What's it supposed to look like?

[Lmcirig]

Uh oh- you guys might have a question a day from me until I finish this wine

But after my escapade with the airlock last night, I started to wonder if it's going alright. I realize that all wines are different, but mine doesn't look anything like Smurfe's does in his tutorial (part 2). His looks all foamy on top. Mine doesn't have any foam. If you look really closely, it seems to be fizzing. No large bubbles though, all tiny. Not even as much as a soda, well- maybe aflat soda.


I could take a picture if needed- I'm just curious to know if I'm on the right track...


(Started on Saturday 7/28, now day 5)Edited by: Lmcirig

 

[masta]

Sounds perfect and you will see many changes if you watch it enough throughout the process but always remember if you have doubts on the progress you need to test SG of the batch. Looks, sight, smell does not always give you a good sense of what is happening.

 

[grapeman]

A lot of the kits just seem to fizz. Put your ear down to it and you can hear a fizzing sound like you would with a soda. Generally the ones with all juice or added grape packs and fruit wines will seem to foam more. A lot depends on the yeast used by the kit also. By the way if you are on day 5 you might want to check the SG to see if it is getting close to transfer stage. When it is warm they ferment faster. Go more by the recommended SG to transfer than the exact number of days.


I just started 3 kits a week and a half ago. After a week 1 was 1.005, 1 was 1.015 and 1 was 1.045. All had been within a few points of each other when started. They all used different yeasts. The Orchard Breezin kit is the one with the high SG. WE Island Mist the lowest and a Mosti All Juice bucket was at 1.015

 

[Lmcirig]

Thanks!! I'm going to check it tonight & see if it's ready. I hope so, because I'm pretty busy this weekend!

 

[Lmcirig]

Ok- last night I checked the SG, it was 1.004. So I moved it into the carboy.

It was pretty easy, but I do wonder about something. I have no space at the top of my carboy. Even though the instructions said I would. Actually, I could have still put about a cup more into the carboy if it wasn't full...


I didn't over-fill the bucket, there was exactly 6 gallons... what's that about?

 

[smurfe]

Ok- last night I checked the SG, it was 1.004. So I moved it into the carboy.

It was pretty easy, but I do wonder about something. I have no space at the top of my carboy. Even though the instructions said I would. Actually, I could have still put about a cup more into the carboy if it wasn't full...


I didn't over-fill the bucket, there was exactly 6 gallons... what's that about?

Guess I have to ask the obvious question, is your carboy a 6 gallon carboy or a 5 gallon?

Did you leave the sludge in the primary behind or move absolutely everything to the carboy? I don't believe I have ever not had a headspace from racking to glass.

 

[Lmcirig]

lol- I believe it was a 6 gallon... I bought the "premier package" from George. I didn't test it or anything, but I assumed it was 6 gallon...


I did leave behind as much of that bottom crud as possible. I don't think I got much at all actually, I left the syphon at the topand lowered it with the water level.

 

[smurfe]

If you bought it from George I am sure it was the proper carboy. I just remember reading a similar post once when someone racked a kit to glass. They had a 6 gallon kit and ended up having a 5 gallon carboy.

 

[Lmcirig]

It's probably okay right? Actually that doesn't make sense to me. If we put 6 gallons into the primary bucket, then move it into a 6 gallon carboy- why wouldn't it fill the the top? Shouldn't we expect it to fill all the way to the top? Edited by: Lmcirig

 

[Dean]

I'd suspect the markings on the primary being out of whack. Up here in Canada we have issues with imperial vs us gallons. When I first started, I was using imperial gallons, but now have switched to Metric for all measurements. Makes things much easier.

If your carboy is 6 US Gallons, or 5 Imperial Gallons, it will have writing on the bottom that states 23 liters. If it says 23, then you have the correct size. If it states 19 liters, then you have a 5 US Gallon/4Imp Gal carboy.

 

[Dean]

Depending on the carboy, not all fill to the top. The ridged "Made in Italy" carboys are actually 23 liters to shoulders, while the smooth sides "Made in Mexico" carboys are 23 liters to the neck. So to top up a wine in an italian ridged carboy, sometimes you would add almost a whole liter to bring it up to the neck.

 

[Lmcirig]

Intresting. But I still wonder, because I'm not the first person to buy this stuff from George. Other people should have had the same thing happen. Right?


I founda local distributor (well, semi-local) that has 6.5 gallon carboys. So I guess it would be like the Italian ones you're talking about?

 

[Dean]

Actually, you'd think that, but the Italian 6 gallon/23 liter carboys are marketed as just that, but they vary from about 750ml to 1.5l to the neck from the shoulders! The 6.5 gallons are actually 25 liter carboys and it's stated like that on the bottom.