Early racking?

[sct1984]

So either I miscalculated or secondary fermentation is taking longer than expected and I have to leave for 3 weeks. In the event that I can't have someone check the SG while I'm away and rack it once it's done fermentation, would it be better to rack early now before I go or have the wine sit on the Lee's for 1-2 weeks??

 

[AZMDTed]

I would let it set, you shouldn't have a problem. Just make sure the airlock has enough water.

 

[bkisel]

I'd flip a coin. Really, flip a dime because I don't think it will make a dimes worth of difference which way you go.

 

[Julie]

What do you mean by secondary fermentation? What was your starting sg and what is it now?

 

[sct1984]

Started at 1.090 then first racked into a glass carboy at 1.028. It is at .990 now... but there is still some activity in the airlock - very little though

 

[cmason1957]

It is in a carboy under airlock, maybe still fermenting, but I doubt it. Leave it alone. It will be fine for three weeks. I always leave it that way for about a month.

 

[Scooter68]

At .990 you could drop a campden tablet(s) to stop fermentation since .990 is dry but as others have said check/top off the airlock and let it sit. Would interesting to know how low you SG actually goes. I had one at .989 but most of mine end at .990-.992

 

[JohnT]

At .990 your fermentation is pretty much complete.

If you have a defined layer of sediment, I would rack it. I have found it is always better to remove the gross lees early rather than late. If you do, you may need to give it an additional racking after your return.

 

[wineforfun]

Agree with JohnT. Fermentation is done. Bubbles could be gas. I would rack it, stabilize it, and let it sit.

 

[sct1984]

Thanks everyone for your input - to rack it and get it off those lees was the direction I was leaning.

So this would lead to a follow up question...

I understand now that I should rack, with 5 crushed campden tablets (since 5 gallons of wine). Is it best now to add a clearing agent, or would this be better to do after I back sweeten? It is a strawberry wine.

 

[Johnd]

Typically, the process I follow when I intend to backsweeten is to rack + KMS + sorbate + clearing agents + degas, and let it sit for a month or more, at which time it should be quite clear if you've degassed well.

I usually take some small samples of the cleared wine and do some bench testing for sweetness, and then add the sweetness I desire. Let sit (minimum) another couple of months before racking and bottling. I feel that 6 - 9 months is better before bottling, but if its clear and gas free, it's your call.

 

[Floandgary]

Started at 1.090 then first racked into a glass carboy at 1.028. It is at .990 now... but there is still some activity in the airlock - very little though

@.990 it is about as dry as it will get. Won't hurt a thing to let it be till you get back

 

[Tnuscan]

After stabilizing, the 3 weeks your away, the wine will be clearing.

 

[Wiz]

Do not add a clearing product at this point as you will be stirring or whipping to degas. You would just be mixing the clearing agent and sediment back into the wine. After degassing is the time to add the clearing agent.

 

[sct1984]

So the local wine shop had suggested to
1. Rack off the lees into another carboy
2. degas
3. add K-meta
4. add sorbet
5. add clearing agent (kieselsol, then Chitosan)

Does this sound about right?

 

[Tnuscan]

So the local wine shop had suggested to
1. Rack off the lees into another carboy
2. degas
3. add K-meta
4. add sorbet
5. add clearing agent (kieselsol, then Chitosan)

Does this sound about right?

Yes, this is what I refer to as the stabilization process. Make sure your wine is degassed good after following your steps listed in your post. After three weeks when you return, it will be clear. Be gentle, rack into a clean carboy, adding k-meta to bulkage or bottle.

 

[sct1984]

Thanks Dave. Ha - realized that should read Sorbate, not sorbet. Auto-correct. But speaking of Sorbet....... should I be back sweetening before adding the clearing agent, or can I let it sit to clear and then back sweeten before bottling?

If back-sweetening should be done before clearing, is it safe to presume that it would be fine to sit until I get back to back-sweeten and then clear? Through my readings, it doesn't sound like adding clearing agents need to be right away, or even at all if one has that sort of patience..

 

[Tnuscan]

Thanks Dave. Ha - realized that should read Sorbate, not sorbet. Auto-correct. But speaking of Sorbet....... should I be back sweetening before adding the clearing agent, or can I let it sit to clear and then back sweeten before bottling?

If back-sweetening should be done before clearing, is it safe to presume that it would be fine to sit until I get back to back-sweeten and then clear? Through my readings, it doesn't sound like adding clearing agents need to be right away, or even at all if one has that sort of patience..

The call is yours, I very rarely back-sweeten. Post #11 by Johnd covers a good process for doing so.

One thing to look at is, you know your bung has a tight seal and will not pop out (or shouldn't) while your gone.

 

[sct1984]

Well - I am back from vacation and the wine seems to be clearing nicely! Tasting it though was still incredibly dry and acidic. Testing acidity, from what I could tell, it consistently tested between .80 - .85 TA. Perhaps the "lazy way" to back-sweeten, we added a simple syrup (1:1 sugar to water) to 3 different glasses of 750ml of wine. 1 x 10ml, 1 x 15ml, and 1 x 30ml, chilled, and tasted.

I am sure this may not be the best way to do it, but adding the 15ml did bring out some nice flavours and dropped the TA to between .60 -.65%. Tonight I plan to re-make the same solution to confirm that's the taste we are actually aiming for, and sweeten the batch.

Question is: If I have already added the K-Meta/Sorbate, do I need to add again after sweetening?

 

[Johnd]

Well - I am back from vacation and the wine seems to be clearing nicely! Tasting it though was still incredibly dry and acidic. Testing acidity, from what I could tell, it consistently tested between .80 - .85 TA. Perhaps the "lazy way" to back-sweeten, we added a simple syrup (1:1 sugar to water) to 3 different glasses of 750ml of wine. 1 x 10ml, 1 x 15ml, and 1 x 30ml, chilled, and tasted.

I am sure this may not be the best way to do it, but adding the 15ml did bring out some nice flavours and dropped the TA to between .60 -.65%. Tonight I plan to re-make the same solution to confirm that's the taste we are actually aiming for, and sweeten the batch.

Question is: If I have already added the K-Meta/Sorbate, do I need to add again after sweetening?

No, you do not need to add the Sorbate or KMS again. Over time, the KMS becomes bound and your free KMS dissipates, that's why we add more at 3 month racking intervals. Sorbate lasts a good long while, yours was added very recently, so you're certainly ok there. Be careful with the sugar, as the wine ages a bit, the sweetness and fruitiness tends to increase.