lees floating

[Isaiah]

Is it normal for the lees to float from the bottom to the top while gertting reall close to the end of fermentation? The bubble carry it up and when it pops they fall back down. Anybody ever seen this before?

 

[winemaker_3352]

A bubble? Is your wine releasing tiny bubbles? It could be degassing or going thru MLF. And yes if not properly degassed it can cause particles to be suspended.

 

[Isaiah]

Maybe this one was a stupid question! Just want to know if its normal.

 

[winemaker_3352]

Maybe this one was a stupid question! Just want to know if its normal.

Nope - not a stupid question - just trying to understand what you meant by a bubble.

When was fermentation complete? Did you degass, backsweeten or add f-pac?

 

[Isaiah]

Its not quite complete yet. And by bubble I mean the CO2 coming up from the bottom when it hits the surface the gunk falls back down.

 

[winemaker_3352]

Its not quite complete yet. And by bubble I mean the CO2 coming up from the bottom when it hits the surface the gunk falls back down.

Yup - that is normal - i have seen that in my wines - when the fermentation completes - rack off the lees and let age - all that sediment will fall out.

 

[Isaiah]

Its got to be really close to being done with fermentaion but I have no way of checking until thursday when my order comes as I shattered my hydrometer plus I need more bungs. So you say MLF is this malolactic fermentation? And if so I didnt know that it does that unless you add malolactic culture to it.

 

[winemaker_3352]

Its got to be really close to being done with fermentaion but I have no way of checking until thursday when my order comes as I shattered my hydrometer plus I need more bungs. So you say MLF is this malolactic fermentation? And if so I didnt know that it does that unless you add malolactic culture to it.

MLF can occur naturally if you keep your SO2 levels up - not that it always will - but it can.

 

[Isaiah]

what do you mean by keeping your SO2 up? Not sure how that all works!

 

[winemaker_3352]

what do you mean by keeping your SO2 up? Not sure how that all works!

Just make sure you have your SO2 levels around 50ppm. You can achieve this by adding k-meta in. You can purchase and Accuvin Free SO2 test kit. But i usually just add 1/4 tsp per 6 gallon batch every 3-4 months.

 

[Isaiah]

Should I do that before or after I rack off the sediment?

 

[winemaker_3352]

after - draw a sample of wine - and mix the k-meta in it. then stir it back in.

 

[Wade E]

I had one batch that was awesome and looked like a lava lamp. Just let it settle a little and then rack or just transfer it over and plan on doing an earler racking.

 

[Sliverpicker]

my carboy has its own convection going right now!! Down the front and up the back...and there is a cloud of bubbles on the surface near the back of the carboy!! Looks really cool, wish I could get a vid of it!

Think this is because it is my primary ferment.