Ok, I am real excited here so I will try not to pee on the carpet,
The process so far, from acquiring all the fermet buckets, jugs, hydrometers, yeasts, nutirents, airlock, concentrates, sugars, yadda yadda yadda, I think as far as PRIMARY fermentation is concerned I got that locked down.
But, it seems that making wine is not an exact science. Which is the way I like things in life, if I had to just follow a 1-2-3 step in life, there is no room for my mind to think outside the box and that takes some of the enjoyment out of it for me,
But my problem now is, Because this is not an exact science, everyone has a different way of doing things and I am a bit confused, but trying to narrow it down into my own formula by means of picking and pulling all this information and keeping what best suits my intentions.
1) Reading S.G _Is it not true that primary fermetation is complete at 1.000 ?. That is the absolute S.G for plain old tap water, so there is nothing left for the yeast to consume ... YET, it is possible to get a wine to hit .995 to .990 , I would imagine this is just yeasts still kicking a bit and once they fall off, the reason for this reading is an effect brought on by the alc in the water, making the water weight displacement lighter thenplain tap water due to the alc? I mean since our meters are pre-weighted for absolute no sugar, then you can't really float a meter in the Minus absence of sugar ?
2) To chemical, or not to chemical. Now, alot of people are into the K-meta, so on and so forth. Most of these people I have spoken to or read are into storing their bottles for EXTENED amounts of time. Where as other people I speak with are only storing their wines ( me included ) for no longer then 6 months to a year ( IF THEY LAST THAT LONG
) As long as the alc level after primary fermenting is 11 or greater. So in a nut shell, If one is keeping their alc levels greater then 11. , then there should be no need to add K-meta if the wine isn't goning to see it's 1rst birthday ?
3) The addition of stabilization. So, there is no way of stopping fermetation at any giving point until there is no sugar left correct ? If one was to stop fermetation before 1.000 they would basically have to cold rack it to temps just below 40 degrees for a few days to try and ( OFF ) the yeast with temperatures they can not tolerate. But now with that being said, if they were to bring the jug back to room temp then bottle, there could be a slight chance some of the yeast survived, causing refermenting to begin again. But If you are only racking at room temp and are already 1.000 ( or lower ) there is no possible way refermentation could possible happen, right ? UNLESS you may have sweetened your wine with sugar or such prior to bottling. ( possibly restarting ) So stablizing chemicals should'nt be needed if the racking is 100 % done fermeting. ?
4) Racking do's and dont's . Alot of people do not add any K-meta during first racking because there still is alot of CO2 in the wine, protecting it, But then I have been told that the second or 3rd, K-Meta will be added, But, if the wine is over 11 % and the racking jugs are topped off to the very top, with no chance of air oxidation ( minus the air introduced by racking ) There should be no reason for any additional chemicals at all ?
5) My reasons, I am not Against chemicals by any means if they absolutely are nessicary to making this wine. BUT I get more then enough chemicals introduced to my body when I get those darn 2 for 1 hot dog specials at the gas station
I read that K-Meta and the sodium version are just basically one is sodium, and people are trying to limit their sodium intake, and the K-Meta puts in exactly the same chemical compounds as the yeast themselves produce, just in different amounts. I am not sure though what the chemical compound of the stabilizer is though. So I have no reall issue with them if they need be..
6) My only thought , If I can make 11 and great %, Rack with as minum air induction as possible, ferment and rack in CLEAN equipment and bottle in CLEAN bottles , then only expect heck 10 monthsfor this wine to remain
then no other chemicals should be needed ?
I guess you could say , I am more of an ORGANIC winer
7) If K-meta is needed... Am I safe to say that at the end of the last racking, introduce 1 tablet per gallon, crushed disolved then stirred in the wine till my arm falls off, then bottle ?
Sorry I am so (winded ) today, just a bouncing of thoughts in the head and one cup of coffee to many
The process so far, from acquiring all the fermet buckets, jugs, hydrometers, yeasts, nutirents, airlock, concentrates, sugars, yadda yadda yadda, I think as far as PRIMARY fermentation is concerned I got that locked down.
But, it seems that making wine is not an exact science. Which is the way I like things in life, if I had to just follow a 1-2-3 step in life, there is no room for my mind to think outside the box and that takes some of the enjoyment out of it for me,
But my problem now is, Because this is not an exact science, everyone has a different way of doing things and I am a bit confused, but trying to narrow it down into my own formula by means of picking and pulling all this information and keeping what best suits my intentions.
1) Reading S.G _Is it not true that primary fermetation is complete at 1.000 ?. That is the absolute S.G for plain old tap water, so there is nothing left for the yeast to consume ... YET, it is possible to get a wine to hit .995 to .990 , I would imagine this is just yeasts still kicking a bit and once they fall off, the reason for this reading is an effect brought on by the alc in the water, making the water weight displacement lighter thenplain tap water due to the alc? I mean since our meters are pre-weighted for absolute no sugar, then you can't really float a meter in the Minus absence of sugar ?
2) To chemical, or not to chemical. Now, alot of people are into the K-meta, so on and so forth. Most of these people I have spoken to or read are into storing their bottles for EXTENED amounts of time. Where as other people I speak with are only storing their wines ( me included ) for no longer then 6 months to a year ( IF THEY LAST THAT LONG
3) The addition of stabilization. So, there is no way of stopping fermetation at any giving point until there is no sugar left correct ? If one was to stop fermetation before 1.000 they would basically have to cold rack it to temps just below 40 degrees for a few days to try and ( OFF ) the yeast with temperatures they can not tolerate. But now with that being said, if they were to bring the jug back to room temp then bottle, there could be a slight chance some of the yeast survived, causing refermenting to begin again. But If you are only racking at room temp and are already 1.000 ( or lower ) there is no possible way refermentation could possible happen, right ? UNLESS you may have sweetened your wine with sugar or such prior to bottling. ( possibly restarting ) So stablizing chemicals should'nt be needed if the racking is 100 % done fermeting. ?
4) Racking do's and dont's . Alot of people do not add any K-meta during first racking because there still is alot of CO2 in the wine, protecting it, But then I have been told that the second or 3rd, K-Meta will be added, But, if the wine is over 11 % and the racking jugs are topped off to the very top, with no chance of air oxidation ( minus the air introduced by racking ) There should be no reason for any additional chemicals at all ?
5) My reasons, I am not Against chemicals by any means if they absolutely are nessicary to making this wine. BUT I get more then enough chemicals introduced to my body when I get those darn 2 for 1 hot dog specials at the gas station
6) My only thought , If I can make 11 and great %, Rack with as minum air induction as possible, ferment and rack in CLEAN equipment and bottle in CLEAN bottles , then only expect heck 10 monthsfor this wine to remain
7) If K-meta is needed... Am I safe to say that at the end of the last racking, introduce 1 tablet per gallon, crushed disolved then stirred in the wine till my arm falls off, then bottle ?
Sorry I am so (winded ) today, just a bouncing of thoughts in the head and one cup of coffee to many