WineXpert Riesling degassing

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pittspur

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The info on this site and the willingness of everyone to help is very refreshing. I have a few questions regarding my World Vineyard Washington Riesling that is in process. I am into the clearing stages and it seems to be clearing nicely. I learn much better by doing than reading, so I keep finding things that I do wrong after I have already done them. After reading a bunch on here about de-gassing, I decided to check a sample last night. I drew a quick sample, held the top, shook it, and heard the fizz when I released the top. So, I am not properly degassed. My thinking is to continue to wait for clearing to finish. At that point, I will rack off the lees to let bulk age for a month or two. At what point should I go about attempting degassing again? Now, at racking, or wait until bulk aging is complete? Does it even matter when I degas again?

A question on determining alcohol content. Starting sg was 1.082. After fermentation, sg was .994. Then, f-pack was added and sg went up (don’t have my notes at work and don’t remember the number). Which of those readings do I use to calculate the abv? Or do I just take a final reading right before bottling to calc the abv?

Finally, a question on sulfites. I may eventually spring for a test kit, but in lieu of that, I am looking for some general thoughts. My plan is to bottle after around 2 months of bulk aging (based on things I have read here and the Tim Vandergrift “Making your kit wine shine” article). I also hope I will be able to let the bottles sit for several months as well. The instructions say to add additional sulfite if you want to age for more than 6 months. I assume this refers only to the bulk aging time and not the bottle time. Is that a correct assumption? In my instance, would you recommend adding any additional sulfites before bottling?

Thanks, in advance, for all the help.
 
Hi Pittspur,

Your wine abv is 11.96% you use your starting gravity and your final gravity before sweetening. You need to add k-meta and sorbate before you add additional sugar to prevent re-fermentation. You can do the calc's yourself or just go to:

http://grapestompers.com/calculations.asp

Once clear I usually k-meta and sorbate, then backsweeten, wait three weeks and bottle.

Julie
 
Hi Julie,
Thanks for the response. I am a little slow, so please help me out. I attempted to follow the kit instructions, so my process was to add the k-meta and sorbate and degas. Then, I added the F-pack, stirred, added the clarifier and degassed again. I did that all on the same day. It sounds to me as though you would’ve cleared the wine first then added the f-pack, sorbate, and k-meta. Did I interpret you correctly? Did I misunderstand the directions?
Thanks,
Dave
 
Yes, but that doesn't mean that what you did was wrong. Wade says that he always backsweetens before clearing because sometimes when you backsweeten your wine will cloud back up.

Julie
 
Dave:

Always add the K-meta and sorbate prior to adding any sweetener (sugar or F-pack or anything). If you don't do it that way, there is a chance that the added sugars will start to ferment, and ferments are difficult to stop.

Some people clear before adding sweetener, others clear afterwards. Personally I have done both, but I usually prefer to add the sweetener before the clearing agents, just as the kit instructions suggest.

Steve
 
A question on determining alcohol content. Starting sg was 1.082. After fermentation, sg was .994. Then, f-pack was added and sg went up (don’t have my notes at work and don’t remember the number). Which of those readings do I use to calculate the abv? Or do I just take a final reading right before bottling to calc the abv?

As Julie mentioned, use the starting SG and pre-sweetening SG for ABV - you subtract the final SG (0.994) from the start SG ( 1.082) and multiply by 133 to get the ABV. The reason you use these SG's is because this is the fermentation stage where the yeast converts the sugar to alcohol; when fermentation is complete and you add the f-pack to sweeten, the SG goes back up some (because the syrup/sugar increases the density), but no fermentation is taking place and no further alcohol is being produced.
Hope this makes that part of the process a little more clear.
Good luck .. Doug
 
I agree with above posts. With the k-meta if you plan on ageing that wine for over 6 months either in bottle or carboy you should add another 1/8th - 1/4 tsp per 6 gallons to keep your wine protected. If you plan on drinking your wine before that then dont worry about adding extra. Remember after bottling you should let the wine sit i the bottle for at least a month before opening cause the wine will beb stressed for trapping 02 in the bottle and this is called bottle shock and it will temporarily change the taste of your wine but it will bounce bak soon.
 
What if you plan on consuming some in a short time, but some will be in the bottle for a longer period.
Should you plan to add extra K-Meta to the entire batch or can you bottle some then add K-Meta to the remaining.
Dazz
 
If you feel that you havent degassed the wine enough the by all means degas again before you bottle. I can not stae this enough as far as adding more k-meta. Get a S02 test kit and test the free S02 i dont want to say add more if there is sufficient amounts in there now cause the sulfites will come through in the teaste sometimes but if yiour low which most home made wines are then more should be added. The test kit is cheap enough and will answer this question very simply put.
 
What if you plan on consuming some in a short time, but some will be in the bottle for a longer period.
Should you plan to add extra K-Meta to the entire batch or can you bottle some then add K-Meta to the remaining.
Dazz

This is only what I have read in books and my kit instructions; I have yet to make one, but it clearly says sulfate used for aging will not hurt at all the young age drinkability of the wine. Like I said though, that is what I have read, not done, but it has been in every thing I have read and I have read a good bit.
 
It will not urt any wine but if you use a lot of sulfites it will be detectable in the taste unless aged for some time and not drank for that time.
 

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