WineXpert Racking Crushendo to secondary?

[Tree Frog]

What is the secret of racking a Crushendo from the primary to the secondary? The included mesh filter kept getting clogged.I had to restart the siphon over, and over, and over. Took a long time and I'm afraid that I either contaminated the wine or exposed it to too much oxygen.

Suggestions will be appreciated.

 

[masta]

If your equipment was sanitize well you will be fine since the Crushendo has plenty of sulfite to prevent against oxidation.


Check out the featured article inAugust's newsletter for info on racking your Crushendo:


http://www.finevinewines.com/August_2005.htm

 

[Hippie]

Next time you can put the skins in a fine mesh bag with marbles to hold it on the bottom. No stirring, no clogging!

 

[Cove Cottage]

Hippie,


Where do you find this fine mesh bag? What do you use to keep the bag closed?


John and I will be making a crushendo soon and I'm trying to get all the informatio I can.,


Thanks, Margaret

 

[PolishWineP]

George has the bags! Just check out his on line catalog. I'm sure the shipping can't be that much. We use sanitized kitchen string to tie the small bags shut, and sometimes just loosly knot the big bags. Good luck!

 

[masta]

Tim Vandergrift of Winexpert does not recommend using a straining bag for the grape pack included in the Crushendo kits. He said that it would compact the skins too much and, as a result, you would not get the full benefit of the skins.

 

[Jackie]

I've done two crushendos and haven't had any real problems. If you rack at s.g. 1.010instead of just waiting seven days it's easier to rack because the longer it sits, the morethe skins settle at the bottom and compact, which makes the mesh tip less useful. It also helps to tip the bucket (I put a small piece of wood under mine). I start my siphon about halfway down then slowly move it further down. When the siphon stops, I pour the rest through a large strainer and press the skins to get as much out as I can then use a funnel to add it to my carboy. I replaced the I get six full gallons this way. Don't worry about picking up yeast, that's fine. You will be racking again before fining/stabilising. Edited by: Jackie

 

[Jackie]

Iforgot to mention, when you put the mesh tip on you need to leave 1 1/2 inches of mesh exposed (don't shove it all the way up or it will clog).

 

[masta]

Great tips Jackie..thanks!

This quote from Tim confirmsJackie's info: "
<DIV =postcolor>If you leave it seven days, the level of CO2 saturation will drop, allowing the grapeskin material to settle towards the bottom, stratifying lighter wine on top.

This will make racking much more difficult, and may render the mesh siphon tip useless.

After the sg drops below about 1.030, the must will have extracted 95% of the tannins, anthocyanins and other desirable compounds from the Crushendo pack. Leaving it longer at the expense of being able to rack it could show a small return on investment!"

 

[Hippie]

I use nylon paint strining bags from the hardware store. They are plenty big enough to allow the skins to drift around unhampered inside while it is sitting on the bottom of the bucket. You just tie a knot in the top.Edited by: Hippie

 

[Cove Cottage]

Hippie,


Gotta admit that sounds a lot easier ... you're just so clever.