racked my 2nd batch of DB last night (18 gallons). I racked my 1st DB batch (6 gallons) 2 days earlier. The first batch looked and smelled good, but after I racked and added the K-meta & Super-Kleer (according to directions) it turned very dark and has stayed that way for 2 days now with no clearing. See the back left carboy in the picture. Is that normal? It was my first batch of DB and I am SO very green at this.

Here are the details.
I started with the DB recipe exactly as written.
48 oz. Lemon Juice (Great Value)
Water
20 Cups Sugar
1 tsp. Tannin
3 tsp Yeast Nut.
1 tsp. yeast energizer
3 tsp pectic enzyme.
Water to 6 gallons, added 6 #'s Costco Triple Berry in bag.
12/19/2015 1.078 74 Made must according to directions.
12/20/2015 1.078 76 Squeeze Fruit, Stir, Pitched Lalvin EC-1118 Yeast pkt. in re-hydrated in 3/4 C.100 F water.
12/21/2015 1.070 78 Squeeze Fruit, Stir vigorously, Replace Fruit.
12/22/2015 1.044 79 Squeeze Fruit, Stir vigorously, Replace Fruit.
12/23/2015 1.025 79.8 Squeeze Fruit, Stir vigorously, Replace Fruit.
12/24/2015 1.014 76.2 Squeeze Fruit, Stir vigorously, Replace Fruit.
12/25/2015 1.002 76.1 Squeeze Fruit, Stir vigorously, Replace Fruit.
12/27/2015 0.990 77 (AM) Squeeze Fruit and remove - Racked & stabilized PM

I added 1/4 tsp. Potassium Metabisulfite dissolved in half cup cool water and stirred.
Then I degassed using drill and whip.
I added SK according to package instructions.
It was around this point that it started looking dark. It looked like the other 3 carboys initially. I did not use the sorbate because I read you should wait until it clears and only needed when back sweetening. I could be totally wrong on that.

TL;DR Why is my first batch so dark and is it ok/normal? The differences in the 2 batches is the 18 gallon batch had a OSG of 1.086 and I did add the sorbate with the Kmeta at racking before degassing and then added Sparkolloid instead of SuperKleer. I checked after 2 days and there is no off smell. It smells good.

Thanks! Go easy on me. These are batches 3 & 4 in my wine making journey.

 

[RedRockGirl]

I checked them today. 15 hours after racking the 3 carboys from the latest batch, they too have turned dark. Is that just part of the clearing process or is something else happening?

 

[sour_grapes]

Yes, the important difference in the original picture was simply time. The young batches have particles in them that scatter the light back out of the carboy, which makes it look lighter. It is the same phenomenon that gives us this (Peyote Lake):

 

[RedRockGirl]

Thanks SG! I keep seeing all these DB carboys that are light red and clear. Mine looks almost black it's so dark and I hadn't seen pictures of that stage, so I panicked.
That lake is phenomenal. The visual was very helpful. I've got to get back up to that area...when it's warmer.

Yes, the important difference in the original picture was simply time. The young batches have particles in them that scatter the light back out of the carboy, which makes it look lighter. It is the same phenomenon that gives us this (Peyote Lake):