Best time for secondary?

[Lost40Vinter]

I was wondering what the consensus is for transfering out of the primary? I have been transferring when the specific gravity reaches about 1.050. Some recipes say to do it after 5 days. What's everyone else doing? Does it harm to not wait the 5 days?

 

[Dugger]

1.050 is too high and could cause an overflow in your carboy. I do kits and if I transfer during fermentation it will be at 1.010 or slightly lower.

 

[Lost40Vinter]

Thanks Dugger. I split it between two 1 gallon jugs. I did my skeeter pee at 1.050 and it did over flow. I should have enough head space in the two jugs to be alright.

 

[ffemt128]

I generally leave in primary until sg reaches 1.000 or lower.

 

[Runningwolf]

I usually transfer between 1.00 and 1.01

 

[wvbrewer]

1.010 or 1.020 are good times to transfer.

 

[mmadmikes1]

I'm with WVBrewer

 

[Lost40Vinter]

Thanks all! I am only on my 4 batch of wine, so I am still learning.

 

[Wade E]

I ferment to dry in the bucket! Much easier and it degases itself much more this way also.

 

[Luc]

1.010 or 1.020 are good times to transfer.

No it isn't !!!!
That is kit talk !!!

Kits need to be transferred at that SG because certain reactions which are planned by the manufacturer happen when you transfer at that SG. That is needed for a kit wine (and then yet only certain brands). Learn this please.

For all real wines it depends on the wine.

Elderberry and other wines that have a lot of tannin need to be transferred after 3 to 4 days as otherwise the wine would be far to tannic.

Other wines can be transferred much later.

But it is all due to the fact WHY you ferment in primary.

When fermenting juice (no kits) transfer can take place any time when vigorous fermentation has ceased. Be it at 1050 or 1010. Does not matter. You only ferment in primary because you do not want the wine to overflow the carboy.

When fermenting pulp, it all depends on the pulp.
Like said: elderberry not so long, due to the tannin. No matter what the SG is at !!!

For other reds depends on the kind of fruit you are fermenting, the rate of color extraction, the rate of flavor extraction, sugar extraction, acid extraction.

I am doing a series on this on my web-log.
Read those please:

Part 1:
http://wijnmaker.blogspot.com/2010/12/pulpgisten-deel-1-pulpfermenting-part-1.html

Part 2
http://wijnmaker.blogspot.com/2011/01/pulpgisten-deel-2-pulpfermenting-part-2.html

Part 3
http://wijnmaker.blogspot.com/2011/01/pulpgisten-deel-3-pulpfermenting-part-3.html

Part 4
http://wijnmaker.blogspot.com/2011/02/pulpgisten-deel-4-pulpfermenting-part-4.html

Part 5
http://wijnmaker.blogspot.com/2011/02/pulpgisten-deel-5-pulpfermenting-part-5.html

Part 6
http://wijnmaker.blogspot.com/2011/03/pulpgisten-deel-6-pulpfermenting-part-6.html

The series shows you how colour/sugar/acid devellops during the stages of primary fermenting.
It shows you pulpfermenting and the measurements with apples, blackberries, elderberries, plums.

The statement that a wine should be transferred at a certain fixed SG level is simply not true and is no good winemaking practice.

Luc

 

[Dugger]

...That is kit talk !!!...
For all real wines it depends on the wine...
Luc

I'm not sure what you meant with this remark about "real"wines, Luc, and I have great respect for you, but please don't diminish my wine simply because I use a kit to make it.

 

[Luc]

Sorry, did not mind to disturb you.
And I did not mean to write 'real wine' to late to edit now.

I meant real winemaking.

Luc

 

[Lost40Vinter]

Thanks a lot Luc! I'll check it all out. I had trouble with my skeeter pee when I waited the 5 days. It blew out the top, I'm thinking it was from the yeast (champagne). I racked it back to the primary for a few more days and all went fine. This is why I love this site, a ton of good information and great people!

 

[docanddeb]

Preventing oxidation is the real reason to transfer, if I'm not mistaken. You want to transfer while there is still a little activity to blanket the wine in the carboy.
Luc, do you start your ferment under airlock? Some people do and that is why they can get away with waiting for it to go dry. I have mine in an open, cloth covered primary. As soon as the big foaming is done and I'm sure I won't have an eruption in the airlocked carboy... I transfer. Sometimes it gets away from me and it is dry... but usually it's 1.020-1.000.

I don't want the poster to get confused between racking off the primary, and removing the fruit. Some fruit, such as Elderberry, needs to be removed from the primary, but not necessarily racked to secondary. The tannin is indeed very high in Elderberry. Other fruits, such as blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, etc, have seeds which cause BITTERNESS, and it's best to get them out in 3-5 days. These decisions can be personal flavor preferences and difficult to put an exact time line on. Some wines take 3 days and some 14 days or more to finsh dry, so you'll take the fruit out, but let it continue in the primary. This can be due to temperatures, type of yeast or other factors.

I hope this helps to clarify, just a bit!

Good Luck!

Debbie

 

[Luc]

Luc, do you start your ferment under airlock? Some people do and that is why they can get away with waiting for it to go dry.

Debbie,

Read my first story about pulp-fermenting and you know that I never pulp-ferment under an airlock.
As a matter of fact I almost never start a fermentation under an airlock.
Always use a large primary. Any wine that starts fermenting may foam up on you and even foam soo much that it will foam through the airlock.

Oxidation is not a matter of hours or even a day. Oxidation is a long term process.
Therefore fermenting to dry in a primary, and when dry, pressing and transferring to a carboy can be done without any problems.
The wine will be so much saturated with CO2 that oxidation is not likely to happen if you monitor the process thoroughly and transfer to a carboy as soon as fermentation has ceased.

Luc

 

[docanddeb]

I guess if you transfer it AS SOON as it finishes... there would be plenty of protection left.

Debbie