Secondary fermention

[Just-a-Guy]

Mark, I think Steve was referring to pushing down anything (like a grape pack or grape skins) that float to the top of the wine during fermentation.

Thanks. Is the purpose of that to make sure the must gets plenty of oxygen? Or is there another reason?

 

[cpfan]

Thanks. Is the purpose of that to make sure the must gets plenty of oxygen? Or is there another reason?

When making a kit, I stir vigourously before pitching the yeast. This ensures that the kit and any added water are combined well, the bentonite is stirred in well, and that air/oxygen is integrated into the must. It is my understanding that this should provide enough oxygen, so no further stirring is required.

However, if you have something floating on the surface, it is a good idea to turn it under or mix it in gently. I don't stir the whole batch, essentially I just stir on the surface. If it is in a bag, I will press it against the side of the primary.

This is my way of doing it. Other folks have other methods, and I'm sure that they are OK.

Steve

 

[Just-a-Guy]

You mean something like this? (This is apricots, golden raisins, seedless white grapes and strawberries, in a sparging bag, in a pear wine mix. I punch it down once a day, but it floats right back up. I suppose I could take it out and squeeze out the air? Right now, the freakin' stuff is fizzing so loud I have to get up and check it now and then (it's in my home office/bar) to make sure it's not going to explode or something.

Ya reckon the bag floating on the top is a problem?

 

[Charlesthewino]

Just-A-Guy - As long as the must is in active fermentation it will produce enough gas to keep the bag floating. Some people weight the bags, but even that is ineffective. Just punch it down daily and try to keep it wet.


Sent from my iPad using Wine Making

 

[cpfan]

Ya reckon the bag floating on the top is a problem?

Nope not really a problem. Punching it down is the right thing to do. I think you should also try to turn it over, so that the fruit that was on the surface is now underneath. When making a kit you don't have these BIG bags of fruit, although some kits come with grape skins.

BTW, I don't put grapes skins in a bag. But my wine equipment includes a couple of nice stainless steel cooking tools that are used to remove the skins before racking to carboy.

Steve

 

[Mapleleaf]

Mark, I think Steve was referring to pushing down anything (like a grape pack or grape skins) that float to the top of the wine during fermentation.

Mapleleaf, you can improve some of those simple kits with the addition of a concentrated background fruit. In your case with Merlot, I could see adding concentrated Cherry, Blueberry or Blackberry to give the wine some additional taste and body. If you want to try any of these, I have taken the fruit and boiled off about 1/2 of the liquid (water) before adding it to the fermenter. It is probably too late to try that for this batch but something to think about next time.

How much fruit do you use for 23l of must?

 

[Rocky]

How much fruit do you use for 23l of must?

There are no hard and fast rules of which I am aware. Just last week I made a Cabernet Sauvignon and an Amarone from juice buckets (California and Italy, respectively). I added a 48 ounce can of Blackberry puree and a 2 pound homemade grape pack (Zinfandel grapes) to the 6 gallon batch of Cabernet Sauvignon and I added a 96 ounce can of Black Currant juice, 2 each 2 pound Zinfandel grape packs and 1 pound of raisins to the triple batch (18 gallons) of the Amarone. In addition, I added medium toast French oak powder to both batches.

 

[richmke]

Thanks. Is the purpose of that to make sure the must gets plenty of oxygen? Or is there another reason?

The idea is to keep it wet. It is in there for a reason, and the only way for the flavor to be extracted is if the water or alcohol does it. If it sits on top, and the top of the pile dries out, then that part of the pile is not doing you any good (other than to keep the rest of the pile submerged).

It also reduces the likelihood of something else starting to grow on it.