Clearing wine in secondary fermenter?

[vernsgal]

And just another thought on your wine..You could always invest in a 5 gal carboy and when you rack,rack into that. It'll be handy to have for other wines too, because I know there will be more lol, that drop a lot of lees.

 

[ceeaton]

...it will be a cheap cab sav that i use.

I use a boxed Cab Sauv to top up with. Unless you have to top up an awful lot, it shouldn't change the character of the wine in your kit. Just make sure that if the kit comes with Potassium Sorbate, that you don't add it unless there is a sweetening pack. At that point you don't want to top up with a commercial wine that may have gone through a malolactic fermentation, as it may make your wine taste or smell like bubble gum. I'm assuming a Carmenere kit wouldn't be sweetened but kept dry, so you should be okay. I've noticed that the red wine kits I get still include sorbate whether or not it is needed to stop yeast reproduction once the sweetening agent is added from an off-dry kit.

 

[benchmstr]

Does anyone also clear their wines in the secondary fermentor?..so essentially one would degas their wine after secondary fermentation and add the clearing agents remixing the lees...than rack after 4 to 5 days or so In hopes to minimize the racking required and thus saving more wine. It seems that alot of sediment drops after the first few days of clearing especially if placed in a cold environment. Would this impose any off flavors? Im intending to leave the wine in the secondary and there is a good 1/2" of sediment/lees already. The total time in the secondary would not be much more than two weeks...this of course allocates for the 4 to 5 days to drop heavy sediment during clearing. I should also mention there is the odd grape skin leftover from the primary that i sucked up, not alot but a few floaters when i shine a flash light.

I personally give it at least 10 days to rack out of the secondary after adding a clearing agent..ive tried shorter, and longer with all types of products...but the sweet spot for me is always 10 days.

keep in mind, your mileage will vary...my recipes and techniques may contribute heavily to the 10 days...as would anyone else's

the bench

 

[pillswoj]

I also think you should pick up a 5 gal carboy, most of my better kits I rack down to 5 gals putting the leftover in 1.5 litre bottles. I don't like topping up if I can avoid it.

 

[vernsgal]

If you have to top up more than a liter, taste will change.I've read that most kits are made with the allowance of up to a liter of water for top ups. Personally I use wine but if it's more than 1, I rack down. Check Kijiji etc and see if you can find 5gal.

 

[kuziwk]

oh a fellow Canadian. Me too. I'm in BC ,where are you?

Alberta, my parents live in BC though.

 

[kuziwk]

I use a boxed Cab Sauv to top up with. Unless you have to top up an awful lot, it shouldn't change the character of the wine in your kit. Just make sure that if the kit comes with Potassium Sorbate, that you don't add it unless there is a sweetening pack. At that point you don't want to top up with a commercial wine that may have gone through a malolactic fermentation, as it may make your wine taste or smell like bubble gum. I'm assuming a Carmenere kit wouldn't be sweetened but kept dry, so you should be okay. I've noticed that the red wine kits I get still include sorbate whether or not it is needed to stop yeast reproduction once the sweetening agent is added from an off-dry kit.

Yes ive been putting in the sorbate and will never do a sweet wine as i hate it...always dry. Skip the sorbate than?

 

[pillswoj]

Cool, I have an uncle in Alberta, I'm in Ontario

 

[vernsgal]

never use sorbate unless you're sweetening. yes skip it.
Where in BC are your parents?

 

[vernsgal]

Cool, I have an uncle in Alberta, I'm in Ontario

Are you any where near where RJ Spagnols moved to? They used to be here in Burnaby,BC, but moved to Ontario a few years ago. I used to get some great prices on their kits when they put their sales on

 

[kuziwk]

Are you any where near where RJ Spagnols moved to? They used to be here in Burnaby,BC, but moved to Ontario a few years ago. I used to get some great prices on their kits when they put their sales on

Yeah not sure about rj spagnols. My parents are in west kelowna...wine country. Always visit the wineries when i go, mission hill and dirty laundry are the favorites of my wife and i, lol.

 

[pillswoj]

They are about 10 mins from where I work, but have never been to their office, not sure if they even do retail out of it. I deal with a local shop near my home for the kits.

 

[vernsgal]

They are about 10 mins from where I work, but have never been to their office, not sure if they even do retail out of it. I deal with a local shop near my home for the kits.

They actually have the whole plant out there where they make the kits.You should check it out some time. If they do still sell their kits themselves you can get some great deals or if your local shop is a Spagnol's retailer they can usually pass the same sales to you.

 

[pillswoj]

I will have to check it out. Thanks

 

[kuziwk]

They actually have the whole plant out there where they make the kits.You should check it out some time. If they do still sell their kits themselves you can get some great deals or if your local shop is a Spagnol's retailer they can usually pass the same sales to you.

They have an online store? At any rate ive attached some pics of the wine in talks...i just tested the sg and its about sg 0.980 or .990 ish...im planning on leaving it until friday and doing the clearing than whether or not i rack it than and clear or clear and degas friday in same carboy and rack again on sunday. It tastes really good so far, just a very slight tang of sweetness that will ferment out by than i imagine. You can see the sediment in the first picture.

 

[vernsgal]

They have an online store? At any rate ive attached some pics of the wine in talks...i just tested the sg and its about sg 0.980 or .990 ish...im planning on leaving it until friday and doing the clearing than whether or not i rack it than and clear or clear and degas friday in same carboy and rack again on sunday. It tastes really good so far, just a very slight tang of sweetness that will ferment out by than i imagine.

I don't think they sell on line but I do know there are Spagnol retailers in Alberta.
Check the SG on Friday. If it's the same then it's done. If it's dropped lower, wait
With that much head space and then racking I would definitely suggest racking to a 5 gal. I know it may cost but it'll be worth it later. And you're going to spend on 4 bottles to top, well instead, put that towards an investment on carboy and a much more truer tasting wine,Just my thoughts

 

[kuziwk]

I personally give it at least 10 days to rack out of the secondary after adding a clearing agent..ive tried shorter, and longer with all types of products...but the sweet spot for me is always 10 days.

keep in mind, your mileage will vary...my recipes and techniques may contribute heavily to the 10 days...as would anyone else's

the bench

Sorry just to clarify but you degass and clear for 10 days in the secondary fermenter following completion of secondary fermentation before racking? So effectively remixing the lees from secondary and letting it sit for 10 days.

 

[Ajmassa]

With so much lees and conflicting instructions I’d just go with your gut here.
Instructions are suggestions anyway right? so nothing would be wrong.
I’d rack 1st, then degas, clear, stabilize and let sit for a week or 2 before racking and putting to bed.
And be sure to get it into a proper sized vessel or topped up at that point.
**in the future On skins kits you can rack a couple days into secondary to get rid of the big stuff. And then not rack again until stabilizing and putting to rest.
I always like to fall back to @salcoco 3-3-3 racking method whenever in doubt.
3 days after primary - 3 weeks after that - 3 months concurring after that.

 

[kuziwk]

With so much lees and conflicting instructions I’d just go with your gut here.
Instructions are suggestions anyway right? so nothing would be wrong.
I’d rack 1st, then degas, clear, stabilize and let sit for a week or 2 before racking and putting to bed.
And be sure to get it into a proper sized vessel or topped up at that point.
**in the future On skins kits you can rack a couple days into secondary to get rid of the big stuff. And then not rack again until stabilizing and putting to rest.
I always like to fall back to @salcoco 3-3-3 racking method whenever in doubt.
3 days after primary - 3 weeks after that - 3 months concurring after that.

I think im going to blend my wine with a few bottles of petite syrah, i heard it ls common with carmenere. I'll use my bon vuno to rack it than as it seems to get more wine from the bottom and it will also help degas it i think.

 

[benchmstr]

Sorry just to clarify but you degass and clear for 10 days in the secondary fermenter following completion of secondary fermentation before racking? So effectively remixing the lees from secondary and letting it sit for 10 days.

I ferment dry in the primary...I feel most people do this...once its in secondary its done...at the point its in secondary I add my sorbate, kmeta, and finer and degass

the bench