Hello! My question regards the primary and secondary fermentation stages with kits. To achieve the best results, it seems to me it would be best to rack to the secondary carboy with an airlock as soon as you achieve the target SG in the primary (even if this is days before the instructions dictate). I know most feedback suggests following the instruction days exactly, but I don't understand the logic of letting the wine totally ferment out in the primary.
Also, say you do decided to rack it to a carboy as soon as the SG is reached (days early), what factors determine how long you leave it in the secondary and what is the goal at this phase. For example, say it's totally fermented out in the secondary in 4-days (SG<.995), what function is served by leaving it there for a couple of weeks rather than moving on to the next step?
Just trying to understand these first two parts of the process more, not trying to rush anything at all. I understand the wine needs time, but is it better to move through these first two steps based on SG then age the finished wine later?
Thank you!
Also, say you do decided to rack it to a carboy as soon as the SG is reached (days early), what factors determine how long you leave it in the secondary and what is the goal at this phase. For example, say it's totally fermented out in the secondary in 4-days (SG<.995), what function is served by leaving it there for a couple of weeks rather than moving on to the next step?
Just trying to understand these first two parts of the process more, not trying to rush anything at all. I understand the wine needs time, but is it better to move through these first two steps based on SG then age the finished wine later?
Thank you!