Secondary Fermentation Purpose

[First250]

I've been wonderingabout this for a while... What is the reason for completing fermentationin the secondary fermenter? Is itto just protectthe wine from oxygen due to the diminished level CO2 from the partially fermented must, or does it affect theflavor orother qualities of the wine?


A few times I accidently let my primary fermentation completebefore I could rack to the secondary (by a day or so at most) Didn't spoil, but not sure if it may have affected the flavor. No problem notedwith the flavor, but maybe it would have been better if fermentation was completed in the secondary? I think I saw a post once where someone does the whole fermentation in the primary.

 

[JimCook]

RJ Spagnols directions say to let the wine sit in the primary for 14 days before racking. There's so much CO2 happening at that point that it's difficult to have this gas depleted. The wine kit manufacturers want above all else customers who have success, as these customers will purchase more kits and potentially the same exact ones looking for consistency. Also, given that certain 'your kit will be done in x week' claims and each manufacturer has their own preferential process for end-user prodution, you'll see some variety.


The principle behind the idea of secondary fermentation is a reduction in potential oxygen exposure when the yeast are finishing up the last bits of sugar. When the yeast activity is peaking, wine fermented in a carboy could foam over or have a hyper airlock. Will you get different flavors in a wine that has completed fermentation in a carboy compared to a primary fermenter - not that I'm aware of, assuming that the environmental conditions of the two methods of finishing fermentation are similar.


You could always say that one good reason to put wine into glass for secondary fermentation is to start another primary fermentation.

- Jim

 

[AlFulchino]

...and THAT is why Jim Cook is Jim Cook !

 

[Wade E]

IMO there is a fine line where it should be racked. Racking to early will usually get you into trouble with over activity for your lesser volume vessel(carboy) to handle resulting in airlock blow off or your airlock getting clogged and spraying all over your ceiling. Racking right when it settles down could leave too much viable yeast resulting in fermentation possibly not going as dry as you would like so what I like to do is stir it up a little before racking or ferment to dry in bucket and just put the airlock on at around 1.020.