# wine not fermenting in 4 days!!!!!



## wineforever (Sep 25, 2019)

i crushed and pressed white wine grapes on saturday and added potassium sulphite right after i pressed them. i waited 24 hours and added yeast and nothing has happened for 3-4 days. im reading everywhere that it should start within 24 hours?

im stirring it everyday about 4 times and the temp is around 70-75 im not sure what to do? i have about 300 liters of wine (2x150l tanks) any help would be much appreciated. 

i added the yeast with hot tap water and put it in right away.


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## Johnd (Sep 25, 2019)

wineforever said:


> i crushed and pressed white wine grapes on saturday and added potassium sulphite right after i pressed them. i waited 24 hours and added yeast and nothing has happened for 3-4 days. im reading everywhere that it should start within 24 hours?
> 
> im stirring it everyday about 4 times and the temp is around 70-75 im not sure what to do? i have about 300 liters of wine (2x150l tanks) any help would be much appreciated.
> 
> i added the yeast with hot tap water and put it in right away.



When you say “hot” tap water, how hot are we talking about? Most yeast can be rehydrated at up to 109 F, if you were hotter, the yeast is dead. Get a new batch, sprinkle it on top, and leave it alone til it starts.


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## salcoco (Sep 26, 2019)

agree about the yeast also what temp is juice. if below 60degf will take long time to start. temp of 70deg to start is best then cool white wine down to 60-65 degF


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## NorCal (Sep 26, 2019)

I know people sprinkle yeast with success and if it works, that’s the way to go.

I’m more conservative and follow the rehydration procedure specified by the yeast maker, along with a nutrient protocol of go-ferm and ferm-k. 

110 degree water, add go-ferm (1.13 gram of Go-Ferm for gallon of must)
104 degree, add yeast (1.2 grams per gallon of must, brix >24.5)
Stir in, then wait 20 min
Slowly add must to yeast slurry until within 18 degrees of must
Pour your healthy starter into must
First sign of fermentation add ferm K (.5 grams / gallon)
1/3 through fermentation add ferm K (.5 grams / gallon)


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## wineforever (Sep 27, 2019)

the temp of the juice is probably below 60, im wondering should i put a space heater in there and set it to 70? ive read on the internet that white wine should ferment at lower temps then red. 

i have a fan that i can set to 70 and let it run all night. i added more yeast today and it seem to be starting to bubble a tiny tiny bit and i added it about 8 hours ago.

should i wait until tomorrow and see if its fermenting full force or just put the heater down there now?


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## wineforever (Sep 27, 2019)

hot water was just my tap set to full hot and filled two cups, i didnt do anything special which i should of or just drop it in dry.thanks norcal for the response im going to take a pic of your response and try it next year and see how fast i can get my wine to ferment.


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## salcoco (Sep 28, 2019)

raise temp of must to 70degF get fomentation working then loeer to 60.


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## wineforever (Sep 28, 2019)




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## wineforever (Sep 28, 2019)

This is both of them. I put the yeast in about 20 hours ago and woke up to this. The one looks like it’s fermenting good but the other seems to be having a hard time. Should I put a heater in the room? There is no must it’s just grape juice. 
Thank you for all your reply’s


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## stickman (Sep 28, 2019)

I'd be a little nervous about those levels and possible foam-over during peak fermentation. It would be easy to take out a half gallon and move to a warmer area, it should start fermenting and could then be added back to the main tank.


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## wineforever (Sep 28, 2019)

if it start to foam over i will fill large bottle and move them, should i put in a fan to heat up the area?


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## bstnh1 (Sep 28, 2019)

wineforever said:


> if it start to foam over i will fill large bottle and move them, should i put in a fan to heat up the area?


I wouldn't put a fan in there unless the buckets are covered with a towel, cheesecloth, etc. Fibers from the fiberglass insulation will be blowing all over the place.


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## wineforever (Sep 28, 2019)

That’s a really good suggestion. I just covered them with a towel, but the heater is still in there holding the room at 70f.

The one is going good but the other is still the same. I think it’s fermenting a little bit I’d like to see it take off like the other one.


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## wineforever (Sep 28, 2019)

i just created a little mix that i read about on the internet. its 2 cups of the wine a tablespoon of sugar and a half pack of yeast. i mixed that all in and im just waiting for the cup to ferment. once it start fermenting im going to slowly pour it back into my ss tank. and if it still dosn't start fermenting after that im not really sure what to do. its been 5 days!!!.


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## wineforever (Sep 28, 2019)

im thinking about adding some sugar to the wine? i didn't add sugar to either one of them but for some reason one is fermenting and one isn't. maybe the grapes in the one didn't have enough sugar im thinking?

what does everyone think about adding some sugar? and how long can wine stay in the tank not fermenting before it goes bad?

the room temp is at 73f right now and holding steady. its going to take some time to warm up the juice.


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## stickman (Sep 28, 2019)

Do not add sugar, added sugar will only make fermentation more difficult. Have patience, if your cup starts to ferment, don't add it to the tank, rather add some more of the tank juice to the cup, wait ten minutes and then add some more juice, wait ten minutes then add to your tank. Yeast is alive, shocking the yeast with changing conditions is more of an issue than most people realize.


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## wineforever (Sep 28, 2019)

Ok I’ll try that I’m going to leave the cup until it starts fermenting pretty good and then I’ll add it to the tank. It has tiny bubbles now but I want it to ferment a lot and we’ll see what happens. 

How long does everyone white wine take to ferment usually?


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## stickman (Sep 28, 2019)

If you make a starter with yeast it is usually fermenting by the next day, if you just toss in dry yeast it might take 2 to 3 days to start. It also depends on the type of yeast and the amount of yeast; what type and how much did you use? For one of your tanks you need around 40 to 50 grams of yeast if you just toss in dry.


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## wineforever (Sep 28, 2019)

Im using lalvin ec-1118 it’s 5g packets and It says to use 5g for 23 liters so I used 6 packets last Sunday and 6 packets yesterday. Next time I will defiantly use 50 grams. 

When you say make a starter what do you mean? Fill a bucket and add 50g or make a small starter like 2 cups and add the rest dry? 

This yeast is at my local wine stores that why I’m using this one I’m not sure if it’s a good one or not.


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## wineforever (Sep 28, 2019)

It’s crazy that the cup of grape juice won’t even ferment like my one tank with half a pack of yeast for 2-3 cups. Hopefully tomorrow something happens but if not I’m not sure what to do.


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## Keith5 (Sep 29, 2019)

What’s your starting SG? pH? Total Acid? Did you add enough yeast nutrients? EC1118 is a beast, so IF you really did do everything correct, and I assume you did, check the date on the yeast pack and ensure it’s still valid. Dead yeast can’t eat, since it’s juice bucket, perhaps some fermentation already occurred before you received it? Again, what was original SG and what is it now, for BOTH containers?
Otherwise, just be patient and let the wine come to you.


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## wineforever (Sep 29, 2019)

stupid mistake on my part, i didnt measure the specific gravity when i first got the juice. it wasn't from juice i bought grapes and crushed pressed same day and added the yeast 24 hours after my sulphites which i should have waited longer. i measured the sg few days after and just today and it hasnt moved its at the 90 mark at the bottom of meter. im not sure how to measure ph or total acid? thats something that i have to look into for next year. this is what my tank looks like today. its getting more bubbles on the top but still staying the same for the sg. its been a week exactly today!!!

what i just did was i gave both of them a good stir and took two cups from the fermenting batch and poured it on top of this one to get things going. so well see what happens in a few hours.

how do you guys feel about stirring? ive been reading that for the first couple days dont stir but once it start to stir all the time?


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## stickman (Sep 29, 2019)

He indicated that he crushed and pressed white grapes. How much sulfite was added?


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## wineforever (Sep 29, 2019)

8 teaspoons for 150l


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## stickman (Sep 29, 2019)

That's the problem most likely, too much sulfite.


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## wineforever (Sep 29, 2019)

How much would you suggest for 16 cases? I’ve been told 1 pack for every two.

I should have waited 36 hours to add the yeast in the first place not 24 and maybe a little less sulfite


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## bstnh1 (Sep 29, 2019)

If your "hot" water was over 110°, you probably killed the yeast when hydrating it. If the temperature difference between the hydrated yeast and the juice was greater than 20°, then you probably shocked the yeast to the point where most of them died. IMHO, your best bet at this point would be to get some new yeast and sprinkle it on top of the juice.


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## stickman (Sep 29, 2019)

You added 92 ppm so2, you'll still eventually ferment, but that's enough to delay the yeast especially if the yeast is not handled carefully.


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## wineforever (Sep 29, 2019)

I added more yeast on Friday to both of them and that was what got the one fermenting this good. But now I’m still waiting on the one. I added some of the fermenting juice to the none fermenting juice so I hope that help kick start it.


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## wineforever (Sep 29, 2019)

I know everybody hates this question but what do you guys think should I stir or not stir the troubled fermenting tank?


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## wineforever (Sep 29, 2019)

And how long can grape juice sit there before it goes bad? That’s what I’m worried about.

I do think it’s fermenting a little bit I think the hydrometer dropped 2 points but we’ll see tomorrow.


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## bstnh1 (Sep 30, 2019)

wineforever said:


> And how long can grape juice sit there before it goes bad? That’s what I’m worried about.
> 
> I do think it’s fermenting a little bit I think the hydrometer dropped 2 points but we’ll see tomorrow.


More likely it will start fermenting from wild yeast in the air. But what else gets in there and starts breeding is another issue. Did you sprinkle any new yeast on top? As I mentioned before, when rehydrating yeast, the water temperature is critical as is the length of time the yeast spends in the water and the temperature differential between the rehydrated yeast solution and the must. It doesn't sound like you controlled any of those factors and I believe that most, if not all, of your yeast probably died. Your best bet would be to sprinkle new yeast on top without any rehydration.


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## bshef (Sep 30, 2019)

I say stir. When my fermentation seems sluggish, a good stir will foam up the must. It may go back to still but stirring a few times a day should speed fermentation right up. I made a Cab Sav kit (first time; rest have been fruit wines) that never foamed. I added a second yeast package; still never foamed but the SG dropped right on schedule. I kept stirring and testing! Don't give up hope.


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## bshef (Sep 30, 2019)

Looking back at your picture from yesterday, I'd be happy with that much activity. It is working.


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## wineforever (Sep 30, 2019)

I woke up to this this morning  very happy that it actually started fermenting good. 

I added yeast again on this past Friday and while my one tank took off right away with the fermenting this one didn’t. It took this one until this morning to start full blown fermentation 

I’m trying to send a pic of it this morning but this forum is giving me a hard time

I added the yeast dry on Friday just left it on top.

Do you guys think there is anything bad about it being such a slow fermentation? Does it affect the end outcome of the wine? This has never happened before.

Next year I’m going to buy a warming belt and add more yeast and less sulfite while waiting long in between the sulfite and yeast.


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## wineforever (Sep 30, 2019)

I woke up to this this morning  very happy that it actually started fermenting good. 

I added yeast again on this past Friday and while my one tank took off right away with the fermenting this one didn’t. It took this one until this morning to start full blown fermentation 

I’m trying to send a pic of it this morning but this forum is giving me a hard time

I added the yeast dry on Friday just left it on top.

Do you guys think there is anything bad about it being such a slow fermentation? Does it affect the end outcome of the wine? This has never happened before.

Next year I’m going to buy a warming belt and add more yeast and less sulfite while waiting long in between the sulfite and yeast.


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## wineforever (Sep 30, 2019)

I also added juice from the fermenting tank to the none fermenting tank so maybe that helped a little bit too.


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## stickman (Sep 30, 2019)

Before your next batch it might be helpful to read through these free winemaking manuals.
https://morewinemaking.com/content/winemanuals


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## wineforever (Sep 30, 2019)




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## bshef (Sep 30, 2019)

I understand slow ferment is better than fast and cooler fermentation temps for the whites. I think you'll be fine. I haven't do a good study but I think sprinkling the yeast on top may work best for me too.


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## wineforever (Sep 30, 2019)

stickman said:


> Before your next batch it might be helpful to read through these free winemaking manuals.
> https://morewinemaking.com/content/winemanuals


I will definitely read though that Manuel. I think I got it down now but I’m always interested in knowing more.

Next year I want to get into ph and acid levels and see where that takes me.


I have one more question, how do I cold stabilize a 150l tank? If I try and put it into the fridge it might break the floor and I don’t feel like spending hundreds on a fridge. Do they have some kind of a cooling blanket to wrap the tank?


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## stickman (Sep 30, 2019)

There's all sorts of chilling equipment if you want to spend the money. If it gets cold during the winter in your area, it may be an option to use an area where the heat can be lowered.


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## wineforever (Sep 30, 2019)

It’s in the coldest spot right now but that’s still in my house.

Do you have a link or can you point me in the right direction for cooking a tank of this size?

I’m willing to spend money on this but I’m just afraid of getting a fridge and breaking the bottom. 150 liters weights a lot.


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## stickman (Sep 30, 2019)

You would benefit by slowing down and doing some research, decide if cold stabilizing is really needed, the Morewine site can get you started https://morewinemaking.com/category/temperature-control-1.html

If you search "wine tank cooling jacket", countless other sites are willing to sell you various cooling products, jacketed vessels, clamp on jackets, coils, and chillers etc., only limited by your pocketbook. Some people don't specifically chillproof as a significant part of the tartrates will drop out during normal bulk aging in a cool 55F cellar, while others, if deemed needed, would put the wine into smaller vessels and use a refrigerator or a chest freezer with external temperature controller.


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## wineforever (Sep 30, 2019)

Thank you very much for this. The only reason I would like to chill my wine is because at the end of it I have yeast crystals at the bottom of the bottle and with cold stabilization that would get rid of it. 

I filter it and store it in my unfinished basement but it can never get that cold down there 55f. I’m thinking about building a wine cellar but we’ll see. 

I hate the crystals that form after a while when the wine cools down


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## wineforever (Sep 30, 2019)

How does everyone in here get rid of the crystals that show up in their wine after storage?

And where does everyone get their bottles from? I’m looking for a 1l clear bottle. Anything bigger then 750ml pretty much. 

I plan on making a lot of wine and aging it for a few years.


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## wineforever (Oct 4, 2019)

Nobody has any advice on how to get rid of the crystals or where to buy cheap bottles?


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## Johnd (Oct 4, 2019)

wineforever said:


> Nobody has any advice on how to get rid of the crystals or where to buy cheap bottles?


 
As far as bottles, there are numerous resources on line, I buy mine from my local LHBS, which is more cost effective due to shipping.

At room temps, your wine is tartrate stable, but at lower temperatures, the solubility of the wine decreases, causing the precipitation known as wine diamonds. To prevent wine diamonds, bulk age your wine in carboys for a couple months at a temperature that is the same as, or lower than you will store it once bottled. This will allow the diamonds to form in the carboy prior to bottling, this process is called cold stabilizing or cold crashing. Some folks like to do it quick and will put their wine in an adapted refrigerator for a few weeks at 34 F, others simply set their wines in a cold garage during the winter, just don't let it freeze.

My wines sit in barrels in my 55F wine room for a year or two before bottling, and there are typically wine diamonds in the barrels when the wine is racked out. Once bottled and stored back in the wine room at 55F, no additional precipitation occurs.

There's also an additive that you can mix into your wine to prevent wine diamonds, called metatartaric acid. I've not ever used this product, but it is available.


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## cmason1957 (Oct 4, 2019)

wineforever said:


> Nobody has any advice on how to get rid of the crystals or where to buy cheap bottles?


John gave you the best advice on the wine diamonds. Cold drops them out. As for the cheap bottles, one you are out of the normal size of bottles 375 and 750 ml, you are going to have a really hard time finding them at a reasonable price. There's a reason I only use bottles I pick up at wineries empty. They are free and I have found ones where there is very little work in removing the labels.


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## wineforever (Oct 5, 2019)

Ya I’m going to leave the wine In my ss tank for a few months on the floor and see what that does. The floor will be colder then the rack.

I have a way to get really cheap 750ml bottle but that will take up a lot of room so I’m trying to decide if I should but 1l or just stick to my cheap 750


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## wineforever (Oct 6, 2019)

Might be a stupid question but I’ve noticed all my plants having a lot more mold around the dirt while both of my tanks were in primary fermentation.

I’ve read that mold gives off carbon dioxide and I know wine fermenting does also. Do you guys know if fermenting wine makes the dirt in plants mold more? Or helps mold form around damp areas.


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## wineforever (Oct 13, 2019)

What oh tester do you guys use and which one would you recommend? They have nice ones on amazon for $20 so I’m thinking about buying one. I think I can also check the acid levels of the wine with the ph tester.


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## bstnh1 (Oct 14, 2019)

wineforever said:


> What oh tester do you guys use and which one would you recommend? They have nice ones on amazon for $20 so I’m thinking about buying one. I think I can also check the acid levels of the wine with the ph tester.


OH?


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## Chuck E (Oct 14, 2019)

bstnh1 said:


> OH?



I think he means pH...

I use a Milwaukee 102


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## wineforever (Oct 14, 2019)

Do you figure out the acid levels with that one also? Or should I buy a separate acid reader?


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## Chuck E (Oct 14, 2019)

wineforever said:


> Do you figure out the acid levels with that one also? Or should I buy a separate acid reader?



You can figure out the acid level by titrating and using the pH meter to determine when the NaOH has reduced the acid to zero.


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## wineforever (Nov 12, 2019)

i just bought some ph strips and im waiting for them to come in, it might take 1-2 weeks. im going to rack my wine for the second time and this time i would like to store it in the garage and let it cold stabilize for 2 weeks. ive never cold stabilized before and was wondering am i running any kind of risk by doing this? the wine goes in the fridge after its bottled so i guess no matter what its going to get cold stabilized but i just want to make sure im not hurting it. im only doing this to get rid of the crystals that form from putting it in the fridge. i plan to keep it in thee for 2 week and then filter and bottle.


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## Chuck E (Nov 12, 2019)

wineforever said:


> i just bought some ph strips and im waiting for them to come in, it might take 1-2 weeks. im going to rack my wine for the second time and this time i would like to store it in the garage and let it cold stabilize for 2 weeks. ive never cold stabilized before and was wondering am i running any kind of risk by doing this? the wine goes in the fridge after its bottled so i guess no matter what its going to get cold stabilized but i just want to make sure im not hurting it. im only doing this to get rid of the crystals that form from putting it in the fridge. i plan to keep it in thee for 2 week and then filter and bottle.



Did you take a final SG reading? What type of tank are you racking into? At this point, you need to keep oxygen away from your wine (this is important). Most of us use glass carboys to fill to the top. Letting the wine settle will clear it, and if cold enough it will precipitate the "diamonds."


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## wineforever (Nov 12, 2019)

I have two 150l stainless steel tanks. I’m going to pour the wine into a plastic food grade container and back into the ss tank which will be in the garage after cleaning it. I’ll do the same with both wines, I haven’t checked the final sg rating but I can check that tomorrow. What should I be looking for? I usually only check the sg right in the beginning to know when to rack it.


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## Chuck E (Nov 12, 2019)

wineforever said:


> I have two 150l stainless steel tanks. I’m going to pour the wine into a plastic food grade container and back into the ss tank which will be in the garage after cleaning it. I’ll do the same with both wines, I haven’t checked the final sg rating but I can check that tomorrow. What should I be looking for? I usually only check the sg right in the beginning to know when to rack it.



I saw the pictures of your tanks. If you don't have a lid or some way to seal the tops of the tanks, you're going to have problems with oxidation. You need to eliminate the surface contact with air. You should be siphoning the wine out of the tanks to leave behind the sediment. The final SG should be less than 1.0


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## wineforever (Nov 13, 2019)

Ya I have lids for both I was just letting it ferment so I had them off. I will check the sg today and see what it is. If it’s over or under 1.0 what does that tell me.


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## Chuck E (Nov 13, 2019)

wineforever said:


> Ya I have lids for both I was just letting it ferment so I had them off. I will check the sg today and see what it is. If it’s over or under 1.0 what does that tell me.



Under 1.0 tells you that fermentation is completed. You have a lot of space between the lid and the wine. You are going to need to minimize the amount of oxygen contacting the wine. I do not know how you can accomplish this.


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## wineforever (Nov 13, 2019)

With these tanks you can put the lid anywhere, even if half of it was full I could put the lid half way and leave it there about a inch above the wine. I’m very surprised not everyone uses these tanks


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## Chuck E (Nov 13, 2019)

wineforever said:


> With these tanks you can put the lid anywhere, even if half of it was full I could put the lid half way and leave it there about a inch above the wine. I’m very surprised not everyone uses these tanks



You need to get the lids on as close to the wine as possible. When racking, siphon or pump the wine out, leaving the bottom inch of sludge in the tank. This wine is only a few months old, I think you would be wise to let it settle for several more months before bottling.


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## wineforever (Nov 13, 2019)

I usually rack twice in two months and filter it with the polishing pads and it comes out looking good, the only problem is the wine diamonds at the bottom that appear after storing it in the fridge. 

I read somewhere that I should filter the wine before cold stabilizing it. Does anybody have any information on this? 

I would like to cold stabilize first and then filter last before bottling


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## stickman (Nov 13, 2019)

My opinion would be to allow the wine to settle for a while, then cold stabilize, then filter, this way the tartrate crystals dropping out will help compact and form a crust over the lees, you'll have less plugging problems with your filtration.


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## wineforever (Nov 13, 2019)

Ya that’s what I’m going to do. I would like to rack it for longer but if I want to cold stabilize it might get too cold in my garage in a month so I’m a little scared to do that. 

How long does everyone rack it for? I was told and what I did last year was rack it twice each time wait a month. And at the end of the second month filter/bottle. And my white wine turned out very clear.


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## CDrew (Nov 13, 2019)

With regards to temps and what part of the country, where are you? There's a lot of record lows out there. It may make your cold stabilization no big deal.

Racking is a progressive thing. You are trying to clean up the wine. Thus, the immediate rack off the less, then a rack after MLF (3-4) weeks, then a rack before bottling. You need to keep up with SO2 levels as you go. It should go more than 2 months before bottling. More like 6-12 months.

How come your post says "white wine" but some of your pictures look like red wine? Do you have one of each?

And is it still in primary after 2 months? It should have been racked a couple of times by now, and certainly it should be airlocked by now. I think I'd worry more about Oxygen exposure and leave the wine diamonds to another time. They likely are not a problem.

Confusing posts, maybe you could clear up a few details.

Anyway, 300L of wine is a huge amount to start with. Good luck.


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## wineforever (Nov 13, 2019)

thank you very much for your response, i will try my best to clarify what is going on and what i am trying to do.

i live in southern ontario where we are setting record lows but i have an insulated garage which never really sees under 0 degrees. ive been waiting for this cold front to go away and for the next little while its saying it should be +5 and around there for the next couple weeks.

with regards to racking, the owner of the wine store told me to do the first rack 1 month in after fermentation and 1 month after the first rack so two months total and then bottle. i did this last year and my wine turned out really good but i never cold stabilized it. im not sure what the so2 levels are or how i even measure them???

i should of clarified this im making white wine in both ss tanks but one of them i put a case of red in it to turn it into a rose color and took all the red grapes out with the skins just to get the color but it is a pino grigeo (dont know how to spell it) they are both white but one just had a case of red in it crushed and not pressed just for the color.

im using my ss tanks and the pictures that i posted were when it was fermenting so the lid wasn't put on the tank as soon as the fermentation was done i put both the lids on and pressurized them to make sure no air gets in. im really afraid of oxygen thats why i rack once a month for two months and then bottle, i really dont want to rack a bunch of times within two months. ive been making wine for 3 years now and every year has turned out good but every year i want to improve so this year i decided to get rid of the crystals.

the first year was just learning and it came out great the second i wanted to make it clear so i bought a filter and now i want to get rid of the diamonds. ive made one ss tank full the past two years which is 150l but this year i doubled it to 300l and i going to age it a lot longer. for the next few years im going to make 300l and just age all my whites for a couple years before drinking.

i know this is a long post but i just want to make sure i do eveything right before putting it out in the cold becasue ive never done it before, maybe im thinking too much about just putting it in the cold for 3 weeks but hey you never know. like i said in a earlier post im going to put the bottles in the fridge eventualy so i will cold stabilize them then but i would liek to get rid of the crystals so i dont think this is too big of a deal im guessing.


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## CDrew (Nov 13, 2019)

^^Good post^^!

With that kind of cold, you have your cold stabilization covered! Let the wine get to 35F ish, then rack off the stuff that falls out. Dang, you have some cold temps! It got to 25F here once and people thought the world was ending.

Racking is a clarity thing. Rack off the gross lees right away, but everything else is art. I kind of do what fits my schedule. But the rack off the gross lees has to happen, Then you can rack a month later and maybe 3-6 months after that. Once I'm off the gross lees, I only rack about 2 more times before bottling a year later. Bottling at 2 months sounds like not enough time, but I'm learning too, like you. I have a Rose I'm going to bottle at 6 months or so, assuming it clarifies to my satisfaction.


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## wineforever (Nov 14, 2019)

You should buy a filter that fits the amount that you make. I bought a small one from buon vino (which I’m selling now) and was forced to buy a bigger on due to the amount of wine I’m making. The pump had to be bigger to accommodate my 150l at the time. Filtering makes it look amazing, like it came from the store, as long as those damn diamonds don’t show up


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## wineforever (Nov 25, 2019)

I’m wondering how do you guys go about cleaning your ss tanks once your done with the wine? The side of my tank is filled with what I think is yeast. I tried power washing it but it’s not working too well. 

Here is a pic of my latest accomplishments.

Both wines aren’t filtered yet, I’m going to filter after 3 weeks in my garage 

The one is peach color because a little of the rose went into the wrong ss tank, but it looks beautiful.


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## jgmillr1 (Nov 26, 2019)

wineforever said:


> I’m wondering how do you guys go about cleaning your ss tanks once your done with the wine? The side of my tank is filled with what I think is yeast. I tried power washing it but it’s not working too well.



As with carboys, you'll want to immediately clean out the tank after you rack so it doesn't dry and become harder to remove.

As tempting as it is, you do NOT want to power wash the tank. That can lead to small scores in the metal that will then become even more difficult to clean and scrub off tartrates.

For small tank like that you can get your whole arm in there and scrub it with a brush or a non-abrasive pad. I use a caustic cleaner (sodium hydroxide), water rinse and sanitize with citric+Sulfites. Many use the PBW type products and star san also.

Be sure to pay special attention to the valve when cleaning to get all surfaces. Ball valves are notoriously frustrating to clean and that's why butterfly valves are used commercially.


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## wineforever (Nov 26, 2019)

Ok thank you very much for the response, I’ll try with a brush and see what happens. The problem is is that the power washer couldn’t even do it, so I might soak it with water and soap first and then scrub.


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## wineforever (Dec 16, 2019)

This was the final result. I’d like to thank everyone who gave me advice. The wine came out perfect this year. 

I have one last question. I went from cold stabilizing to bottling. Does anybody think that might be bad going from cold to a little warmer temperature? I know I’m nit picking but should there be a specific pressure in the bottle?


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## Johnd (Dec 16, 2019)

The cork will allow any pressure differential to equalize. As long as you allowed the bottles to stand for a few days after corking in their new "warmer" environment, the pressure in the bottles should have been equalized, the excess pressure (if any) comes through the cork. If you lay them down right away with pressure in the bottles, sometimes a little wine could be pushed through the cork, since the wine is up against the cork.


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## wineforever (Dec 16, 2019)

I didn’t let them stand for a few days I put them on my racks right away. Would you suggest I take everything down and let them sit for a few days or should I just leave them alone?


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## Johnd (Dec 16, 2019)

wineforever said:


> I didn’t let them stand for a few days I put them on my racks right away. Would you suggest I take everything down and let them sit for a few days or should I just leave them alone?



Looks like a lot of wine and a lot of work, they'll probably be just fine. Keep an eye on them and if you start noticing some seepage on the outside of the corks, you can decide whether or not it's worth the effort.


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## wineforever (Dec 16, 2019)

Ok thanks for the reply


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## mainshipfred (Dec 16, 2019)

By default the last wine I bottled was left at room temperature prior to bottling. First of all the labels when applied to a filled bottle of wine that was cellar temperature caused condensation on the bottle and made the label a little wrinkly. At room temperature this didn't happen. Secondly and for no scientific reason I kind of like the idea of having the wine contract in the bottle once it does go back in the cellar. BTW, I do let the bottles stand for about a week before setting them on their sides.


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## wineforever (Dec 16, 2019)

The first time I bottled I let them stand before I put them on the rack but this year I had 340 so wanted to get rid of that step. 
I was told to filter and let sit for a couple days and then bottle and stand straight then lay them down.

I just filtered to bottles and laid them down right away this time. They seem to be ok I’m checking them everyday


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## mainshipfred (Dec 16, 2019)

wineforever said:


> The first time I bottled I let them stand before I put them on the rack but this year I had 340 so wanted to get rid of that step.
> I was told to filter and let sit for a couple days and then bottle and stand straight then lay them down.
> 
> I just filtered to bottles and laid them down right away this time. They seem to be ok I’m checking them everyday



I hear you, you don't know how badly I want to skip that step as well. I'm sure they will be fine.


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## wineforever (Dec 16, 2019)

I’m wondering also what happens if you use a cork for longer then expected? My corks are good for up to two years but I’m guessing this wine will last me 3. Will it eventually start leaking and I will need to re cork?


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## mainshipfred (Dec 16, 2019)

My guess is, and it's only a guess, the corks will last longer than they are rated.


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## wineforever (Dec 16, 2019)

That’s what I’m guessing


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## wineforever (Dec 17, 2019)

Anybody in here adds sulfites to their wine before bottling? I never did it and I don’t like adding much to my wine. The only time I add it is before I start my fermentation.


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## Johnd (Dec 17, 2019)

wineforever said:


> Anybody in here adds sulfites to their wine before bottling? I never did it and I don’t like adding much to my wine. The only time I add it is before I start my fermentation.



Yes, I add sulfited to my wine, on a very regular schedule. I never add sulfite to my grape must before fermentation, as it can inhibit malolactic fermentation. Post AF and MLF, my wine is sulfited, barreled, and aged for some two years, topped up and sulfite adjusted regularly during that time. At bottling time, my sulfite level is adjusted to the recommended level, based upon its pH, and bottled.


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## wineforever (Dec 17, 2019)

How long do you age your wine for? Just the two years and then you drink it? And what kind of ph meter do you use?


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## Johnd (Dec 17, 2019)

wineforever said:


> How long do you age your wine for? Just the two years and then you drink it? And what kind of ph meter do you use?



Times vary slightly, but I'll give you a general timeline for my process, others do it differently. The grape wines in my cellar now went through 6 and 12 gallon barrels, my first wine from the 30 gallon barrel is ready to come out, and my first wine from the 60 gallon barrel is due out in a year. Grapes usually received in early October and are finished AF and pressed by the end of October, MLF finishes in November, wine is sulfited in December and goes into barrel(s). Wine sits in barrels two years (bit longer or shorter depending upon oak levels) before coming out and back into carboys. Wine from the smaller barrels only sat 6 months. It might sit in carboys a month or two before being bottled to settle / clear in case any sediment was siphoned out of the barrel during removal. At that point, drinking it is an option depending upon its development, but there are a lot of bottles (150 come out of the 30 gallon barrel and 300 from the 60, as opposed to the small barrels which only have 30 - 60).

My first grape wines, aged in the smaller barrels, are four years old, and I still have 10 - 15 of each wine left. More left of the 2016's and 17's. I made a lot of different wines in 15 and 16, there's plenty left. Now, doing only one big barrel per year, I'll still have quantity, but not as much variety.

As far as pH, I use the Vinmetrica system for all of my testing, pH, TA, SO2, etc. Have had it since 2015, take good care of the probes, replace the reagents yearly, and have only had to change batteries thus far. Well worth the money spent in my case.


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## wineforever (Dec 17, 2019)

That’s a very busy process. I just started making two different kinds and want to age them for around 2-3 years since they are whites. But my next step for next year would be to look into testing ph and acidity and also adding the proper amount of sulfites. I’ve got some reading to do


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## Johnd (Dec 17, 2019)

wineforever said:


> That’s a very busy process. I just started making two different kinds and want to age them for around 2-3 years since they are whites. But my next step for next year would be to look into testing ph and acidity and also adding the proper amount of sulfites. I’ve got some reading to do



Probably sounds a lot worse than it really is, really don’t mess with it much during the two years. The only time involved is the early stuff, crush, ferment and press, a racking or two, then bottling a couple years later. The rest is just a few minutes a month to top up and sulfite.


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