Racking fruit wines to secondary

[Brandst]

When racking a fruit wine to the secondary, wouldit be fine to use a cone type permanent coffee filter to pour through? This would remove most of the gross lees while lettingsome of the yeast through to continue fermentation. The permanent filters generally are gold plated and are non-reactive so they should not introduce off flavors and can easily be dipped to sanitize. You could also sanitize the holder or a funnel to make sure the wine goes into your secondary container. I am thinking of this asan option to trying to siphon 1 gallon of wine out of a container as the depth in the bucket is only about 3.5 inches. The amount of matter that would make it through this kind of filter should settle out over time and would probably be less than what you would get from a racking cane. Maybe in the future I'll add a spigot to my 4 gallon primary to make it easier.





Steve

 

[masta]

This would work fine Steve but getting a small amount of the lees into the secondary will not hurt anything so just pouring it slowly will work also. Try to get all the liquid and the heavy, gross lees will stay in the bottom of the primary which is one of the goals. The other is getting the wine under an airlock and remove the oxygen atmosphere (aerobic fermentation) so the yeast can concentrate their efforts on consuming the sugar and producing alcohol and CO2 (anaerobic fermentation).

 

[Brandst]

I think I may have a bit more than a gallon of liquid anyway so getting the gallon 'boy filled will not be hard even without the filter. Will take a pic of the progressing wine when I stir tomorrow so I can post it. Smells a bit yeasty but wonderful. Can't wait to start a blueberry.





Steve

 

[Curt]

Steve,


Another option is to use two buckets and line the second one with a paint straining bag. Pour the must into the lined one from the first and begin the squeezing process. Simple, effective and the bagsare just over a buck apiece so you can just pitch them with the pomace if you want to.Edited by: Curt

 

[n5odj]

I usually just pour it from the primary through a large colander & then a strainer. Works fine. It does stir it up a bit (aeration), so I alsousually add a campden tablet or three as it goes into the secondary(carboy w/ airlock).


Robert

 

[redderthebetter]

I recently racked a dried cranberry with a massive amount of lees after secondary. Had I not poured it through a coffee filter I would have lost over a quart of wine trying to keep the racking cane above the lees. I wound up using the filters and assembly from the coffe maker. I had to change filters three times. The lees were thicker than heinz catsup. Anyhow I think the filters saved me from loosing a large part of a batch, or it saved me from a few extra rackings. Time will tell. It is up in the closet till this summer.

 

[Brandst]

I will be racking this out of primary tomorrow, read the recipe again before doing so last week and realized it saie 2 weeks in primary not 1. I will probably set up the coffee filter on top of my funnel. I have a gold plated permanent cone type filter so I should be able to get the solids out without worrying about stripping flavor or color. I'll take a pic or 2 with the other 'boys to post before she goes ina paper bag to protect the color, recipe recommendation. She is starting to smell real good and there is still a bit of fizzing after 2 weeks, but I will wait for another month or so before I check the SG and then I'll cold stabilize in the fridge I think. Can't wait to give this one a try, though the alcohol may give ya quite the kick in the balls. I plan on using whatever doesn't fit in my gallon 'boy to make a nice raspberry vinegar, mmmmmm.





SteveEdited by: Brandst