Must Status after 8 days

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Good morning:

First wine attempt. Here we go......

Started with 1 gallon of 100% Welch's organic, grape juice, no preservatives. Added the malic/tartaric acid, tannin, yeast and yeast nutrient.

Placed into a sanitized one gallon, glass carboy equipped with an alcohol-filled air lock.

Staring SG = 1.086. SG after 8 days = 0.0998. So ABV = 11.21%.

Questions:
*Can I continue the secondary fermentation in the primary fermentation carboy, air lock inserted?
*May I gentle swirl the carboy to vent the entrained/dissolved CO2?
*If the previously mentioned protocol is plausible, how long can I/should I hold in this mode?
*When should the Na metabisulfite be added?
*To Bottle or Not to Bottle this first batch
 
Now that fermentation is done, gently rack it, leaving the lees behind. Clean the container out, add .3 grams of SO2, refill the container with the wine and fill the container to the top with similar wine, add airlock and let it age.

Can I continue the secondary fermentation in the primary fermentation carboy, air lock inserted? Yes, after you rack it.

*May I gentle swirl the carboy to vent the entrained/dissolved CO2? After racking you can, but time and patience is rewarded in wine making, so give it time, the CO2 will come out on its own.

*If the previously mentioned protocol is plausible, how long can I/should I hold in this mode?
I would add the same amount of SO2 and rack after 3 months, then wait another 6 months. (The patience part)

*When should the Na metabisulfite be added? After racking, then at the 3 month racking.

*To Bottle or Not to Bottle this first batch. Yea, drink one now and then open the remainder each 6 months and you will see why patience is rewarded.
 
Last edited:
"*When should the Na metabisulfite be added?"

Hopefully you meant K or Potassium Metabisulfite and not Sodium (Na) Metabisulite.
 
I am using Campden tablets, K Metabisulfite. I am not sensitive to Na so it could be used?

KmBS appears to be more potent. Still would like to know how much I need to add to my 1 gallon of must prior to my first racking. Thanks!
 
I am using Campden tablets, K Metabisulfite. I am not sensitive to Na so it could be used?

KmBS appears to be more potent. Still would like to know how much I need to add to my 1 gallon of must prior to my first racking. Thanks!

One is no or more less potent than the other, and either can be used for sanitizing purposes. Na meta is purported to give the wine an off taste, whereas K meta does not. Normal dosage for 6 gallons is 1/4 tsp, so you’d need to divide it up for one gallon. If you’re using tablets, each tablet is sized for one gallon.
 

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