Beginner questions

[hodge1]

i dont but i was thinking of picking one up

 

[Flem]

Ok here is another question.. I started the primary on the 10th, the secondary fermentaion on the 17th.. the next step is to stabilizing and clearing which says it should be around 20 days or .0998 or lower. it seems i am at .0998 however I am only on my 14th day. Should i give it a few more days? Will it hurt if i am at .0998 and let it sit longer before I stablilize?

I have a RJS Washington Merlot that hit .998 on Day 15. My instructions said it should go below 1.000 around Day 28. I'm now at Day 18 and, per recommendations of a forum, I'm going to let it go to Day 28.
I'm hoping it doesn't hurt it.
Mike

 

[Wade E]

As long as you have an airlock on it you wont hurt it at all.

 

[robie]

ok great, i was planning on Saturday myself but just wanted to make sure

It is not so much what the SG reading is that determines when to move from secondary to stabilizing/clearing. What you want to do at your stage is check your SG every day or so. If it hasn't gone down in three days in a row, secondary is considered stopped. If SG is still changing, let it continue in secondary.

Sometimes it can stop too early (stuck fermentation) and needs some help getting started again. However, in your case, the reading is already in a good range to indicate fermentation didn't stop early.

Check the SG three days in a row and if it doesn't change, move on to stabilization/clearing.

Learn to trust your hydrometer!!!

 

[Flem]

Wade,
Thanks for the re-assurance. I'm not seeing any activity (tiny bubbles) coming up the side of the carboy so I am a little concerned. This is my first kit and I don't want to screw it up.
Mike

 

[hodge1]

Wade,
Thanks for the re-assurance. I'm not seeing any activity (tiny bubbles) coming up the side of the carboy so I am a little concerned. This is my first kit and I don't want to screw it up.
Mike

this is my concern too

 

[tonyt]

Flem (Mike) and hodge, your wine is going to be fantastic. The only mistake you are sure to make, like all of us newbies, is to drink it all up too quick (young). And there is not a darn thing you can do about that. In fact I think drinking that first batch or two too early is part of what hooks us and heads us down that slippery slope of I need more . . . more . . . more.

 

[hodge1]

Flem (Mike) and hodge, your wine is going to be fantastic. The only mistake you are sure to make, like all of us newbies, is to drink it all up too quick (young). And there is not a darn thing you can do about that. In fact I think drinking that first batch or two too early is part of what hooks us and heads us down that slippery slope of I need more . . . more . . . more.

lol yeah its going to be hard having to wait

 

[hodge1]

how long can ez clean last in a container?

 

[hodge1]

anyone have an answer about my ez clean question?

 

[Dean]

Hodge, if you mean One Step (aka Easy Clean), there are varying reports of length of effectiveness. Some say 1 week as long as it's refrigerated, and others say up to 2 or 3 weeks un-refrigerated. The stuff is cheap, so I'd just mix up what I need as I go.

 

[hodge1]

ok great thanks!

 

[Randoneur]

Dean is right, you have much more at risk than a few pennies worth of One Step.

 

[hodge1]

So did my clearing and degassing on sunday, went smooth. I must say it taste pretty good even at this point. Had a couple do a blindtaste test with the kit wine and store bought. Both people thought the kit wine was the store bought and thought it was the better of the two.