A Couple Beginner Questions

[Sailor323]

Quick question. I'm planning to rack my wine again next weekend. Last time, I racked it into the bucket, took the carboy outside, rinsed it out. I then sanitized it, rinsed it well again, then siphoned the wine back in.

So, here's my question, I have a 350 foot well into the largest aquifer in North America. This water has been filtered down through sand..etc. for a very long time. Do I need to sanitize? Or, can I just rinse out the lees and put the wine back in?

I'm assuming the answer is, "always play it safe and sanitize everything every time". But, I thought I would ask.

My water comes from a private well. I use it as is when I make a kit wine. I routinely just rinse the carboy without sanitizing if I just racked from it. Been doing it that way for 30 years.

 

[justsipn]

Oh no...I may have made a bad beginners mistake. I went down stairs to get everything ready to rack my wine again this afternoon. Looking at my wine, I noticed the water in the airlock had evaporated enough that it wasn’t sealed anymore. It still had some water, but not enough. Please tell me this isn’t ruined. I have no clue how long it was like that....other than I don’t think it would have been more than a week or two.

 

[Johnd]

Oh no...I may have made a bad beginners mistake. I went down stairs to get everything ready to rack my wine again this afternoon. Looking at my wine, I noticed the water in the airlock had evaporated enough that it wasn’t sealed anymore. It still had some water, but not enough. Please tell me this isn’t ruined. I have no clue how long it was like that....other than I don’t think it would have been more than a week or two.

Unless you had a lot of headspace, it's most likely just fine. Get it filled back up and carry on. Make sure to keep properly toppud up and stay on track with your sulfite additions if you are bulk aging, the sulfite will scavenge the oxygen out of the wine and ensure that it doesn't get oxidized.

 

[justsipn]

Unless you had a lot of headspace, it's most likely just fine. Get it filled back up and carry on. Make sure to keep properly toppud up and stay on track with your sulfite additions if you are bulk aging, the sulfite will scavenge the oxygen out of the wine and ensure that it doesn't get oxidized.

Thank you. How do I know if it gets oxidized?

 

[Rocky]

I bet you have one of those 3 piece airlocks! I like that they are easier to clean but the liquid seems to evaporate faster than the S-shaped airlocks, which I prefer.

 

[justsipn]

I bet you have one of those 3 piece airlocks! I like that they are easier to clean but the liquid seems to evaporate faster than the S-shaped airlocks, which I prefer.

Yes, that’s the kind I have.

 

[Rocky]

Thank you. How do I know if it gets oxidized?

The wine will take on a brownish cast and lose the fruity aromas.

 

[justsipn]

The wine will take on a brownish cast and lose the fruity aromas.

This is what it looks like after around 7 weeks from start and racking it 3 weeks ago. Will rack again today.

 

[Rocky]

Justsipn, that looks like more headspace than I would be comfortable with having. It appears to be a 6 gallon carboy. Do you have a 5 gallon carboy and some other containers like 1 gallon, 1/2 gallon, etc.? If you do, I suggest racking into a 5 gallon up to the neck of the carboy, i.e. where the diameter is relatively constant, and put the remainder into smaller containers.

What variety is that? It appears to be okay. Do you notice any off odors? Is there still a fruity aroma? Have you tasted it?

 

[justsipn]

Unfo

Justsipn, that looks like more headspace than I would be comfortable with having. It appears to be a 6 gallon carboy. Do you have a 5 gallon carboy and some other containers like 1 gallon, 1/2 gallon, etc.? If you do, I suggest racking into a 5 gallon up to the neck of the carboy, i.e. where the diameter is relatively constant, and put the remainder into smaller containers.

What variety is that? It appears to be okay. Do you notice any off odors? Is there still a fruity aroma? Have you tasted it?

It’s Rhubarb wine Unfortunately, this is my only carboy. So, for this batch I will have to make do. Next batch I’m going to at least double the amount of fruit that will give me more juice and I should be able to fill it to the neck.

I just sampled some. SG is basically unchanged from 3 weeks ago at 1.00-.998.

PH is 3.24.

flavor is better than three weeks ago. Much of the bitterness is gone.

I’m actually surprised at how clear it is.

I don’t smell any off orders or taste any off flavors.

 

[Rocky]

Unfo

It’s Rhubarb wine Unfortunately, this is my only carboy. So, for this batch I will have to make do. Next batch I’m going to at least double the amount of fruit that will give me more juice and I should be able to fill it to the neck.

I just sampled some. SG is basically unchanged from 3 weeks ago at 1.00-.998.

PH is 3.24.

flavor is better than three weeks ago. Much of the bitterness is gone.

I’m actually surprised at how clear it is.

I don’t smell any off orders or taste any off flavors.

That is great to hear. For Rhubarb wine, it is looking very good. My understanding is that is a hard wine to clear. Did you use any clarifiers like bentonite, chitosan or kieselsol? I am not familiar with making with from anything but grapes, blackberries or cherries, so I am not the person to advise on clarifiers. There is a thread or two on the forum about making wine from other than grapes. You might try to find some info there or at least get the names of people who make such wines. I would start by searching the forum for "Rhubarb wine" and see where that leads.

 

[justsipn]

That is great to hear. For Rhubarb wine, it is looking very good. My understanding is that is a hard wine to clear. Did you use any clarifiers like bentonite, chitosan or kieselsol? I am not familiar with making with from anything but grapes, blackberries or cherries, so I am not the person to advise on clarifiers. There is a thread or two on the forum about making wine from other than grapes. You might try to find some info there or at least get the names of people who make such wines. I would start by searching the forum for "Rhubarb wine" and see where that leads.

thanks, I’ve read some in that thread and @Rice_Guy has helped me a lot here along with others ..including you. Thanks again.

I have not used any clarifiers.

 

[justsipn]

Is it strange that the SG didn’t change? Does that mean it probably won’t change much for the rest of the process?

 

[Rocky]

Is it strange that the SG didn’t change? Does that mean it probably won’t change much for the rest of the process?

I would guess that it is finished fermenting. The wine would be considered "off dry" which is between sweet and dry. Should be a very nice tasting wine.

 

[Rice_Guy]

Rhurbarb has consistently been an extremely easy wine for me to clear, It is very low on pectin. @justsipn i like your color, intense for a non colored wine.

. For Rhubarb wine, it is looking very good. My understanding is that is a hard wine to clear.

Thoughts for your next season; The rhurbarb I have been putting out has had 3% black raspberry for a blush color. , , , The plan for this year is one batch with 5% crab apple, crab will also create a blush and add tannic notes like a red grape. , , , I have used minimal water in rhurbarb blush which produces a high TA (1.1- 1.2%) and requires back sweetening to around 1.015. ,,, with the high TA low pH I have had it stuck and don't think it ever goes below 1.000, 2018 season stopped at 1.015 So I didn’t ever sweeten.
.

 

[justsipn]

Rhurbarb has consistently been an extremely easy wine for me to clear. It is very low on pectin.

Thoughts for your next season; The rhurbarb I have been putting out has had 3% black raspberry for a blush color. , , , The plan for this year is one batch with 5% crab apple, crab will also create a blush and add tannic notes like a red grape. , , , I have used minimal water in rhurbarb blush which produces a high TA (1.1- 1.2%) and requires back sweetening to around 1.015.
.

Is there a way to calculate the TA if I know the PH?

and, would wild plum be good?

 

[Johnd]

Is there a way to calculate the TA if I know the PH?

and, would wild plum be good?

There’s no direct correlation between pH and TA, though there is a general relationship. Many times, low pH wines will have a high TA, and the inverse. This is not set in stone, so no, you can’t calculate TA by knowing the pH.

 

[G259]

TA - don't know. Wild plum sounds good though. Perhaps make a batch, and mix some with your rhubarb, to see if you might want to make a single batch with both fruits in it. I have never tried rhubarb wine, but I like me a good red with some plum notes in it! Have fun!

 

[Rice_Guy]

Quick and dirty TA: can you taste it and find the flavor pleasing with a little sugar, (1.01 to 1.015 gravity), it will be OK. Theory if we spit it out the TA bite on the mouth is too high, and when we get down to it we do plan feeding it to our mouth. (TA means how much bite does the food have)
Complicated TA: Titratable 15 ml of test sample with 0.2 normal sodium hydroxide to a pH of 8.2,,, with a kids medicine syringe. The milliliters of titrant equals gm per liter or divide by 10 for percent

Is there a way to calculate the TA if I know the PH? . . and, would wild plum be good?

The plum I have is a Stanley blue plum. It does not have substantial color. Specific to wild plum, I would have to test it
A nice pink could be 1% frozen cranberry juice (organic WO apple) or triple berry blend frozen juice or red grape concentrate or cherry juice concentrate, and if I push the envelope Sensient Inc gave me red cabbage extract, about 10 ml in five gallons, or maybe their red beet extract. . . . I try ideas out small scale, sometimes it fails like watermelon color settles out leaving yucky slight pink.

 

[justsipn]

Rhurbarb has consistently been an extremely easy wine for me to clear, It is very low on pectin. @justsipn i like your color, intense for a non colored wine.

Thoughts for your next season; The rhurbarb I have been putting out has had 3% black raspberry for a blush color. , , , The plan for this year is one batch with 5% crab apple, crab will also create a blush and add tannic notes like a red grape. , , , I have used minimal water in rhurbarb blush which produces a high TA (1.1- 1.2%) and requires back sweetening to around 1.015. ,,, with the high TA low pH I have had it stuck and don't think it ever goes below 1.000, 2018 season stopped at 1.015 So I didn’t ever sweeten.
.

I do like your ideas for adding color. I’m sure they add some flavor too. The crab apple surprises me just because of the flavor.

This batch has actually 10 lbs of rhubard, 2 mix of strawberry, raspberry and blueberry. It’s basically what I could find in the grocery store that day.

I already have 15 lbs of rhubarb in the freezer and plan on getting at least 7-10 more before the next batch.