When should I rack?

[vernsgal]

I'm making my 1st batch of banana wine. Starting SG was 1.126 I'm now at 1.020. It's 19 liters which I believe is about 5 gallons. Do I wait til .998 or should i do my 1st racking at 1.010?

 

[dralarms]

I'd rack it at 1.010, get the air lock on it and continue.

 

[sbnmiky]

Sorry mate, im a beginner too, and ive got also a question about racking.

WHY should we rack? Isnt better to leave the wine alone...and rack JUST before bottling?

 

[vernsgal]

I believe, and I could be wrong, but it's to get the lees out. If left for months the dead yeast can start to rot.

 

[Thig]

You can go a head and rack into a carboy at 1.010 and put on an airlock. That is a rather high starting SG for a fruit wine. Advice given to me has been to hold the starting SG of fruit wines to about 1.080 to 1.085 so the fruit flavor does not get masked by the alcohol.

 

[robie]

Sorry mate, im a beginner too, and ive got also a question about racking.

WHY should we rack? Isnt better to leave the wine alone...and rack JUST before bottling?

Now, if you leave the wine on gross lees too long you will have rotten tasting wine.

The wine should only stay on the fine lees (sediment) for a short period of time, unless the wine is of a certain variety and the wine maker explicitly wants the taste of the dead yeast to change the flavor of the wine. This process is called surlees and it is not meant for every wine type.

Keep the wine clean by racking periodically.