Are the #2 filter pads suitable for use? I’m attempting to bottle some of my first batches without clearing agents sand I want to ensure there is no sediment in the bottle. I usually use #3 pads with the buon vino mini jet for reds, however they don’t seem to do very much at all, they still let the finer particles of yeast through. I don’t want to filter any of the good stuff out of the wine.
What filter pads to use on reds
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#2 is 1.8 micron, should be no issue. I’ll use 1 micron if needed.
How long are you letting your wines age before bottling? How long after bottling are you seeing sediment?
How long are you letting your wines age before bottling? How long after bottling are you seeing sediment?
Well the ones that threw a bit of a sediment, I used clearing agents but only 1/4 each of chitosin and kliesesol of what they provided. Both were bottled around three months because I needed the carboys. I bottled two higher end kits with the same reduced clearing method roughly 5-6 months, these ones did not throw sediment. All these were filtered with #3 pads which don't seem to do much. The next kit in question is about 6-7 months old with no clearing agents, I'm interested in bottling to free up the carboy. I'm pretty confident the #2 filter pad will take care of it, however I'm concerned the #2 pads will strip the wine. On the flip side though, perhaps the #2 pads will strip the wine less if at all compared to clearing agents would have normally?
Just for the record I don't care about pigmentation and wine diamonds, it's strictly lees that I'm trying to eradicate in the form of sediment.
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The wine that I have made that is only 3 months old is still throwing sediment, would not matter if you filter (well perhaps .45 micron it would). I would wait no less than 6 months to let the wine finish doing its thing, have carefully racked a few times and then you could decide if it needs to be filtered or not. Most of the time I will choose not to filter wine when it is clear and cleanly racked.
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I thik you are being overly concerned that filtering/clearing strips important flavor and aroma components from your wine. At least with regard to the types of filtering available to homewinemakers. I suggest this article from Tim Vandergrift, who probably knows more about kit wines than anyone else.
http://www.timvandergrift.com/?p=225
http://www.timvandergrift.com/?p=225
Interesting article, I'm privy to vandergrift...he is pretty knowledgable. So I guess in a nutshell what I gather from all the info you guys provided and this article is 6 months with no clearing agents than filter with a #2 pad. Longer than 6 months is ideal though. My super Tuscan has been racked 3 times already, there is a dusting of sediment but nothing major. I'm thinking about leaving it for another 3 months before racking...so that's 6 months since the last racking, is this fine?. Do I need to add sulfites if I'm not racking?
One thing I learned though is that the course pads are a waste of money, they don't do much really for kits it seems.
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Is 6 months without fining agents really enough time to bottle without filtering?
Not ideal. Or recommended. But sounded like @NorCal’s suggestion was for a “minimum earliest time if you refuse to wait and MUST rush to bottle” type situation.
And for the record- we use to bottle early every year. Sometimes even at 6 months. Some years had sediment. Some didn’t. The old timers didn’t mind it at all then.
I'll try to push it as far as I can I guess...I only have 10 carboys at the moment. Once I'm ready I'll use #2 filter pads and see what happens. Based on everything I read #2 pads should not strip the wine, I feel better about it as opposed to chitosin and kliesesol if I had to pick one.
Can I extend a racking schedule to 6 months? I've racked three times already, there is fine dusting on the bottom of the carboy but nothing major.
Here are my notes
-06/02/19 racked (1st racking upon fermentation completed), degassed and added 1 tsp cellaring tannin complex, 4G Sulphites, didnt add clearing agents.
-07/08/19 racked from sediment, added 1tsp cellaring complex and 50g American oak cubes 50G
-8/24/19 added 1/4 tsp sulphite and racked.
Not sure why I racked the third time so soon...but I suspect it was to get it off the oak after 6+ weeks and add another 1/4 tsp sulphite ( roughly three months since first sulphite addition)
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I age my reds a minimum of 11 months. My whites are sparkling clear after 6 months and I bottle them, which is I quoted 6 months, but yea that would be a minimum.
Ouch that sucks, do you degas with a whip? Do you use bentonite? Even though I skip the fining agents I still use bentonite as I find it helps compact the yeast and saves more wine.
I guess I'm a bit paranoid of bulk aging, I should not be though as I'm testing for sulfites and realistically other than sneaking a bottle to try the higher end kits they dont get drank within the first year anyways. After that I start slowly drinking them.
Can you extend to 6 months- Meaning what?
Concerned with introducing o2 at racking- or with letting it go with sediment in there?
You can whatever you want! Every 3 months just a rule of thumb for preventative maintenance. I doubt any of my carboys are 100% free and clear of sediment dusting— and some are over 2 years old! I don’t view it as a bad thing tho.
And I also have zero concern over whether a racking will hurt the wine. As long as topped up and properly sulphited you are good to go.
Sorry that's what I meant, extending a 3 month racking interval to 6 months, even though there is a bit of sediment on the bottom. I just don't want any off tastes to develop. I've already racked three times in less than a 6 month period.
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