when is fermentation done

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JohnBurns

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Greetings. I love and follow this forum. I have two batches from grapes that have now been below 1.000 sp gr for three days but I am still seeing bubbles in my airlock every 10 seconds. I'm thinking fermentation is done and I can rack off the lees but want to confirm I don't need to wait for bubbling to all but stop. Appreciate some feedback. THANKS!
 
Fermentation is considered "done" if the SG <= 0.998 and remains consistent for 3 days. The wine is full of CO2 and may degas for weeks or even months -- activity in the airlock doesn't tell you anything; trust your hydrometer.

My unofficial tally:
  • Some folks press/rack whites & fruits around 1.020 to preserve fruit aroma and flavor
  • Most folks rack kits & juices between 1.010 and 1.000
  • Most folks press red grapes at <= 1.000
However, you can rack/press any time you want -- the ferment doesn't have to be 100% done. There's no wrong answer.

In your situation, I would press.
 

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