Racking Process Concerning Sediment

[critterhunter]

OK, we are making pear wine and the 2nd racking (1st was from primary to secondary) we had poured the sediment into a mesh bag and then squeezed the juice out of that. Well, we know better now as squeezing it put most of the sediment back into the wine. The third racking we just poured the sediment through the mesh bag and then didn't squeeze out the juice, allowing it to drip out on it's own. That seems to have captured about 2/3rds or more of the sediment, but it was a pain having to keep cleaning the mesh bag so the juice would pass through while pouring it.

We had tried pouring the sediment through a fine screened funnel but obviously we learned real quick that it would plug up instantly.

Mainly I'm looking for your racking methods you use in dealing with both the clear(er) juice and then the sediment and at what racking that changes. First racking from primary to secondary, 2nd from secondary to secondary, third, fourth, etc.

Also, am I to assume that the siphone hose should be at the bottom of the jug it's going to to prevent oxidation? Do you then even pour the sediment through a mesh bag or just dump it? Do you ever siphone the clear(er) juice through a screened funnel or always directly into the target container?

Any general walk through of each racking and how things change would be real helpful, as it seems we are having the most trouble trying to figure out how to rack and dealing with the sediment.

 

[Tom]

STOP pouring it thru a mesh. Did you ck the gravity? Is it dry? Fruit wines have ALOT of sediment. Once dry and stabilized add clearing agent and WAIT 3-4 weeks till you have a firm sediment. In the mean time get a racking cane.

 

[JohnT]

OK,

This is IMHO of how/why to rack.

When racking, I pre-assume that there is going to be some loss of wine. I do not strain my sediment since that seems to defeat the purpose if any gets back into the wine.

I simply place the racking tube into the carboy. I use a clip to hold the syphon tube about two-thirds the way down (to minimize drawing any sediment). As the level lowers, I (in kind) lower the tube. The name of the game here is to NOT stir up the sediment.

When the level lowers to the point where I see the wine start to get cloudy (or the sediment is beginning to get syphoned), I stop and dump what remains in my original carboy.

If you are really interested in retaining more wine during racking, I would suggest you look at a wine filter.

 

[Dugger]

I usually rack off the sediment as best I can, then put the remaining sediment in an appropriately sized bottle under airlock to resettle and then decant off that.
Racking to the bottom of the receiving vessel or not depends on what stage the wine is at. If it's still fermenting, if trying to get rid of sulfites, or if degassing, I will splash rack ( let it splash to the bottom; if I am simply racking off sediment I will try to rack to the bottom. If it's a red wine, I am also less diligent about this as for a white wine, which is more susceptible to oxidation.

 

[Sirs]

you can also if you wish to get more out once you get where your starting to pull sediment stop and put the rest into a smaller container and let it settle again then get whats clear once again. Normally I've found after the 1st rack most of the sediment compacts really good and you don't lose alot of wine from then on.




edited to say Dugger beat me to it LOL

 

[winemaker_3352]

Using a racking cane and a vacuum pump - i can pretty much get all of my wine off the sediment w/o disturbing the sediment.

If you don't have a vacuum pump - then siphon off as much clear wine as you can - then put the rest in a wine bottle with an air lock and let it settle out. Now you can use this to top up with.

Like Tom said - stop pouring the sediment in the mesh - just pitch that unless you want to make a skeeter pee - then use it for the slurry.