Argument for using bag for grape pack in primary

[baron4406]

I'm on my 4th kit, all have been done with the EM style and it really works. The wine taste completely drinkable after the EM. I read about guys not using the supplied bag for your grape pack. I decided to try it..............never again!! I lost over a gallon of wine to the massive amount of trub that normally would have been in the bag. Here's a couple of pics. Just my $0.02. Its barely a five gallon batch now

https://photos.app.goo.gl/bu7JRXSReY6xoH802

https://photos.app.goo.gl/oWiDmUlkgGZ5VNW53

 

[rustbucket]

I agree with you, "never again!". I made the same mistake several years ago with a premium grape kit wine.

 

[Mismost]

agree. I like the bags because I'm a squeezer....I stir a couple times a day and squeeze the bag at least once a day. After about a week, I weight down the bag with a couple of heavy coffee cups to keep it submerged....and last left it for a month, in the bucket, airlocked. I like the results.

 

[Trick]

I use bag only after fermentation is complete.

 

[ehammonds]

I’m still a bag less boy.

 

[Ajmassa]

The main reason you lost more than normal is because of how your racking too. Probably not packed tightly either. Situations like that you can call an audible to transfer wine differently. And it’s perfectly fine if you end transferring over some crud or solids accidentally. You’ll get it on the next rack a couple days later.
But when something like that does happen I don’t just chalk it up as a loss. I actually do this often after a ferment.
I take the lees/wine and just dump it into a mason jar or something similar. Usually still fermenting or at least giving off co2- so I’ll put plastic or paper towel around the top with a rubberband.
Put into the refrigerator and it will separate nicely in a day or so. Pop the lid- siphon off the wine- discard the lees- voilà- you’ve got your wine back. Sometimes I just use a plastic 20mL syringe to suck it off. Squirt into a measuring cup back and forth. Then just pour back into the carboy.
Really is beneficial when the amount in the lees is significant on a 6gal batch. I’ll try and dig up a pic

 

[Ajmassa]

Here ya go. A nice example of how mixed up fluffy lees/wine mixture can separate nicely when refrigerated.


Once you do this it makes everything easier. You don’t feel the need to bother with bags. And not concerned if some wine at the bottom gets mixed in the lees. Just dump- refrigerate-remove wine and discard the rest.

 

[Johnd]

My preference with grape packs is always to ferment loose in the bucket. When done, just stretch your muslin bag over another fermenter and dump the must in. Pull the opening of the bag together and tie it, let it drain and squeeze it a bit. Put the bag into my little fruit press and harvest the rest of the goodies. Never had a loss problem.

 

[Trick]

i usually rack off solids first woth a stainless steel straner . it doesnt need to be perfect. and then dump the slurry into the bag to filter and press out large stuff. the press run is saved into an 1 gal carboy for a day to clarify and then merged to the free run. volume wise no difference with using bag.
major reason is that i had a big trouble to pull the bag out of Feemonster.

 

[FTC Wines]

We do it simalar to Johnd. But vacuum rack out of the fermenter with a bag over the pick up tube. Then when done I turn the bag inside out so the grape skins are now on the inside of the bag, then put it in a bucket then pour the remaing must into the bag and squeeze the bag dry. Hardly loose anything. Works for us. Roy

 

[bkisel]

Never tried it without the bag. Does not bagging make a noticeable improvement in wine taste or quality?

 

[FTC Wines]

That would be hard for us to quantify. Just feel the skins have better contact with must so better extraction. All subjective . Roy