Wine is at 0.996

[mariodolphins1010]

Hi, wine is at day 1 of 0.996 after 5 days of fermentation and has been pressed. It fermented as high as 31 Celsius. The taste is really good.

Its still in the barrel and I plan to put it under airlock tomorrow morning as i wanted the gross lees to drop.(hope this is ok as I sealed the top with saran wrap for protection

Do i need to add potassium metabisulfate now?

 

[Scooter68]

Your fermentation is essentially over. That means that the protective layer of CO2 is gone or fading fast. Without that bacteria and oxygen can potentially enter your wine. I would immediately put an airlock on the container. 1) You will still have some gassing off that has to per permitted to escape. 2) That gassing off will not provide adequate protection from Oxygen and bacteria.

So an airlock should be fitted immediately. Adding Potassium Metabisulfate will protect from bacteria but not from oxygen. While just an overnight period may very well not seriously harm your wine, why take a chance after the time and effort you have invested.

By barrel are talking a wooden barrel or a plastic fermentation bucket. If you have the latter, just use your plastic lid, wet the sealing ring, snap the lid down and fit an airlock until you are ready to rack. If you have fruit wine with seeds and skins, you may want to get then out sooner rather than later. You still have several rackings to go before you will be 'lees free.'

 

[mariodolphins1010]

Thank you. I followed this

Your fermentation is essentially over. That means that the protective layer of CO2 is gone or fading fast. Without that bacteria and oxygen can potentially enter your wine. I would immediately put an airlock on the container. 1) You will still have some gassing off that has to per permitted to escape. 2) That gassing off will not provide adequate protection from Oxygen and bacteria.

So an airlock should be fitted immediately. Adding Potassium Metabisulfate will protect from bacteria but not from oxygen. While just an overnight period may very well not seriously harm your wine, why take a chance after the time and effort you have invested.

By barrel are talking a wooden barrel or a plastic fermentation bucket. If you have the latter, just use your plastic lid, wet the sealing ring, snap the lid down and fit an airlock until you are ready to rack. If you have fruit wine with seeds and skins, you may want to get then out sooner rather than later. You still have several rackings to go before you will be 'lees free.'