Degas & Bottling?

[skyal]

I think my wine is ready to bottle. It seems very clear to me & it's over the 28 days the kit takes. A few days ago I racked it off the sediment & it splashed a bit. There's a few bubbles on the top & I've had to open the lid (it's back in the fermenter bucket instead of a carboy because my kids lost the thing to clean the carboy so I have to wait until I can get a ride to buy a new one) every day to let out the build up of gas. There were no bubbles at all in the air lock before I racked it.

Should I stir it up to try to get more gas out of it or leave it a few more days or is what it's doing normal?

Also, I was thinking of filtering it since it's a white & I've heard that it's better to filter white wines. Can I filter straight into the bottles or do I need to run the whole lot through the filter into another container & then bottle?

Thanks!

 

[abefroman]

I think my wine is ready to bottle. It seems very clear to me & it's over the 28 days the kit takes. A few days ago I racked it off the sediment & it splashed a bit. There's a few bubbles on the top & I've had to open the lid (it's back in the fermenter bucket instead of a carboy because my kids lost the thing to clean the carboy so I have to wait until I can get a ride to buy a new one) every day to let out the build up of gas. There were no bubbles at all in the air lock before I racked it.

Should I stir it up to try to get more gas out of it or leave it a few more days or is what it's doing normal?

Also, I was thinking of filtering it since it's a white & I've heard that it's better to filter white wines. Can I filter straight into the bottles or do I need to run the whole lot through the filter into another container & then bottle?

Thanks!

I'm a newbie myself, but I would say:
1. Try to degas as much as possible, so give it some good stirring
2. Filter into a separate container then bottle.
3. Filter should be personal preference, personally I would not filter it because I like unfiltered wines, and some commercial white wines are unfiltered, but if your like a clearer wine, you should filter it. You can also add something like Ising glass if you want it clearer.

HTH

 

[skyal]

Just thought I'd add a couple pictures to try to give a better idea what it looks like.

 

[abefroman]

You will want to move it to a carboy ASAP! So that there is less air hitting it.

Clear wise, it looks like the liquid it pretty clear, as for the redish/orangish tint, I'm not sure if its suppose to be lighter or not.

 

[BIGJEFF]

It's really hard to tell on the pictures, trough that container...and without knowing what kind of wine it is...

Also, if you degas it again, you'll have to wait a few days for the sediments to settle back again.

Like it was said, move it to the carboy ASAP!!

 

[djrockinsteve]

Get that back in a carboy and add a pinch of sulfite. Already oxygen is working on oxydizing that wine. Degass it in the carboy

 

[skyal]

Guess I'd better figure out a way to scrub the sides of my carboy, then, so I can move it back.

When you say sulfite, is sodium metabisulfite ok?

It's an Orchard Breezin Stawberry Reisling.

 

[abefroman]

Guess I'd better figure out a way to scrub the sides of my carboy, then, so I can move it back.

When you say sulfite, is sodium metabisulfite ok?

It's an Orchard Breezin Stawberry Reisling.

I use potassium metabisulfite

 

[Wade E]

I agree with using potassium but sodium is ok but sometimes can leave a salty taste in the wine. I also agree with getting it into the carboy ASAP!

 

[skyal]

I've moved it back to the carboy, added a pinch of sodium metabisulphite (have no potassium & no way to get any right now) & stirred it up some.

I have nothing to top it up with, though. It's a few inches below the bung & airlock.

 

[BIGJEFF]

I don't like doing this but if you have nothing else, you should add fresh water...I think it's been exposed to 02 enough as it is...
Water would be better than air...

 

[Tom]

I've moved it back to the carboy, added a pinch of sodium metabisulphite (have no potassium & no way to get any right now) & stirred it up some.

I have nothing to top it up with, though. It's a few inches below the bung & airlock.

Picture.. How much is a few inches?
Now tghis is a 6 gal kit so you either didnt add enough water or you left to much behind in rackings. I would not add water but if you have a 5gal carboy and some 1.5tlr bottles that will work.
Did you add the f-pac after you stabilized?

 

[skyal]

Yes, I did add the f-pac. I have about 1 1/2 litres of the wine that I reserved to top it up after adding the f-pac, but it hasn't had any stabilizer/clarifier added to it, so I was told I shouldn't use it? I don't have any way to buy those things until next Thursday at the earliest, either.`

Here's a picture of the space at the top of the carboy (excuse my kids' junk in the background. )

 

[Dugger]

I would top it up with your reserve and let it sit for a couple of weeks and then filter/bottle.

 

[abefroman]

Yes, I did add the f-pac. I have about 1 1/2 litres of the wine that I reserved to top it up after adding the f-pac, but it hasn't had any stabilizer/clarifier added to it, so I was told I shouldn't use it? I don't have any way to buy those things until next Thursday at the earliest, either.`

Here's a picture of the space at the top of the carboy (excuse my kids' junk in the background. )

That's a lot of surface area, you can't pick up a cheap bottle of white wine at the store? Or you don't have any lying around or someone you can get a bottle from?

 

[skyal]

I could probably get to a liquor store tomorrow to get a cheap bottle, if that would work.

I'm a little confused why I couldn't just bottle it, though. There was barely any sediment when I racked it to the carboy & there's no bubbles in the airlock.

 

[Wade E]

Id be a little hesitant to bottle it this early but if you dont mind a possible light dusting in the bottles or plan on drinking the whole batch in the nest 2 months then bottle it. If planning on having it longer then that it will most likely still drop very fine sediment in the bottle.

 

[skyal]

It's actually several days past when the kit says to bottle, but I know the kits reccomend it a lot faster than most people here do. It says to bottle around day 28 (at day 33 now), then let stand upright for a day, then on it's side for 2-3 months before drinking. I was planning on giving it as Christmas presents, but the only time I know for sure that I can give it out is next weekend, although there will probably be one more chance at some point before Christmas.

Maybe I should top it off & leave it until Saturday to bottle? I think I'm mostly worried about the strawberry flavour getting diluted if I top it off.

I really appreciate everyone taking the time to try to help me. I feel really dumb not being able to figure all this out.

 

[abefroman]

I'd say go ahead an bottle it.

Some sediment is fine, I've had expensive commercial wines that leave sediment in the glass.

I really appreciate everyone taking the time to try to help me. I feel really dumb not being able to figure all this out.
>>Dont feel dumb, there is not really one right way to do this, even if you get on step slight;y "wrong" or not do it the same way a Bordeaux first growth will do it doesn't mean the batch won't turn out good, plus you'll get better with practice.

 

[Wade E]

Are you sure it was sediment and not wine diamonds?