Racking

[Ernest T Bass]

How do you know when and how often to rack. Here is what I have been doing, how about adding to or taking away from this.
When the must reaches about 1.010 to 1.005 I don't rack, I just dip it out and pour it into the carboy (I figure it's still working and will create a pad and purge the air out thru the air lock). After the SpGr reaches 0.995 or lower, I watch it for a few days and if it doesn't move I rack it to another carboy with air lock also. I then add sorbate and k-meta and back sweeten. Then I let it set for a couple of weeks and if it isn't clear, I'll add some Bentonite or Superkleer and let that set for a couple of weeks and then bottle it. So, I usually only rack it two times then bottle it. ??

Thanks

Semper Fi

 

[djrockinsteve]

After you rack you should sulfite it and clear with a fining agent. (although you do not have to). After 4 to 6 weeks rack off the sediment. Age then a few weeks prior to bottling sweeten and sorbate.

Adding sugar etc. and sorbate that early to fermentation some yeasts will still be surviving dispite a bad environment and can still ferment your yeast. With proper amounts of sorbate they can still ferment but not reproduce. They will just live out their life.

 

[abefroman]

Are those grape or fruit wines?

If they are grape (red especially) you might want to bulk age them, rack as the sediment builds up, and sulphite every 4 months.

 

[JohnT]

Rack when you want to get rid of bottom sediment. No sooner, no later.

 

[Lurker]

John T knows.

 

[mmadmikes1]

Johns post left out Racking on a day when you are bored and need something to do. Like the Lurker said, John has it right. there is no set time

 

[Brian]

Johns post left out Racking on a day when you are bored and need something to do. Like the Lurker said, John has it right. there is no set time

I agree Mike! On days that I am bored I look at my carboys and say look there is a little dusting in the bottom I guess it is time to rack...

 

[xoltri]

Not too soon is my best advice. I have a Cellar Craft 'Old Vine Zinfandel' in secondary now. When the SG got down to about 1.010 I squeezed out the grape skin bag and racked it to a carboy. Came back a few hours later and it had blown a bunch of wine through the airlock and misted it through the tiny holes in the cap all over my wine making area. Lost about 1/3 to 1/2 a bottle of wine this way. Whoops!

 

[Wade E]

I rack when I have about 3/4" of sediment that has been in thre for a few weeks and is done fermenting. You want to always let them compact a little or youll be wasting time and wine IMO. Once its been cleared a while Ill let it sit for months even if it is still dropping some fine sediment as that wont hurt anything. Ill rack off that a few weeks before I plan on bottling just to let anything settle if I stir some up a little.

 

[Randoneur]

Isn't there a "3"s rule about that - something like:
3 Days after it's dry
3 Weeks in Secondary
3 Months to Age

?????

 

[djrockinsteve]

For me, 1 week to ferment, 4-6 weeks to fully clear. 6-12 months to age/carboy then bottle and age

 

[wvbrewer]

I usually primary for 5 to 7 days and the siphon off into a secondary with a airlock. Then I will rack in a month with sulfite and again in two months till clear. I will then stablize and sweeten as needed. Ofcoures if there is a lot of sediment it is okay to rack as needed as well.

 

[Krhamm]

I've read that some people add campden or k-meta each time or every other time when they rack and then there are some said that they don't. Should i be adding this when i rack? If so, how often?

 

[abefroman]

I've read that some people add campden or k-meta each time or every other time when they rack and then there are some said that they don't. Should i be adding this when i rack? If so, how often?

Every 3-4 months, or if you want to be more accurate you can test it with a sulphur test kit and see if it needs it.