Extended Maceration

[sdelli]

After 10 days of fermentation all three bins are at around .998.... Tonight I shrink wrapped the bins and gassed them with Argon. Now.... 3 days of extended maceration.....

 

[KeystoneHomebrew]

Was this on purpose, or out of necessity? Just curious.

 

[sdelli]

Was this on purpose, or out of necessity? Just curious.

It was both on purpose since I wanted to try it and see its results but also out of necessity since I do not have the time to press until this weekend.

 

[JohnT]

After 10 days of fermentation all three bins are at around .998.... Tonight I shrink wrapped the bins and gassed them with Argon. Now.... 3 days of extended maceration.....

Good Luck, I hope it works out for you.
I see this as very dangerous and would not recommend this to anyone.

 

[Boatboy24]

Isn't an extended maceration usually started BEFORE the yeast is pitched? In other words: keep the juice cold and on the skins for a few days, then let it warm back up and pitch the yeast?

 

[sdelli]

Isn't an extended maceration usually started BEFORE the yeast is pitched? In other words: keep the juice cold and on the skins for a few days, then let it warm back up and pitch the yeast?

It is done both ways and times...

 

[sdelli]

Good Luck, I hope it works out for you. I see this as very dangerous and would not recommend this to anyone.

Thanks... I think it is not as dangerous as you think if done correctly. If you turn the container into an air tight vessel and gas it... It is basically just like being in a gassed carboy. Only still on the skins. The real question is how will it effect the taste of the wine because it could make it better or more tart... I am pressing tomorrow and we will see.....

 

[tingo]

Please post your results. Im interested to see what you will create post fermentation. My prediction is a very tannic dark wine.

 

[sdelli]

Pressed today... Wine was dark and thicker at the press... But tasted very good! Not tanic at all...

 

[sdelli]

All in carboys...

 

[cedarswamp]

Whatcha got there? Looks good.

 

[seth8530]

Isn't an extended maceration usually started BEFORE the yeast is pitched? In other words: keep the juice cold and on the skins for a few days, then let it warm back up and pitch the yeast?

Cold soak is typically the term used for prefermentatoin soaking and extended maceration is the term used for after fermentation. I would not be surprised however if extended maceration is used to describe both phases.

 

[tingo]

Not tannic? Sounds like you pressed at the right time. Good job. Were you tasting everyday to watch for a change in tannic flavors?

 

[sdelli]

Not tannic? Sounds like you pressed at the right time. Good job. Were you tasting everyday to watch for a change in tannic flavors?

As soon as it got out in the air for a few minutes it level out nicely.... I decided not to take the chance and keep opening it to the air since it was only going through a 3 to 5 day extension. After the press I did a total blend that mixed the two fermentations of D21 and BM4X4.... Taste came together well.... Final blended SG came in at .995

 

[KeystoneHomebrew]

Great experiment. And the wine looks great!

Are you doing an MLF on them next?

 

[sdelli]

Great experiment. And the wine looks great!

Are you doing an MLF on them next?

Thanks.... Tonight is has been 48 hours and the carboys need a racking off the gross lees... Then I am going to do a MLF using VP41 this time. I heard a lot of good things about this one so I am going to try it out. I have used Bachus in the past with good results as well....

 

[KeystoneHomebrew]

VP41 has produced some great wines for me, as has Bachus, but I think you made the right choice. Great strain there!

 

[TicinoVintner]

Cold soak is typically the term used for prefermentatoin soaking and extended maceration is the term used for after fermentation. I would not be surprised however if extended maceration is used to describe both phases.

Cold soak is pre fermentation, (some studies have questioned if this brings any results and many winemakers no longer use this method) EM is fermentation and beyond. Last year I went 27 days with whole berries before pressing. The wine is extremely complex with a great mouth feel, however it's still too young to bottle. This years EM is still going.....

Edit, just checked the calander and I am now on 31 days since harvest. maybe I should go check it. Lol.

 

[seth8530]

Hehe, nice to hear.. I think my cold soak increased the sugar by a couple brix.. however, I have not tried mine side by side against a non coldsoaked wine. that ifs quite the extended mascrration you got going on.

 

[TicinoVintner]

Hehe, nice to hear.. I think my cold soak increased the sugar by a couple brix.. however, I have not tried mine side by side against a non coldsoaked wine. that ifs quite the extended mascrration you got going on.

Hmmm, I am not sure if that is possible at all (someone please correct me if I am wrong) but sugar development happens in the grape via photosynthesis from the nearest leaves. As soon as you remove the grape from the plant and the sun you remove any chance for further sugar development. The increase in Brix may be from the fact that it had a colder temperature than what is considered to be the normal range of your hydrometer.