Hitting 0.990 after one week on a kit

[roadpupp]

So, first kit in the primary. My work area is about 67 degrees so I used a brew belt and the fermentation took off! temps stayed around 80. The kit says to rack after 14 days. I started at 1.080 and now I am at 0.990.

The kit is a Grand Cru Heritage Estates Cab from RJ Spagnols. I followed the directions exactly.

My question is, is it ok to leave it in primary for another week? I am travelling and won't be able to check it. Should I rack it now and add the stabilizing and clearing chemicals? My gut says the kit knows what it is doing but will I end up with very high alcohol content? The 14th day it says SG should be "0.998 or lower"

Perhaps I just take the brew belt off and let it finish one more week at a lower temp?

Thanks!

 

[Affe]

So, first kit in the primary. My work area is about 67 degrees so I used a brew belt and the fermentation took off! temps stayed around 80. The kit says to rack after 14 days. I started at 1.080 and now I am at 0.990.

The kit is a Grand Cru Heritage Estates Cab from RJ Spagnols. I followed the directions exactly.

My question is, is it ok to leave it in primary for another week? I am travelling and won't be able to check it. Should I rack it now and add the stabilizing and clearing chemicals? My gut says the kit knows what it is doing but will I end up with very high alcohol content? The 14th day it says SG should be "0.998 or lower"

Perhaps I just take the brew belt off and let it finish one more week at a lower temp?

Thanks!

Wow that brew belt really set things off, didn't it? I would double-check your readings, and if you are at 0.990, I'd go ahead and move it into secondary. The yeast probably multiplied pretty quickly given the higher temperature. What kind of kit, and what kind of yeast?

 

[rjb222]

So, first kit in the primary. My work area is about 67 degrees so I used a brew belt and the fermentation took off! temps stayed around 80. The kit says to rack after 14 days. I started at 1.080 and now I am at 0.990.

The kit is a Grand Cru Heritage Estates Cab from RJ Spagnols. I followed the directions exactly.

My question is, is it ok to leave it in primary for another week? I am travelling and won't be able to check it. Should I rack it now and add the stabilizing and clearing chemicals? My gut says the kit knows what it is doing but will I end up with very high alcohol content? The 14th day it says SG should be "0.998 or lower"

Perhaps I just take the brew belt off and let it finish one more week at a lower temp?

Thanks!

80 degrees is on the outside for EC-1118. This is a very strong yeast that will work at a wide range of temperatures.The difference being the stress will also cause this yeast to leave funky flavors behind. Optimally EC 1118 works best giving a vigorous but clean ferment between 65 and 75 deg. When using a brew belt sometimes depending on the ambient temperature works good to start the ferment then the heat from the ferment it's self will be sufficient for a good ferment. You are on a 14 day cycle so some of the flavor is in the lees. Having disturbed the CO2 blanket I would move your wine to a secondary with as much of the lees as you can. Turn off the brew belt and let it sit until day 13 then turn on your brew belt the day before clearing to get the temperature up for degassing once you have cleared and degassed your wine turn off the brew belt.

 

[roadpupp]

RJB-

Thanks for the advice. So perhaps I was premature to put the brew belt on, or should have only done it for the first day? At 67 degrees I was worried I wouldn't get good fermentation. It was EC-1118 as you said.

I took a wine theif's worth and tested SG then dropped it back in. Does this really disturb the Co2 blanket? I am happy to rack the whole thing into a carboy if you think I am in danger of oxidizing in the primary bucket. I had no idea it was this fragile. That means I should do no stirring or testing during the first 14 days or I will disturb the Co2 blanket? I stirred it the first day only.

I wonder if I could just leave it in the primary and not mess with it until day 14? This would leave it on the lees but would present more surface area than a carboy. There is an oak tea bag and if I put it into the carboy I will lose the ability to oak for one of the two weeks.

If the kit is balanced, "fermenting to dry" should be ok even given the slightly higher temp the first week, or are they not that foolproof?

thanks again for all the help!

 

[rjb222]

RJB-

Thanks for the advice. So perhaps I was premature to put the brew belt on, or should have only done it for the first day? At 67 degrees I was worried I wouldn't get good fermentation. It was EC-1118 as you said.

I took a wine theif's worth and tested SG then dropped it back in. Does this really disturb the Co2 blanket? I am happy to rack the whole thing into a carboy if you think I am in danger of oxidizing in the primary bucket. I had no idea it was this fragile. That means I should do no stirring or testing during the first 14 days or I will disturb the Co2 blanket? I stirred it the first day only.

I wonder if I could just leave it in the primary and not mess with it until day 14? This would leave it on the lees but would present more surface area than a carboy. There is an oak tea bag and if I put it into the carboy I will lose the ability to oak for one of the two weeks.

If the kit is balanced, "fermenting to dry" should be ok even given the slightly higher temp the first week, or are they not that foolproof?

thanks again for all the help!

The heritage Estate series is the bottom starter type kit. I would definetly protect your wine. Break open the tea bag and put the chips into your carboy. You should be ok foolproof no but you really need to work at it with some things others not so much but the better your proceedure the better your wine allways.

 

[Gr8zins]

67 degrees is a high enough temp in my opinion to not need the brew belt. Slower ferments are good for wines and once the yeast activity picks up the temp will rise on its own. It's like it's living...you can feel the warmth from the outside of the bucket. I would give yours a god stir and put Into secondary since no more violent fermentation is going to take place. Then it's protected until you return

 

[roadpupp]

Thanks all I understand now that once the serious fermentation has quit, the is possibility of oxidation.

I transferred everything including lees to my 6 gallon and had to top off with 2/3 of a bottle of wine. Surprised. I was right at the 6 gallon mark in the primary.

 

[Gr8zins]

You will see a lot of variations in capacity. I was so sick of using store bought wine to top off that I started making enough home made in varying size containers that I became self sufficient. That has translated into a huge savings for me. Glad to know your wine is safe and sound.