When can I bottle?

[flbama]

It's been a bit over 2 weeks sinceI de-gassed, added stabilizer and isinglas. When will i know the coast is clear to bottle. The wine seems to be more clear than it was a few weeks ago.

 

[ibglowin]

Have you racked off the fines yet?

Have you kept it warm during this time period?

 

[flbama]

I haven't yet racked off again.I was curious about that because there is more sedimement on the bottom as well as on some of the ridges on my carboy.So if I rack again, will I be ready a few days later?

 

[ibglowin]

I would keep it warm, and roll the carboy around to swirl the wine and get the sediment off the ridges. Let it sit a few days, rack, let it sit a few more days, taste test just to make sure it is fully degassed. You can taste the CO2 if its not fully degassed.

Is this your first kit?

 

[flbama]

Yes, it'smy first batch butnot a kit. I used 6 gallons of Sangiovese grape juice.

 

[flbama]

I was under the impression that once my yeast was done woring, I no longer needed warmth and cooler temps was better. It's been stored around 63

 

[ibglowin]

You should keep it warm until the CO2 has fully escaped and the wine has cleared (usually a week or so)

Warmer temps really help to get rid of CO2 in kits which is more of a problem than when working with fresh grapes.

So is this out of a can or juice from a frozen pail? Just what did you start out with?

 

[flbama]

Not cans, it was from a pail. Long story but I wasn't able to do as much research prior to getting my juice. I'm almost there(bottleing) but just wasn't quite sure what I should be looking for to let me know that YES, it's time to bottle.

 

[fivebk]

I would rack it every 3 months untill I did not see any more sediment. That would tell me that it was ok to go ahead and bottle.

BOB

 

[Wade E]

Give the carboy a few quick twists as this will dislodge the sediment stuck to the sides just enough to let them fall out but not disturb the bottom sediment. I would then rack off it all into a clean carboy or another bucket temporarily until I could clean that carboy and get it back into it. I always do this and then bottle and then bottle or bulk age(I always bulk age) You never want to bottle from a vessel with sediment as one little slip which is very easy to do and if you have some wine bottled then your stuck in a dilemma where you dont have enough wine to keep the carboy topped up making you empty all the bottles and let it clear again.

 

[flbama]

How strange is this. I hope everyone says it's common. So I took the advice by twisting and re-racking into another carboy. WhenI went to clean the syphoning tube and old carboy, the water had a blue-ish tint to it. My assumption and hope is that its because something in the sediment hasa blue base color or maybe it's the grapes natural die coming out. Anybody else experience this. Also, my thought was that if I used isinglas, clearing should take 2-3 weeks. from the looks of my wine, it's going to be awhile.

 

[Wade E]

I guess it depends on what your fermenting.

 

[flbama]

sangiovese

 

[Randoneur]

How strange is this. I hope everyone says it's common. So I took the advice by twisting and re-racking into another carboy. WhenI went to clean the syphoning tube and old carboy, the water had a blue-ish tint to it. My assumption and hope is that its because something in the sediment hasa blue base color or maybe it's the grapes natural die coming out. Anybody else experience this. Also, my thought was that if I used isinglas, clearing should take 2-3 weeks. from the looks of my wine, it's going to be awhile.

I think the blue-ish tint is a common reaction between red wine and detergent. I see it often. Just color separation??

 

[tonyt]

. from the looks of my wine, it's going to be awhile.

I have only done about 8 batches of wine (all kits) and I don't think any of the 8 cleared the same or in the same amount of time. I have added raisins to a batch and it seemed to never clear completely and then added raisins to a batch that cleared brilliantly in a week. I am sure there are chemical reasons but it really doesn't matter. the slower clearing wines just make us be more patient and give our wine more time to do it's delicious thing. I guess those of us who need to practice wine making patience should be glad for slower clearing wine.

 

[flbama]

Iwonder if my issue with with temperature. I've had the carboy in a basement which is close to 58 degrees. Should I bring it back upstairs closer to 70?

 

[ibglowin]

I always keep my batches on a belt or heating pad (If needed) at 70-72 until clear. It makes degassing all that much easier and its usually clear in about 72 hours. You will have small amounts of "dust" or very light fines settle for quite a long time depending on if the kit had a grape pack or raisins etc.

 

[Runningwolf]

I agree with Mike that you need temperatures at least 70*.