Put pectin enzyme in too soon...

[WildernessWill]

I accidentally put my pectic enzyme in my primary immediately rather than waiting 12 hours. Should I add more in 12 hours? Will this mess up my yeast nutrients? Is it comparable with the campten tablets I added? I am a complete newb at this and greatly appreciate help from you wine gurus on my blackberry wine.

 

[Julie]

You should be fine, why don't you post up your recipe and procedures that you have done so far? This will give us a better idea of what is going on with your wine so we can give you better guidance.

 

[WildernessWill]

Using Toms Blackberry recipe for blackberry wine reduced for 5 gallons. I add 1 gal warm water with Go ferm and Ferm Aid(nutrients), 1 crushed campten tablet put in 2.5 tsp of pectin enzyme...whoops. Crushed 25 lbs berries and put in nylon bag. Tried to squeeze as much juice out as possible, let it hang for an hour. Put 8.5 lbs of sugar in boiling water. Poured over berry bag in primary. Topped off with water to get 1.085 SG. Without berry bag I have about 4 gallons product. I added 3 more crushed campten tablets. Put lid loosely on bucket.

Next step is my yeast starter. Whadda think? add yeast 24 hours from start? More pectic enzyme in 12 hours?

Also worried that with only 4 gals the is going to be too much head space in my 5 gal carboy. Will more juice leech out of my fruit bag?

I have never done this before so any feedback helps, thanks!

 

[djrockinsteve]

As far as the pectic enzyme no need to add it again. You will want to eliminate any headspace so either plan on using a 3 gal. carboy and a few other odd size bottles during clearing until it's time to age or you need to make some more.

You will get some juice off of the fruit but most likely not enough to fill that big of a void.

I try to start off with a good 6 gallons to age with 5 plus gallons.

 

[winemaker_3352]

You will be fine - it might take a little longer for the pectic to actually start working since the SO2 levels will be higher - but as the SO2 levels go down - the pectic will take off.

 

[docanddeb]

We seem to be talking apples and oranges here...

In your first bucket (primary), head space isn't an issue. You'll be putting a towel or piece of cloth over that and stirring it 1-2 x daily until it is around SG 1.000. THEN it goes into an appropriate sized secondary vessel.. usually a carboy or gallon jugs. You want to be within 2-3" from the top of the jug. At this point the airlock goes on to protect the wine. The wine will finish fermenting and start to drop sediment. Once the SG has stopped dropping, and if there is quite a bit of sediment... you can rack into a sanitized carboy of appropriate size and stabilize (Campden or Kmeta and Sorbate per their pkg directions). Once this is done... I usually wait for a few weeks to rack again and then sweeten. Now it can sit with an airlock for a LONG time... make sure the airlock doesn't go dry. Rack only as needed if there is a lot of sediment. Add campden or Kmeta and half the rate per gallon every few months. Degassing happens on its own with time, or you can rush it by stirring vigorously.

Debbie

 

[WildernessWill]

Thanks Debbie. Basic information like that is a huge help.

 

[Flem]

+1 to what Debbie said but I would add one comment. I don't believe Debbie degasses. She lets it degas over time which is fine. However, if you plan to bottle it without bulk aging for several months, I would degas it. It will also help in the clearing process.

 

[docanddeb]

Yup, Yup!!!

Debbie