# How long for 1rst racking



## Flame145 (Oct 18, 2010)

I read in one of my wine making books to wait 2 months for first racking. Is this to long? This is what I have done so far:
crushed 27 cases grapes
checked ph and ta, both within range
checked starting SG
added potassium metabisulfite
let sit 24 hours
added yeast
fermented for 7 days, punching cap down 2x a day
pressed and placed into a 53 gallon oak barrel, with airlock

My plan was to do first racking begining of december and sulfite
then go to solid bung

Or should I rack sooner and add sulfite.
Just a little concerned with everyone stating wood barrels breathe, didn't know how long to wait to add sulfite. 
The only sulfite that has been added has been at the crush stage


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## winemaker_3352 (Oct 18, 2010)

By first racking - do you mean from Primary to Secondary? If so - that is way too long.

If you are referring to racking after fermentation is complete in the secondary - that is still too long - this needs to be done once fermentation is complete (3 days of consecutive SG readings).

IMO when i think of rackings - the first is from Primary to Secondary, second is when fermentation is complete, and rackings after that are spaced out 3-4 months.


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## Flame145 (Oct 18, 2010)

Juan said:


> The first racking should normally be done around 5 to 7 days into the fermentation. This is the time you will need to put the fermentation under the protection of an air-lock.
> At this period you will find that around 70 to 80 percent of the sediment will have already occurred. It will take much longer for the last 30 percent to show up. So, racking the wine after 5 or 7 days is a good idea to get the bulk of the sediment out of the way.
> 
> Good Luck.



so when i went from my primary fermentation tub to my oak barrel, that was my first racking. OK. So now i'm in my oak barrel with air lock on. It will be 3 weeks now. Still bubbling thru air-lock. My plan was to rack again begining of december, or is that too long.


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## Runningwolf (Oct 18, 2010)

Juan said:


> The first racking should normally be done around 5 to 7 days into the fermentation. This is the time you will need to put the fermentation under the protection of an air-lock.
> At this period you will find that around 70 to 80 percent of the sediment will have already occurred. It will take much longer for the last 30 percent to show up. So, racking the wine after 5 or 7 days is a good idea to get the bulk of the sediment out of the way.
> 
> Good Luck.



Juan, Welcome to our forum. I would be interested in hearing what your making and what fruits are available to you. Please go to out intro ductions thread and let us know more about you. Thanks


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## JohnT (Oct 19, 2010)

Flame145 said:


> so when i went from my primary fermentation tub to my oak barrel, that was my first racking. OK. So now i'm in my oak barrel with air lock on. It will be 3 weeks now. Still bubbling thru air-lock. My plan was to rack again begining of december, or is that too long.



IMO, 

The first racking (from primary to secondary) agreed is 5 - 7 days (or when the fermentation starts to really round down. Depending on yeast, sugar level, temperature, and a number of other things, this may take longer or may end up being a shorter amount of time. The goal here is to transfer the wine when you start to loose that protective barrier of CO2 that is produced by a high level of fermentation. 

The second racking (the first time you transfer wine from one secondary to another) is more to remove the thick first layer of sediment. Although there are some that say that this layer of dead yeast can benefit wine, my experiences have been that removal of this sediment as early as possible is preferred. I do a second racking one the wine starts to clear up (I would say 2 weeks). 

Hope this helps. 

johnT.


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## Flame145 (Oct 19, 2010)

JohnT said:


> IMO,
> 
> The first racking (from primary to secondary) agreed is 5 - 7 days (or when the fermentation starts to really round down. Depending on yeast, sugar level, temperature, and a number of other things, this may take longer or may end up being a shorter amount of time. The goal here is to transfer the wine when you start to loose that protective barrier of CO2 that is produced by a high level of fermentation.
> 
> ...



Thanks, I'm planning to rack my barrel probably this coming weekend. Thanks again.


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