First wine- 5 or 7 day primary?

[jksooner]

Hello all! First post, first wine.

I am making a Winexpert World Vineyard Chilean Melbac.

The directions say that primary fermentation should be 5-7 days. Is there a best practice here? Better to rack to the secondary closer to the 5 day mark or the 7 day mark, or does it matter?

Airlock has been pretty active for the last few days with the yeast smell, but has now calmed down quite a bit with mo odor at all.

Thanks! (I'm on day 6 by the way)

 

[cmason1957]

Best to ignore the number of days and use the reading of the hydrometer.

According to the directions: After 5-7 days, check your specific gravity, it should be 1.010 or less.

I stir my wine twice or three times a day (which isn't something the directions tell you to do) and measure the SG at one of those stir times, I usually just sanitize my hydrometer and drop it into my fermentation bucket.

 

[jksooner]

Best to ignore the number of days and use the reading of the hydrometer.

According to the directions: After 5-7 days, check your specific gravity, it should be 1.010 or less.

I stir my wine twice or three times a day (which isn't something the directions tell you to do) and measure the SG at one of those stir times, I usually just sanitize my hydrometer and drop it into my fermentation bucket.

Thank you! So it will not hurt the wine if I pull the top off the bucket and its not ready?

 

[cmason1957]

I know the directions told you to snap that lid down and leave it alone for the 5-7 days. I did my first few wine kits that way. I now either just put the lid on very loosely, or just cover with a cloth of some sort. Since I have a golden retriever, I generally put the lid just on. That makes it easy to stir, like I said.

No, it will not hurt to remove the top and check it. In the early stages of fermentation, your wine is producing plenty of CO2 and keeps your wine from oxidizing. At about 1.010, you need to move the fermenting wine to an airlocked container. The amount of CO2 being produced drops way down.

For future reference, if this was a white wine kit, I would suggest that you lock that lid down and use an airlock sooner, to further minimize the chances of oxidizing the wine.

Oh and I should have said this, make sure you clean and sanitize whatever touches your wine. Spritz it with potassium metabisulphite to sanitize.

 

[jksooner]

Excellent information... thank you!

I don't know why I waited so long to start making my own wine and beer.

 

[cmason1957]

Just take your time and enjoy the process. I suppose I should warn you that if you get carboys wet, they reproduce. I started with 1 and have 35 now, with 20-30 full at any given time.

 

[jksooner]

Just take your time and enjoy the process. I suppose I should warn you that if you get carboys wet, they reproduce. I stayed with 1 and have 35 now, with 20-30 full at any given time.

Well, I try not to feed them after midnight

 

[jksooner]

By the way... are you a Mason? I'm a Mason.

 

[cmason1957]

Why yes I am, in more ways than one. Been one since I was old enough to be one. Almost had to be one, with the last name.

 

[jksooner]

I am only in name. My grandfather (on my mother's side, who was a McRae) was a Mason, but as far as I know he is the only one in my family aside from my uncle. He (PawPaw McRae) passed away when I was 3 or so, and my uncle McRae probably 15 years or so ago. I don't think Grandaddy Mason (who just recently passed) was a Mason. He was, however, just like myself, a Mason.

 

[cmason1957]

I am second generation. Not nearly as active as my father who is Part Master and a member of both Scottish and York Rites. Also KCCH.

My daughters aren't in any of it. My older one is even big in Knights of Columbus. Oh well it could be worse.

 

[kevinlfifer]

I would go 7 days on those skins or till SG is 1.01 or less which ever is LONGER. Could be 7 days and SG @.993 or 9 days and SG @ 1.01.

 

[Wiz]

It is best to always be led by your hydrometer rather than directions.

 

[jksooner]

I racked it at 6 days and .992. But you suggest keeping it in for the full seven days next time?

 

[Bibelljim]

I agree, go by the numbers on the Hydrometer. From what I am told, different temperature can effect the time.