First transfer, few questions

[FlTropical]

I checked tonight and my Elderberry wine is down to 1.01 already. Now I did put the berries (smashed) into a fine mesh bag. Questions I have now:

There is still that green stuff, how do I avoid transferring it into the secondary?

Do I simply squeeze the bag of mush to get the remaining juice out?

Do I use the siphon tube and just keep it below the crust? I was thinking of putting a funnel with a strainer on top to catch anything. I thought I read somewhere I want some of the leals to transfer?

Thanks in advance, I think if this was not a pulp fermentation I would not have so many questions.

 

[Minnesotamaker]

I can't answer all your questions, but as for the green goo, I find that it likes to stick to dry plastic. I would try to capture as much of it as possible before going to the secondary. I used drinking straws. They're cheap and disposable and the goo likes to stick to them.

 

[Julie]

Lon, nice idea.

FlTropical,

You can squeeze the bag slightly and what I usually do is pull the bag out the primary, place a sanitized oven rack on top of my primary and place a sansitized colander on the oven rack and place my bag of elderberries in the colander then let it drip out.

 

[Julie]

Lon, nice idea.

FlTropical,

You can squeeze the bag slightly and what I usually do is pull the bag out the primary, place a sanitized oven rack on top of my primary and place a sansitized colander on the oven rack and place my bag of elderberries in the colander then let it drip out.

 

[Arne]

If Julie will come back on, she can tell you if you can still do a blush with the elderberries. I do not know if you can ferment them almost dry then use them for a blush or if you pull them out early for it. I pulled mine after just a few days and got double duty out of them. have not tasted them yet so do not know how it comes out, but looks pretty good. Will be racking soon and will try it then. Arne.

 

[Tom]

Lon, nice idea.

FlTropical,

You can squeeze the bag slightly and what I usually do is pull the bag out the primary, place a sanitized oven rack on top of my primary and place a sansitized colander on the oven rack and place my bag of elderberries in the colander then let it drip out.

julie,
Did you stutter? (double post)

 

[Runningwolf]

Lon, nice idea.

FlTropical,

You can squeeze the bag slightly and what I usually do is pull the bag out the primary, place a sanitized oven rack on top of my primary and place a sansitized colander on the oven rack and place my bag of elderberries in the colander then let it drip out.

Julie could you please repeat that but type slower. I'm having trouble keeping up with you.

 

[FlTropical]

Thanks all, here is what i did:

Cleaned everything with meta bisulphate

Lifted the bag and squeezed the juice out

Emptied said bag

Inserted said bag into mouth of carboy (per tip from father in law)
used gravity transfer tube and basically used the old bag as a filter. It looks to have caught all or most of the green stuff and all pulp.

Removed bag, inserted stopper and air lock

Liquid is within 2" of top, should I add water to bring it up and reduce surface area?