Timeline for fermenting in crock

[Hackgar]

Making homemade wine today with grapes from the garden. Clearly I'm a beginner because I just realized I'll be out of town during the time I'm suppose to strain and syphon into the carboy. Will it ruin the batch if I wait 8 days after the bubbling stops befor I strain and syphon?

 

[Scooter68]

It's normally best to get the wine off the lees after fermentation stops, however with red grapes leaving the wine on the skins is good to get everything possible out of the skins.

Secondly, if you aren't there you won't know when the fermentation ended. Fermentations run on their own time table and you just have to let it run it's course it could be 4-5 days or 14-15 days. As long as the fermentation STARTs before you leave, that is more critical.

 

[Hackgar]

Thanks Scooter, this is very helpful for us beginners.

 

[Julie]

Don't go by bubbles, go by hydrometer readings. If your reading is down to 1.010 or lower, then rack to carboy, if not leaving it shouldn't cause any issues.