The App looks for starting temp and finishing temp. So, I plugged in the same # (e.g. started and finished at 72*). I think temp differences can cause a variation of +/- 0.2% ABV. But, that’s nothing to fret over.
First kit started tonight!
- Thread starter Scott Harbison
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The App looks for starting temp and finishing temp. So, I plugged in the same # (e.g. started and finished at 72*). I think temp differences can cause a variation of +/- 0.2% ABV. But, that’s nothing to fret over.
Scott Harbison
Member
Took a SG reading this afternoon and its now at 1.030. The instructions say it needs to be at 1.020 or lower, so I'm getting close.I'll let it go for another two days and check again, or should I check it each day? On another note, the wine doesn't smell as good as it did early on (day1-3) Im guessing the yeast activity is what I'm smelling. I hope its just that anyway.
Since you’re kit didn’t come with skins, your only concern right now is getting to an SG finish of 0.990-0.995. Don’t fret over a couple days more in the primary. Your wine is full of co2 (good if you’re worried about oxidation).
Remember, when you transfer your wine from an open primary container to a carboy with an airlock, you’re restricting the amount of O2 and that tends to slow your ferment.
Relax and take your time. Everything is fine.
When you say that your wine “doesn’t smell as good”, what do you mean? Yeasty? That’s fine. Sharp and fuzzy? That’s fine too. Stinky rotten eggs?? That’s not okay.
I’m pretty sure I know what he means. The 1st half is one of the greatest smells known to man. The 2nd half the smell takes on a different vibe tho. Still similar to 1st half, but with an added bitter or acidic undertone sorta kinda. Not as enjoyable as the first stage, but not bad either.
Your good. Just the normal smells from fermentation.
Definitely wanna be checking SG at minimum every day to monitor progress. I just drop hydromter right in bucket. Never used a big mouth. Time of initial transfer is personal choice. I wait till about 1.000
Your good. Just the normal smells from fermentation.
Definitely wanna be checking SG at minimum every day to monitor progress. I just drop hydromter right in bucket. Never used a big mouth. Time of initial transfer is personal choice. I wait till about 1.000
Scott Harbison
Member
Thanks jgmann! The smell certainly isn't a rotten egg smell, just a yeasty, bready smell but not like that terrific first whiff with the oak, new yeast and grape juice. That was a great smell! I'm not too worried. I will do as you suggest Ajmassa and take a reading each day. I'm hopeful that I'll get a 1.00 reading or lower in the next few days, but I'm not going to rush it. My temp seems to be pretty consistent at 74.
The cap is pretty much gone now, just a thin layer of bubbles. I can actually see the oak chips again, so dropping the hydrometer in the Big Mouth might work going forward.
The cap is pretty much gone now, just a thin layer of bubbles. I can actually see the oak chips again, so dropping the hydrometer in the Big Mouth might work going forward.
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So true. Even more hypnotic than watching my little robotic vacuum cleaning whizzing around (with the lights off) ..
Scott Harbison
Member
Alright, my SG reading tonight was at 1.01! I'll check it again tomorrow and Saturday, with the plan to go ahead and rack on Saturday afternoon. The wine is very cloudy as I guess it would be. A quick sip gave me a strong alcohol taste. I'm not sure what its supposed to taste like at this early stage though.
Sounds like you’re on track, wine at this stage isn’t particularly tasty, you’re really just looking for terrible tastes / odors that might tip you off to an issue.
Scott Harbison
Member
Day 11, SG at 1.000. I decided to go ahead and rack the Merlot to secondary.Now I'll let her sit for another 7-10 days before stabilizing and clearing. Feels good to be moving forward! .I think my head space is good and the sediment in the bottom seemed to stay and I don't think I picked up too much of it.
Boatboy24
No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
Don't rush secondary. As you said, your headspace is good, so nothing to worry about there. Give it ten days, then check SG. The same reading (below 1.000) for 3 days in a row and you can safely say you're done.
Scott Harbison
Member
So, I'm now at 21 days since starting my first kit. I racked to secondary on day 11 and the wine has been in secondary for 10 days. There is still a bit of C02 bubbling, but it's pretty slow. I'm planning on leaving it in the carboy for another 4 days, then will proceed to stabilizing and clearing. I'll need to degas. My plan is to siphon from the glass carboy back to the Big Mouth Bubbler for the stabilizing and clearing. The kit says to wait 48 hours after adding the potassium metabisulphite and potassium sorbate before degassing. My question is, can I cap the BMB for that 48 hours and then degas in there before racking back to a clean carboy? It seems like the degassing would be easier in the BMB. Directions siphon to bucket, clear and stabilize, then re-rack to carboy, wait 48 hours and degas. What do you guys think?
Rack and leave behind sediment, put it back in glass with sulfite, skip the sorbate unless you plan on adding sugar to make it sweet. Degas with my vacuum pump that you can borrow, add clearing agents, stir well, top up, airlock, forget about it til it’s clear.
I just read through this thread, I think it is so cool that both of you live close enough for John to share his knowledge to help Scott out. I love the fact that @jgmann67 lives close enough I can visit with a 30 minute or so drive, though we have a tough time getting together since I'm always running kids too and fro, and he's always busy overseeing his pool from under an umbrella sipping on good wine. 
I just read through this thread, I think it is so cool that both of you live close enough for John to share his knowledge to help Scott out. I love the fact that @jgmann67 lives close enough I can visit with a 30 minute or so drive, though we have a tough time getting together since I'm always running kids too and fro, and he's always busy overseeing his pool from under an umbrella sipping on good wine.
It’s quite new to me, but it’s a good thing, we’re about 5 miles apart. Wished I’d have had someone nearby when I started, it’s a great hobby, gotta pay it forward. I suspect that the learning is going to go both ways.
Scott Harbison
Member
Not going to add any sugar. I plan on racking this weekend. I will put it back in glass with sulphite. I'll certainly take the opportunity to borrow the vacuum pump! Thanks as always John!
I just read through this thread, I think it is so cool that both of you live close enough for John to share his knowledge to help Scott out. I love the fact that @jgmann67 lives close enough I can visit with a 30 minute or so drive, though we have a tough time getting together since I'm always running kids too and fro, and he's always busy overseeing his pool from under an umbrella sipping on good wine.
What? Yeah... that's what I'm busy doing. [emoji12]
I figured that would get your attention...
Boatboy24
No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
Got the same thing w/ @mainshipfred . Very nice having a fellow winemaker so close by. And yes, the learning is definitely going both ways.
I think we win the proximity contest. I bet we are no further then 2 miles. Too bad our schedules don't let us get together more often.
