Cellar Craft Temperature during Primary - question

[RJB]

Hi again to the Cellar Craft forum...
Yesterday I started my Showcase Rosso Forti kit. Following the instructions, I did everything up to but *not* including adding the yeast.
At that point i remembered that most CC instructions warn you about checking the temp after adding the juice and topping up the must - temp should be between 65-80degF, if I recall, and "... DO NOT PROCEED until temp is withing range..."

I did not see this warning on the Rosso kit, but checked the temp right before adding the yeast, and found it to be around 82degF, so i let it cool to 76 before adding the yeast. Here's the question:

What part of the primary process requires things to be 80degF or below? Is it the yeast? The bentonite? The oak? The juice itself? The crushed grapes?

thanks in advance for any help.

Bob

 

[Flem]

The short answer is the yeast. Some yeast strains can't tolerate high temperatures. Kit manufacturers usually include yeasts that are pretty forgiving because they want you to have a high success rate in making your wine. Good Luck!

 

[Flem]

Here are a couple of yeast charts that show temperature ranges.


http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6697

 

[robie]

What Mike said is true.

Once fermentation starts getting heavy, the temperature of the wine might actually get well over 80F, and that's OK; mine generally gets up around 84, depending on the yeast and the type of must. But if the starting temperature is really high, the fermentation temperature could get well above the acceptable range.

You are going to really like that CC kit result!

 

[winemaker_3352]

That temp is fine to ferment at - just at lower temps you will retain more of the fruity aromas and flavors in your wine.

 

[RJB]

Thanks for the feedback folks, useful advice as always. My RF is now making those disgustingly cool gurgly sounds and smells. Will stir it a few more times in the next few days. I find the biggest problem when stirring is preventing the blades from ripping open the crushed-grape bag - that can make for a big ol' mess, been there done that

=:O

Bob

 

[Flem]

What are you stirring it with? You don't need a drill mounted stirrer during primary fermentation. All you need to do is stir it gently with your long handled spoon and punch the pack down to submerge it. You're just trying to re-suspend the yeast. Hope this helps.

 

[robie]

Like Flem said. During primary, you don't have to stir that hard. Stir it enough during primary to stir in some oxygen, stir in the foam, and punch down any grape pack. While in secondary, you won't need to stir it.

 

[RJB]

Using drill-mounted stirrer, I pull the grape pack partly out of the way, and stir on slow. Top of the grape sack floats, so it is easy to pull it partly out of the way while stirring. I stir until whatever was floating on top has gone below again.
Bob

 

[Flem]

Like I said above, just use a spoon. Especially of you're worried about tearing the bag. The drill mounted stirrer is overkill. IMHO

 

[diggerdan17]

I just racked my Rosso Fortissimo after 5 months of bulk aging.I racked into a 5 gallon carboy with a quarter teaspoon of K Meta and bottled 4 750 ml bottles.

I cracked one open tonight and boy o boy , this is one great wine. Don't get me wrong , its still has to age for quite a while but its already DELICIOUS!

I am going to devour this kit when its a year old!


Digger

 

[ibglowin]

I had the same tasting notes on mine when I bottled last month. Mine is about 8 mo old ATM.

 

[Matcarnold]

Hi again to the Cellar Craft forum...
Yesterday I started my Showcase Rosso Forti kit. Following the instructions, I did everything up to but *not* including adding the yeast.
At that point i remembered that most CC instructions warn you about checking the temp after adding the juice and topping up the must - temp should be between 65-80degF, if I recall, and "... DO NOT PROCEED until temp is withing range..."

I did not see this warning on the Rosso kit, but checked the temp right before adding the yeast, and found it to be around 82degF, so i let it cool to 76 before adding the yeast. Here's the question:

What part of the primary process requires things to be 80degF or below? Is it the yeast? The bentonite? The oak? The juice itself? The crushed grapes?

thanks in advance for any help.

Bob

A bottle of wine the ideal temperature of 10 º C to 13 ° C, but there are steps both sides of this are quite safe. In fact, provided that the wines do not freeze, do not occur until the temperature drops somewhat below 0 ° C (alcohol acts as antifreeze), then it is safe enough for temperatures to drop below the ideal. The worst that could happen is that some wines are not cold stabilized to throw a small deposit of tartrate crystals are harmless, but in a real impact. It is worth remembering, however, that a purpose of aging the wine in a way that develops over time, maturing gracefully into something more complex and interesting than the wine in its youth. Lower temperatures inhibit this process, which means you have to wait longer to enjoy the wines, even at its peak. Just over 13 ° C is also quite safe, and I would be happy with wines stored in the medium term at temperatures up to about 15 ° C. This does not ruin the wine at all, but as you can expect warmer temperatures can accelerate the aging process.