Mosti Mondiale Just racked MM ALLJUICE CAB...why?

[JohnA]

Just got done racking my ALLJUICE cab, but now that the job is complete, I'm not so sure why I did this. Why not stir it well, add the oak, stir it well some more, and then air lock it?

Why not save the clean carboy for the next racking at which time lees are left behind?

Fool me once, shame on me, fool me twice...

 

[Joanie]

Did you start your wine in a carboy or a bucket?

 

[JohnA]

I started it in a bucket. I was thinking it could handle another two weeks in there before the "leave the lees behind" racking.

 

[Joanie]

You move it into a carboy to protect it. In a bucket there's a lot of contact with the air. That's okay when your must is working as the yeast needs oxygen to work. As it does, it will create a layer of protection with the gas the yeast gives off. When fermentation starts to slow, there is less of that protection. In a carboy even tho there might be some space between the must and the bung, it's much less room to fill. You did the exact right thing!

 

[Wade E]

There are kit manufacturers that have you do it that way such as RJ Spagnols and it does work fine and some like me actually prefer this method as it helps degas the wine. There are different ways of doing this procedure and you may do it your way but either move it per directions or when finished in my opinion as moving it later then instructions but before fermentation is done may stall fermentation unless you transfer all the lees with it as there is a lot of needed yeast in there that will help the fermentation finish properly.

 

[JohnA]

Thanks for the input Joan and Wade. I will of course follow the instructions. And I do realize now the space in the bucket is pretty significant and not a good idea even under air lock.

 

[Joanie]

You're learning, Grasshoppa!

 

[Wade E]

If kept in there just until fermentation is done there really is no harm as long as you dont continually open as the C02 will keep it protected. RJ Spagnols kits have you go 14 days in primary and then rack off all oak and sediment leaving all behind.

 

[peterCooper]

Which all goes to show that there are many ways to make win!

 

[JohnA]

And here is MM Alljuice Cab being racked at 1.020, seven days in. Added oak packet. About 1/4 cup was left over to warm me bones.

I decided it's best to draw some later for fining and degassing so I filled it right up, a couple of inches from the lip.

And now we wait some more.

 

[grapeman]

You may be sorry for filling it that far up with the SG still at 1.020. Sometimes they will boil over, even when not nearly that full. I would take a bottle's worth out and put that under airlock also. Then in a while when you rack again, you will have something to fill it up with.

 

[Dean]

Yup, what Appleman said.When you racked, you added some air, which the yeast love about 1/2 way through. This helps them build a stronger colony as the current sugar eaters are starting to slow down. So the new oxygen introduced bolsters the yeast colony and makes the final bit of fermentation a little vigorous.

As soon as I saw your pic, I thought that the small part of the cap is going to shoot some wine in a nice arch up to the ceiling.

 

[PolishWineP]

You can always put the last of the wine into a small bottle to use for topping up later. You treat it like a mini carboy. You will probably have to pour the wine out at racking time instead of using racking methods, but if you pour slowly you'll leave behind most of the sediment.

 

[JohnA]

Fortunately I had no volcanic eruptions from topping up the carboy. It continued fermenting smoothly, and the SG dropped to .094. I had to do a double racking because I have just the one carboy of that size. As you can see, I managed to leave a good bit of sediment behind. This wine, being my first all juice, smells and tastes like no other kit I've made. Excellent.

 

[Wade E]

Looks good John.

 

[PolishWineP]

Looks nice! Good color! I hope you find another carboy in your life soon!

 

[Jack on Rainy]

Hey John,
Is that a 6 gal carboy? I haven't had one AJ yet that would fill a carboy that full with a glass left over. They have all been 3 to 5" below the neck.

 

[JohnA]

That is a six gallon, Jack. With the oak, it took it to about two inches from the top. I stole another glass of it before de-gasing. Tasted great! I then topped up with a store-bought

cab after last de-gas and fining additions.

 

[Wade E]

I have don a few AJ's and they all have filled my carboy! I think you might have to let the lees settle and compact more so that you can get more out of it or check your bucket to see how accurately you are filling it to as the marks arent that accurate.