Lees in bottom of secondary

[Fixit guy]

I am making an apricot/white grape wine that I am making from a puree'. I transfered to secondary and have about three inches of lees on the bottom of secondary after one day. Do I need to strain these off or wait till I rack.
P.S. I am new to wine making as this is my third batch.I am hooked!
Been reading this forum and the information is incredible.
Thanks....

Edited by: Fixit guy

 

[grapeman]

Well welcome aboard Mr. Fixit Guy! Glad you find it useful here. You can just leave the lees there if just transfered to the secondary. It will settle down after a while and be easier to siphon off the good wine after that. It is probably the apricot making a lot of lees. Peach does that also. Good luck with it.

 

[Fixit guy]

Thanks Appleman, I was just making sure that I didn't mess this up.





Fixit Guy.........Edited by: Fixit guy

 

[Wade E]

Let those lees compress a little or you will lose a lot of wine. I would put a wedge under 1 side of the carboy a few days before racking so you can get the racking cane on the other side and not transfer as much lees over o your next carboy. Welcome fixit and hope you stay with us.

 

[uavwmn]

Welcome Fixit Guy. Enjoy the fun, the hobby and the Forum.

 

[Fixit guy]

This information is what I am looking for.
One question, when I rack can I get any juice out the sedement on the bottom or do I discard this?It seems there might be alot left in jug.


Thanks
Fixit Guy...........Edited by: Fixit guy

 

[grapeman]

After it compacts you won't lose much wine. When you rack it, tip the carboy with some kind of wedge, block of wood or similar. It allows you to get extra wine without a lot of lees. You can also rack off the real dirty stuff with mostly liquid in another small bottle and airlock-let it settle out and then use the liquid at the top to top off later.

 

[smokegrub]

If the lees do not compress well, I rack and then transer the lees to a 1 gallon jug which I fit with an airlock. This usually results in further settling of the lees and I siphon off the wine.

This very thing occurred with my cranberry and it appears I will salvage almost 2 bottles of wine from the lees.

 

[Guest]

Fixit:


My advice here, being as I'm planning on an apricott as my next batch after my Raspberry is bottled, would be to use a straining sock next time (assumeing you didn't this time) for your fruit.
I'd also recomend the same as Appleman & Wade, that you very gently and carefully, set a wedge, book or anything that will make the carboy tip as far as you can comfortably tip it without disturbing the settling level of the apricott lees.


If you have 3" of lees in the bottom, you can't get much juice from it after it settles out completly. It becomes like dirt, compacting more each day.
Don't try to drag out more wine from it, siphon what you can get and use your straining sock next time (see above).


Welcome to the forum!

 

[Fixit guy]

Thanks for the tip. I was using a puree' so I was thinking no sock was needed but next time I will use the straining bag.
Thanks....

 

[Guest]

Fix-it:
Using the straining bag will in most cases, reduce your lees to 1/2" or soon the bottom.
Then 3 or 4 rackings will clear your wine nicely. You may need to add additional clearing materials but that's not the general rule of thumb.


Why don't you consider posting your Appricott wine on the system here so we can see what you're doing?
We're all curious about each others recepies and procedures and these postings help out a lot.
Use Northern Winos Raspberry Niagra (http://www.finevinewines.com/wiz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4721)
as an example. If you add any notes you're keeping, it helps the guys advise on your progress.
It also helps those of us who develope an interest in the same type of wine to mimic it our selves.
I have a personal interest in what you're doingas I'm planning my next batch to be Appricott.
Best in all...
Handyman

 

[Fixit guy]

Handyman 454, here is what I have going on with this wine. Anybody have any suggestions I am all ears.



<TABLE =table cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=1 width="100%">
<T>
<TR>
<TD>1 49 oz. Can Apricot Puree </TD>
<TD>5 Pints Water</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>1-1/2 lbs. Sugar</TD>
<TD>1/2 tsp Acid Blend</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>1 tsp Pectic Enzyme</TD>
<TD>1 tsp Yeast Nutrient</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>1/4 tsp Grape Tannin </TD>
<TD>1 Pkg Wine Yeast*

</TD></TR></T></TABLE>




Red star Cote de Blanc yeast I can of Welches white grape




Started 1-12-08 S.G.1.088 Temp. 65
1-15-08 S.G. 1.035 68
1-16-08 S.G. 1.020 66 Transfered to secondary
1-19-08 S.G. 0.99566




I have yet to rack this as it is still on the lees.

 

[Guest]

The only thing I see you doing differently than I do is your fermentation temperature. I try to maintain a temp of around 75 degrees. I'v found that lower temps cause the fermentation to drag and higher temps just plain stop it. My fermentations usually run no more than4 days.
After the fermentation has quit I lower my temps to about what you're experiencing and clear there. then into the cellar at 55 degrees.


How does it taste to you now?


How are the Puree's working for you?
I thought about that myself but I like the wine so much I can't see making just one gallon. I make all my batches in 6 gallon quantities and usetwo, 96oz fruit base cans to do it.
So far I love the results.


Happy Wining Fixit.

 

[Fixit guy]

I agree with you that one gallon is not enough. like I said I am new to this hobby and started small so I can learn the the basic steps. The six gallon kit is looking better all the time. I fermented this at a cooler temp beacause I read that the white wines do better that way? I have not tasted yet butI amgoing to rack in a few days so I will let you know.

 

[Wade E]

Most wines do better at lower temps but be careful as not all yeasts are effective at low temps. you have t use a yeast that is ok at these temps. they will ferment slower but will be fine.