Cold Stabilization

[Zog]

I'm thinking about putting my carboys outside in the shed for some cold stabilization. The temperatures are running in the 20s, which I except would be fine. But it may dip down in the teens over the night. Any idea about how low of a temperature would be dangerous? Thanks.

 

[GreginND]

I think you should be ok. Even if it dips into the teens - they wine may form some ice, but unless it stays that low for a day or two, it should not freeze solid. Ice shouldn't be a problem. Just check on them often.

 

[geek]

When do you really do cold stabilization and Is it only for whites or red wine too, for how long?

 

[Zog]

When do you really do cold stabilization and Is it only for whites or red wine too, for how long?

This is something new I'm trying, so I can't answer your question. I have some fruit wines that I want to stop fermenting while there is still some sweetness left. About all I know is that the cold will help stop the yeast, along with the sulfite I added. Maybe someone else can answer your question.

 

[Arne]

The cold will stop the yeast. But remember when the wine warms back up the yeast can still be alive and start refermenting. Your best bet is to ferment them to dry, stabalize and sweeten. Not saying it won't work, just that it may not. Good luck with it, Arne.

 

[Zog]

The cold will stop the yeast. But remember when the wine warms back up the yeast can still be alive and start refermenting. Your best bet is to ferment them to dry, stabalize and sweeten. Not saying it won't work, just that it may not. Good luck with it, Arne.

I'm trying to make wines that don't contain added cane sugar... might be futile. Bought a minijet filter and sterile pads which may stop it from refermenting as well... I hope.

 

[GreginND]

Cold crashing (stopping the fermentation) is very difficult to control. If you have the ability to keep it cold for months to let it clear, or you have an expensive filter setup to filter out the bulk yeast, you can do it. But I agree with Arne - for the home winemaker it is best to ferment dry and then sweeten later.

To answer Geek's question - cold stabilization is almost always done on whites commercially. Reds less so. But both can benefit depending on the grape. Around our parts with high acid grapes I tend to cold stabilize all my wines if I can. I usually do cold stabilization after the wines have been racked a couple of times and they are getting close to clear. Several of my wines from this fall are now about ready for cold stabilization. You can do it even later closer to bottling if you want.

 

[spaniel]

Regarding duration of cold stabilization, I've experimented a bit and it seems like a week around the low 30s is sufficient to precipitate tartaric acid crystals in my whites. YMMV.

 

[Elmer]

I'm thinking about putting my carboys outside in the shed for some cold stabilization. The temperatures are running in the 20s, which I except would be fine. But it may dip down in the teens over the night. Any idea about how low of a temperature would be dangerous? Thanks.

Zog you appear to only be about 1.5 hour away, so we share similar weather and temps!
I put a carboy out in my garage (not insulated) weeks before Turkey day, and the temp eventually dropped to the teens.
However I wrapped in 2 heavy blankets and kept off the cement floor with cinderblocks and some wood shelf planks.

While the outside temp got to 15 degrees F, my garage only dipped down to about 29F (and yes I checked every few hours).

Fill the airlock with Vodka, so it does not freeze.
it will take a few days for gallons of wine to even get close to freezing, but blankets will hold off the cold, slightly.

Not to mention if it is in a garage there is usually a 10 degree difference than outside!

 

[Boatboy24]

I'm wanting to CS in my garage, but temps can climb well into the 40's during the day. Is it still doable? I've got an EP Amarone that I want to CS, as I've heard they drop a lot of crystals and I expect to let this one age for a few years.

 

[seth8530]

You do not have to be right on freezing temperatures to force acid crystals out of suspension. However, I imagine the colder it is the more likely you are to precipitate these crystals out.

 

[geek]

Jim, do you have a deck, you may be better to leave the carboy outside as i assume the temps are a bit lower, right?

That also gives us a chance to get a free carboy full of wine...

 

[jswordy]

The only thing about warming your wine after dropping crystals is that they can be reabsorbed into warmer solution just as they dropped out when cold. For that reason, it's recommended that you don't allow your cold stabilized wines to come back to room temps, but rather bottle them cool.

I doubt a rise to 40 would result in many crystals redissolving, but my problem where I live is that it is 23 at night these days and 52 daytimes. I have been waiting for a week of real cold to stick a carboy outside, thus saving me having to transfer it to gallons to set it in the fridge. So far, no joy.

I cold stabilize all my wine made from grapes, and find that the rate of crystal formation is more about the type of grape than whether it is red or white wine.

 

[geek]

how about if you're cold stabilizing right after fermentation and you're not ready to bottle but aging, I assume you then rack the wine before bring back to room temp and then age as needed, but leave sediments behind when cold.

 

[Elmer]

how about if you're cold stabilizing right after fermentation and you're not ready to bottle but aging, I assume you then rack the wine before bring back to room temp and then age as needed, but leave sediments behind when cold.

Bring in cold and rack. However as told to me by Runningwolf
leave "375ml bottle back from the new carboy until it comes up to room temperature and use an airlock"

Wine will expand when it warms up.
My wine shrank and I kept topping up.

I racked into a 6 gallon carboy and a half way into a 1 gallon jug. Waited a day for it to warm, combined the 2 back together after it warmed up and expanded.
I am currently bulk aging.

The wine is still dropping sediment even after cold crashing!

 

[Floandgary]

With local temps between single digits and @20f for several days, any ideas how long I should leave my bucket of Brianna out there?

OOps! suggestions on page one.. Will see what 3-4 days'll do

 

[Elmer]

With local temps between single digits and @20f for several days, any ideas how long I should leave my bucket of Brianna out there?

OOps! suggestions on page one.. Will see what 3-4 days'll do

I dont think 3 days is enough, if you are lookng to drop sediment!
2 to 3 weeks is also fine

 

[Floandgary]

Thanks Elmer. Will defer to the greater knowledge!

 

[Boatboy24]

Jim, do you have a deck, you may be better to leave the carboy outside as i assume the temps are a bit lower, right?

That also gives us a chance to get a free carboy full of wine...

I do, but it faces south and gets no shade. It's a nice toasty place to hang out on a 40 degree day. I think the day/night temp fluctuations would be huge.

 

[terroirdejeroir]

The only thing about warming your wine after dropping crystals is that they can be reabsorbed into warmer solution just as they dropped out when cold. For that reason, it's recommended that you don't allow your cold stabilized wines to come back to room temps, but rather bottle them cool.

I doubt a rise to 40 would result in many crystals redissolving, but my problem where I live is that it is 23 at night these days and 52 daytimes. I have been waiting for a week of real cold to stick a carboy outside, thus saving me having to transfer it to gallons to set it in the fridge. So far, no joy.

I cold stabilize all my wine made from grapes, and find that the rate of crystal formation is more about the type of grape than whether it is red or white wine.

I have been trying to figure out a way to cold stabilize even though I have no shed, no room in the garage and not enough room in the fridge for a carboy. I saw your reference to transferring to gallons and I couldn't believe that hadn't occurred to me as I have several gallonish size jugs. The wine I want to stabilize has been in carboys from 4-8 months and degassed several times with the AIOWP.

I am thinking I will just sanitize the screw-top lids for the jugs and put them in the fridge without air locks for a couple of weeks -see any problems with that?