# Blackberry wine: Question about sediment



## Calvus (Jul 25, 2011)

Hello all. New to the forum and to winemaking as this is my first attempt. I had a lot of extra blackberries left over from last years picking and decided that wine was the most reasonable thing to do. I did my first rack into a 5gal carboy from the primary last saturday. The fermentation seems to be just about done now with just a few small bubbles coming to the surface. Now after 8 days the sediment is at the bottom but it seems like a lot. I know that I will be waiting another 2 weeks or so before racking again but in everyones experience, will this sediment compact much more or will I need to plan on making a concoction up to top up with in a few weeks. I still have 4lbs of blackberries so I could always stabilize at the second rack and add a very dilute f-pac. Here are some pics for visual. Thanks in advance.


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## Tom (Jul 25, 2011)

Yes it should compact more. Whats the gravity? this is the only way to tell if its finished.If dry .990 then I would stabilize and add superkleer. 
Now onec you rack save the leftover in a gal jug. It will compact even more. Thenadd the clear wine to the carboy.

All fruit wines have alot of sediment so this is not uncommon.


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## Calvus (Jul 26, 2011)

Thanks for the reply Tom. 
I honestly was not planning on taking a SG for another 2 weeks to let the sediment compact a bit more. I did the rack to the secondary at 1.022 which may have been a little early. I have been nervous about cracking the seal on that airlock and introducing any potential contaminants. I figured the less I mess with it the better. How do you like to take a SG reading. How and what do you transfer wine into for testing? I think I need to find a 100ml graduated cylinder to do the trick.


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## Tom (Jul 26, 2011)

Most of the times you can use what the hydrometer came in. If not get a tube for testing.
You can use a wine thief or a turkey baster to take it out.
Make sure everything touching the wine is sanitized. When finished you can either "taste" it or pour it back.


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