Racking and use of fermenter

[Wine-o-Dale]

I'm a newbie and have been reading this forum. Thanks for all the great information. I'm traveling around the US for a year or two or three in a travel trailer, wanting to see the US. I don't have much room, so I only have one 6-gal primary and one 5-gal glass carboy. I just started my first batch, its a sun-cal concentrated juice kit that I started at an sg of 1.090 and its on day 4 right now and this morning it was at 1.030, expecting it to get down to 1.020 tomorrow and ready to syphon into the secondary. My question is I think I can transfer the wine via the valve on the bottom of the primary attached to a syphon hose but won't be able to filter it. The kit calls me to rack it again after two weeks back into the priimary (I guess), should I use camden tablets at that time? I've read that you use the camden tablets every other rack. If I did, wouldn't that prevent further fermentation? and if I did use them how much? 1 crushed tablet per gallon? or should I just do that just before bottling time. I don't understand how ofter to use them. The kit does not say to use them until bottling time, but I've just read to use them every other rack? Explain?

I would also assume once I syphon it back into the primary in two weeks, that I would really have to put it back into the glass secondary (same day), since I need to keep most of the air out and there would be too much in the primary (6-gal).

Thanks and sorry for the newbie questions... can't wait to start creating my own as I travel. I'm in GA now, maybe peaches next?

 

[K&GB]

Wine-o-Dale,


Welcome to the forum. Yes, you can use the valve at the bottom of the primary fermenter. I don't even attach a hose. I just position the primary over the carboy with the valve stuck inside the carboy's neck and then open the valve. (This may be a bad habit so follow your directions) Be sure to fill the carboy all the way to the neck (top up with water or another wine) and attach an airlock at this time. After secondary fermentation is complete (SG .998 or less and stable forthree days running), then you want to rack the finished wine off of the lees and add your campden tablets, one per gallon. Most kits have you add potassium sorbate at this point also, justto keep any remaining yeast from multiplying. There's no need to filter your wine until just prior to bottling. Even then, it may not be necessary, especially if you use a clarifyer.


Given your limited containers, I would rack the wine out of the carboy and back into the primary after fermentation is complete. Then I would clean out the carboy and transfer the wine back into it. Make sure you top up and attach an airlock at this time also.


Hope this helps.


Ken

 

[Wine-o-Dale]

Thanks for the info... exactly what I needed to know. One more though, do I need the sorbate as well at the end or can I just use the camden tablets at the end... doesn't the camden tablets do the same thing (keeping the yeast from multiplying) or am I confused on the two.

 

[K&GB]

K-meta (Campden) is a preservative that prevents oxidation and bacterial spoilage. High enough levels will kill yeast, especially naturally occuring yeast. But cultured yeast are resistant to a point. K-sorbate is like birth control for yeast in that it keeps them from multiplying. As I understand it, the combination is used by most home winemakers to prevent renewed fermentation, especially if you plan to back-sweeten your wine. If you're certain that there's no residual sugar and you don't plan to sweeten your finished wine, then the addition of K-sorbate is unnecessary.

 

[Wade E]

Great job K&GB, Im in the middle of renewing my kaspersky internet security and I basically typed that 3 times when the renewed progarm shut the computer down to update itself each time!

 

[K&GB]

I HATE when my computer does stufflike that. Why can't it all just happen magically while I'm asleep. But NO, it has to do it when I'm in a hurry!

 

[Wine-o-Dale]

Racked my 1st batch today. YEAH! SG at 1.020 and had enough liquid so I didn't have to top it off in the carboy. Its about 1 inch from top, and its started to bubble. I'm excited, but I started off with the sun-cal canned Pinot Noir I bought, so I guess theres not too much room for error. Its kind of cloudy right now, but not bad. I'll re-rack and filter in two weeks back into primary. I'm going to filter with a pulp/fruit bag I bought for wine making, is that good enough filter? or do I need a finer one.

 

[smurfe]

I see you already racked but I would suggest you use a hose on the spigot if you have one. It will keep the chances of oxidation down. Sulfite's help with this as well. The more splashing the wine does, the more oxygen that is introduced. If you don't have one, that is fine but you do risk increased oxidation.

 

[Wine-o-Dale]

Yes... I got one. I did use it and attached it to the spigot and stuck the hose down into the carboy so I would eliminate most of the splashing. I did not use any camden tablets this time. I wasn't going to use them until the end. I was going to rack and filter in two weeks and then use the camden tablets before bottling.

 

[uavwmn]

K & G, "K-sorbate is like birth control for yeast"? I am howling!!! Great description!!!

 

[uavwmn]

Wine o Dale, where are you now in the US? How is that wine coming along?

 

[Wine-o-Dale]

uavwmn

Were in Georgia until the end of July. It's only been 5 days in the carboy now and it is bubbling. I'm going to wait about another 9 days or so and rack the wine back into the primary. I was going to use a fruit/pulp bag that I have to filter it. Would that work? or do I need to buy some kind of filter. I'm hoping to bottle it just before we take off to Tennessee on July 31st and let it age in the bottles. I believe I need to wait until the SG goes down to .999 or .998.

 

[Wade E]

That bag would not really filter anything as its not fine enough and
would probably just oxidize your wine. If you want to filter it and
dont want to spend much money then this is a good product.

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Edited by: wade

 

[Wine-o-Dale]

Question... the wine is coming along fine. Its still, bubbling slower than before. Its been 8 days now and the temperature is at 75%. Should I warm it up some for more active fermentation? or is the 75 OK.

 

[Wade E]

If making a country wine then slightly lower temps are better as slower fermentations help keep the fruit flavor better. For kit wines you are in a good temp range and I surely would not make it any warmer then what it is now. Is this the temp in the room or the temp of the wine as fermentation will create its own heat and if you were to take the temp inside the bucket or carboy it is usually a few degrees higher then the ambient temp in the room.

 

[Wine-o-Dale]

Wade... the 75 is the temperature of the wine itself. Thanks for your help.