Started My First Batch Of Wine

[asterof]

Reserve De Chateau Merlot Kit 1.5 gal must
Plastic 6.5 Gal Primary With Airlock opening
Used Bentonite and Yeast that came with kit
Followed Directions and used proper sanitizing techniques using Metabisulphite
Added 4.5 Gals distilled water.
Added 1/4 ounce toasted oak chips soaked for one hour prior in distilled water.
Started batch Saturday Afternoon
Took about 24 hours then the air lock started bubbling
After 48 hours it was really going to town.
Today it has slowed down considerably
Batch temperature in around 75 F

So the question is, a week will be Friday afternoon
Before I transfer to 6 Gal Glass Carboy what should my Hydro Reading be
Also do I need to keep the carboy covered with a black cloth during the
secondary, and should the secondary be topped off or some air space left.
Thanks
Don

 

[JohnT]

IMHO, Transfer when SG is about 1.00.

Leave no air gap. Fill the glass carboy to within 1 inch of the stopper.

 

[Pumpkinman]

Did the kit call for distilled water?
The reason I ask is that normally, distilled water isn't used in the wine making process, at least during fermentation.
Distilled water has had all of the free oxygen removed from it, plus distilled water has no minerals either, this is a result of the distilling process, and both the lack of oxygen and minerals can have a negative effect on fermentation.
During the fermentation process, the yeast is reproducing and growing, and needs oxygen and nutrients, without the nutrients and oxygen, the fermentation can become sluggish and possibly stall, or worst yet, the yeast can become stressed.
Are you using yeast nutrients?

 

[jamesngalveston]

everything the moderator says......and.....

do not use the bubbles in your air lock as any kind of indicator, instead rely on your hydrometer readings.....

 

[Mr_Detail]

I am a newbie also and immediately questioned the "distilled water".
What do most people use for the water? Just regular tap water from your kitchen sink? Or do people buy Poland Spring?

 

[cimbaliw]

Hey Don, the juice is fermenting and you are on your way. That's really all that matters. Having knowledgeable seniors like John, Tom and James weigh in is a real bonus, but remember this is your first batch, not your last. Revel in your achievement, learn from your mistakes and enjoy the journey.

BC

 

[Kraffty]

Sounds like you have it under control, I'd suggest opening up your primary and giving it a stir once or twice a day to get some air into it. Going by Hydrometer is the best way to go, most of my kits get down to 1.000 before the estimated 5 or 7 days in the instructions but it really will not hurt you one way or the other if you're a bit early or late going to the secondary.
You're doing great.
Mike

 

[asterof]

Yeast Nutrients

It indicated that Yeast Nutrients were included in the juice
right on the Ingredients list. So I do have Yeast Nutrients but did not
use them because of that. Because it was must and not juice I did not
want to use tap water, maybe purified would have been better, but
we shall see. There is always the DRAIN lol and re-start.
Any way Friday I will Hydro it, that should tell us what is happening.
Follow the yellow brick road.
Thanks for the input
Don

 

[CNMDesign]

Don

From what I have learned about water is, if it is high in iron or sulfur you should use bottled water.
Chlorine level is irrelevant, I think it just turns into salt and settles out.

 

[buffalofrenchy]

what i was told by a winemaker is if you are afraid of too much chlorine in your water then just pour your water in a container two days before you need it and then not only it will be at room temp but chlorine will be gone

 

[Pumpkinman]

asterof, there is NO reason to dump this batch.

 

[asterof]

that was kind of a joke, my DRY sense of humor.

 

[asterof]

update

checked the SG today it is reading BRIX at 5 or 1.2 SG
It has been running about 10 points a day so I figure tomorrow
it will be about 1.10 and Saturday should be 1.0
I tested it today and the flavor is not bad but it seems very dry
and a little bitter. So we will see what it is like Saturday.
Now my Hydro has a Alcohol By Volume scale also but it goes
lower the the lower the SG goes, does that make sense.?

 

[sour_grapes]

I pray thee, always quote your SG to 3 decimal places.

A Brix of 5 is about 1.020 SG. Then I assume you mean it will be SG = 1.010 on Friday, and 1.000 on Sat.

The ABV scale on your hydrometer is the POTENTIAL alcohol if the starting SG had that amount. That is, if you take a SG reading before the yeast start their feast, that scale tells you (approximately) what the ABV would be if nearly all the sugar is fermented. Does that make sense, or should I try more explanation?

 

[asterof]

Yes you are correct
"Then I assume you mean it will be SG = 1.010 on Friday, and 1.000 on Sat."
The starting SG was 1.072 so I would assume it will end up about 10%

 

[sour_grapes]

Yeah, that sounds correct. 1.072 sounds a little low for a starting SG, but I am totally unfamiliar with that line of kits.

I have come to believe the most useful formula for ABV is ABV=(Starting SG - Final SG)*131. So, if you start at 1.072 and wind up at 0.996, you will have (1.072-0.996)*131 = 10.0%

 

[asterof]

So tomorrow, if the SG is 1.000 and I rack to the carboy secondary, most of
what I have seen is just use the siphon and transfer it and put the airlock on it and cover it with a black cloth as it is Merlot. Any thing I should do other than that.

 

[sour_grapes]

No, nothing more. What you describe sounds perfect.

 

[asterof]

Need to be sure I am clear on racking
On the First rack for secondary fermentation
you should have about three inches of air space above the wine
On the final racking for long term storage you should top off into the neck
If your using a six gallon carboy on the first racking, what size do you use
for the final racking for aging before bottling
Thanks

 

[sour_grapes]

There are several strategies. One is to find a smaller carboy, say, 5 gallons, so that you can fill it to the neck (and then either store the excess somewhere else or just drink it).

Another is to use the same size carboy (6 gal. in this case), add sanitized marbles it to bring the liquid up into the neck.

Another is to "top off" using a similar wine. This is what I do. You can use pretty much any vaguely similar wine; it will be only a small percentage of the final product, so it won't affect the taste much at all.