Sediment & racking

[skyal]

How much is too much? I've transferred most of my wine to the carboy, but there's at least 3L left in the fermenter. Every time I try to get it, I start getting a lot of sediment though. Should I be more concerned about getting most of the wine or leaving moresediment at this point? (I'm also wishing that I had one of those auto-syphons right about now)

Also, what do you do with what's left when you're done racking? Pour it outside? Pour it down the drain? Inquiring minds need to know.

 

[Wade E]

Be more concerned about getting as much as you can now but leave the heavy mud in the bucket, the rest will settle out over time over a few rackings. If you fill the carboy and still have some left in there what most of us do is fill a wine bottle and use a #3 bung and airlock and let that settle out and use that for topping up this batch at a later time or drink it or use it to top up another like wine.

 

[Racer]

It depends on what your racking. I'll transfer almost everything over to carboy if its a kit, clarified juice, of wine made from concentrate only. If its a wine from fruit or fresh grapes I'll try and rack off of the juice more carefully leaving alot more of the sediment behind. The heavier lees from fresh fruits and grapes can lead to off odors/aromas if left in the wine too long.

As far as what to do with the left overs? I generally pour it out on the compost pile.

 

[closetwine]

I agree with Wade....

 

[winemaker_3352]

How are your siphoning it over?

I used to do the old hose and mouth routine and it was hard to get all the wine racked off w/o getting the sediment stirred up or sucked in - but since i have the vacuum pump and using a racking cane - it makes racking a lot easier.

I get all the wine off the sediment w/o getting any of the sediment or disturbing the sediment - if you find a decent one on ebay or craigslist - i would definitely suggest buying it.

 

[skyal]

I'm using the hose & mouth routine. lol

Ok, I'll try to get more wine moved, then. It's a kit, but it's already had me reserve 2L for topping it off after adding the flavour pack. I just used a sanitized 2L pop bottle. Hoping that's ok.

I don't have a compost; guess I can just pour it outside?

 

[skyal]

Well, it's racked & stabilized & flavoured & finished. I think that's what all those packets were for, anyway. Also degassed. Even with the flavouring & the reserved 2L, it isn't up to where the carboy narrows, although there's maybe 1-1 1/2 L left in the fermentor. I just could not seem to get the syphon going again.

The instructions just say to leave it until the 28th day, then bottle. I have a feeling that might not be the best way to do it, though.

 

[closetwine]

It will have to be racked again, probably at least 2x more I would think. Wade or some1 with more kit experience ought to be by here soon.

 

[BIGJEFF]

It will have to be racked again, probably at least 2x more I would think. Wade or some1 with more kit experience ought to be by here soon.

With kits I usualy rack only twice...
1-from primary to carboy for secondary fermentation
2-from secondary to carboy for stabilisation, degas and clarification.

and a 3rd time if I filter, but I don't think it's considered racking if you run it trough the filter.

Syal: If you follow the instructions that came with your kit carefuly you will have success, I suggest you make a few kits and once your confortable you can start "tweacking" your wine to make it more unique!

Good luck!!

 

[robie]

When racking between carboys, where you only have sediment and not the loads of gunk in bottom of the fermentor, as your wine level gets down near the sediment, clamp down on your hose, so the flow of wine is cut to about 1/4th what it otherwise is. This will let you get a little closer to the sediment without sucking up so much of it.

Take what's left in the bottom of the carboy and pour it into a clear wine bottle. Put a bung and air lock on it. Let it set at 72 to 78 F until it settles again. After it settles for about 24 hours, you will see a clean delineation between sediment and the clear wine above it. Carefully siphon off the clear wine and discard the sediment. Sometimes you can reclaim up to a full bottle of wine this way.

Instead of a clear wine bottle, I use a sealable, wide mouthed jar for this, so I can use a sanitized turkey baster to carefully suck the wine off the sediment.

(You can even use this technique for reclaiming some wine off the bottom of your fermentor bucket; it's just a little more messy. I get really tired of wasting all that wine at the bottom.)

 

[Dugger]

I'm using the hose & mouth routine. lol

An alternative to the mouth method is the water method - just fill your hose with water, put the racking tube in your bucket, hold the end of the hose with your thumb ( or pinch cock), and release the water into your receiving vessel and the water will start the siphon. Don't worry about the water diluting your wine - it's a very small amount ( or you can start the siphon into a glass if you wish).
This method works very well, is more sanitary and easier to control than the mouth method.
But .. the auto siphon is the best!

 

[skyal]

An alternative to the mouth method is the water method - just fill your hose with water, put the racking tube in your bucket, hold the end of the hose with your thumb ( or pinch cock), and release the water into your receiving vessel and the water will start the siphon. Don't worry about the water diluting your wine - it's a very small amount ( or you can start the siphon into a glass if you wish).
This method works very well, is more sanitary and easier to control than the mouth method.
But .. the auto siphon is the best!

That does sound much better! The main reason I stopped trying is I really didn't want to risk drinking a load of sediment. Probably a silly question, but since all I have for syphoning is a clear plastic tube, would I have to hold both ends until one was in the liquid; then release that end & hold the other until I put it in the bottle?

So, if I pulled off the rest of the wine into a bottle (or a few bottles, not sure how many it would take) & let it sit until it settled out again, could I then rack that into my carboy with the rest, or is it too late now, since I've stabilized & adding the flavouring & clearing packets?

The instructions for the kit have one more racking, after about 28 days or when clear, back into the primary fermenter just before bottling.

 

[BIGJEFF]

The instructions for the kit have one more racking, after about 28 days or when clear, back into the primary fermenter just before bottling.

that's when I usually filter mine

 

[Wade E]

Instead of the mouth to racking hose method get your self an auto siphon. It will make your life much easier and actually fun!
http://www.finevinewines.com/ProdDetA.asp?PartNumber=4877

 

[skyal]

I managed to get the siphoning going again this morning and got out about 2 1/4L. There's still a tiny bit there, but it's mostly sediment now, so I'm just going to leave it now.

I was still hoping someone could answer this question.

So, if I pulled off the rest of the wine into a bottle (or a few bottles, not sure how many it would take) & let it sit until it settled out again, could I then rack that into my carboy with the rest, or is it too late now, since I've stabilized & adding the flavouring & clearing packets?

Thanks!

 

[skyal]

Also, how do I tell when it's ready to be bottled?

 

[Dugger]

skyal - you say you only have a tube for siphoning; does that mean you don't have a racking cane? If not you better get one, it really is something you need. If you do have one, attach your hose to it ,fill the hose with water ( keep both ends at same elevation), put the cane in your sending vessel and then put the end of the tube in the receiving vessel.
The reclaimed wine in your bottles has not been stabilized so you have to be careful about adding it - don't wait too long. Some people put it in the fridge to settle out more quickly and it would keep better I suppose.
When to bottle? Good question. You haven't said what kit you are doing and this can make a difference. You do mention a flavour pack so is this a mist kit? If so, it can be bottled as soon as it clears. In fact, any wine can be bottled as soon as it clears, but many prefer to keep some wines, mostly reds, in the carboy for awhile before bottling. Do a search on bulk aging of wines and you will find plenty of information. You also have to decide whether you want to filter or not - some people filter all wines, some just the whites and some not at all.

 

[skyal]

No, I don't have a racking cane. Just the metal in the tubing (it's from the Mini Jet). Unfortunately I seem to be missing a piece...think it's the sediment cap.

I transferred the majority to the carboy & stabilized,etc it the evening of the 3rd. Is it too late to add the rest now? It looks like the extra has settled quite a bit. Not a massive amount of sediment on the bottom, but considering they're just in bottles, it seems like a good amount.

I'm using an Orchard Breezin kit. It's for a Strawberry Riesling.

 

[skyal]

I don't suppose anyone is around now to give me an answer? If it's ok to put them in with the bulk of the wine, I'd really like to do it this afternoon, but I don't want to risk wrecking my wine.

 

[robie]

I don't suppose anyone is around now to give me an answer? If it's ok to put them in with the bulk of the wine, I'd really like to do it this afternoon, but I don't want to risk wrecking my wine.

Are you talking about adding the newly clear and siphoned wine to the wine that's already bulk aging?

If that's your question, yes, just try to leave behind as much of the sediment, which is in the bottom of the bottles, as possible.

If that's not your question, please clarify.