S.G. Drops Fast, Time Frames after That?

[Demosthine]

Hey All.

I'm on my first two batches of wine. I have a gallon plus going. At day three, they had both dropped to the reference points for specific gravity that is listed in the Winemaker's Recipe Handbook, even though they said five days. I know it is very temperature dependant and my house is warmer than recommended, at 80*, but how do I adjust my racking from there? I put the blackberry wine in the secondary at day three, but I had forgotten to add the grape juice concentrate to the prickly pear, so I added that on day four and it was at 1.008 S.G. today, which is day five. I just syphoned to the secondary.

So now my question becomes, when do I rack it to aid in clearing? The Handbook recommends three weeks for the prickly pear, when it reaches 1.000 S.G., but it'll be there by the end of the day or tomorrow. The blackberry recommends four weeks to that point. Should I stick to the time frames rather than the specific gravity?

I'm guessing that I'll need to base it off the activity in the airlock to determine the fermentation, rather than time frame. But that may put me at racking within a few days, so I'll have to rack two additional times later in order to get the clear wine? Both are nowhere near clear, in any way shape or form. Or should I leave it in there until I get a good level of clarity?

Both are in glass secondaries with the airlocks attached. The blackberry has a medium amount of bubbles brewing still, while the freshly syphoned prickly pear has a lot brewing. They are obviously not done fermenting yet.

Thanks in advance!
Scott

 

[closetwine]

They'll have to degass before they'll drop all the sediment. Chill, let it ferment out and rack when you are uncomfortable with the level of lees in the bottom... Time frames are general references in one persons opinion.... not a fact. You're rushing it... I let mine go 2 months in the secondary before I rack sometimes.... Strawberry I rack a few weeks in b/c it drops a TON of sediment. Use your judgement and some patience.

 

[Demosthine]

Ok, thanks. I knew time frames were just someone's opinions, but I wasn't sure how much the specific gravity played in to it. I am still looking for a good book for the basics, but there are such mixed reviews, it's hard to decide.

I will definitely let it sit and settle things out. I did get a pretty healthy amount of lees at the bottom of both buckets when I syphoned it to the secondary, so I think that timing was a petty good move. In the meantime, I practice on my patience...

 

[jamesngalveston]

you never said what your starting sg was. are what you put in it. as in
pectin enzyme,etc.
lots of people use the magic number of 1.000 to move to the secondary.
forget watching bubbles...use the hydrometer
when your wine gets to .990 it is dry, and there is a chance it could get lower.
when it reaches .990 check it for three days, if its not dropping any then its finished fermenting.
then degas...since it is a small one gallon batch..i would use a drill attachment, degas and add campden/k meta.
then its up to you ..if you want to drink it young are let it sit and age.

 

[salcoco]

if you have a lot of sediment after sg-1.000 rack off the gross lees to prevent off odors. then wait three weeks to rack of fine lees , then three months. wine should be clear by that time.

 

[Demosthine]

James, for each recipe...

Blackberry
4 lbs. Blackberries
7 pts. Water
2 1/2 lbs. Sugar
1/2 tsp. Acid Blend
1/2 tsp. Pectic Enzyme
1 tsp. Nutrient

Starting S.G. : 1.094 at 80*
Day 06 (Today) S.G. : 0.990 at 80*

Prickly Pear
3 qts. Prickly Pear
1/2 pt. White Grape Concentrate
2 pts. Water
2 lbs. Sugar
2 tsp. Acid Blend
1 tsp. Pectic Enzyme
3/4 tsp. Nutrient

Starting S.G. : 1.100 at 80*
Day 06 (Today) S.G. : 1.002 at 80*


I'll watch them for the next few days and follow your guys' help. There is some sediment on the bottom, but not enough that I'm worried about it yet. Thanks again for the help!

 

[jamesngalveston]

actually it all looks good....sediment is normal if i didnt have it, i think the world would end...I hate it.
The only way not to get it is, not make wine..PERIOD