Ferment to dry in primary, or not.

[mikefrommichigan]

I have recently read some threads giving opinions about when to transfer fermenting wines to secondary.

Example 1: “Some folks move to secondary around (1.010)”
Example 2: “Some ferment to dry (1.000 to .990) in primary”

What I have not been able to discover is, what is the difference in the end product?

Thanks, Mike

 

[cmason1957]

I think it is a po-tay-toe / po-ta-toe argument. Provided that you are actively monitoring the end of your ferment and get it under airlock when it isn't actively producing (and off - gassing CO2). If you are lazy, like I am and just want to let it finish whenever and then plan to rack about a week (or so later) you want to let it finish under airlock. I have done it both ways and can detect no noticeable difference.

The big thing is under airlock once that CO2 isn't being actively produced.

 

[djrockinsteve]

Mike I have experienced no difference with the exception of additional CO2 that's needs to be removed from transferring to a carboy as a secondary.

Times have changed over the years and we know a lot more about the science of one making. Wine making in the past used to take longer. Now generally your wine can be fermented dry in about one week. As long as there is in active fermentation your wine is protected from the onset of oxidation.

What I have found that works best for me is to ferment in the following manner.

Allow the juice to acclimate to 60 to 65°.
Open the lid and add my pectic enzyme.
12 hours later I add yeast nutrient and take my specific gravity readings. My juices or already pH and acid balanced.
I rehydrate one yeast packet and add to my 6 gallon juice bucket.

I will stir several times a day to move about the sugars, yeast and release CO2 from the must. The lid that came with the bucket is allowed to rest loosely on top during fermentation.

Once my must reaches 1.000 I will add 1 teaspoon of yeast Energizer then stir vigorously, then snap on a lid with a three eights inch hole drilled in. That is the perfect size for a number two bung. Can I insert and airlock and allow it to finish fermenting.

The CO2 that I have stirred up will lay on top of the must and protect the wine through the and of fermentation. This usually takes one to two days. There is no more stirring once you snap on the lid. This will allow much of the sediment to fall to the bottom of your bucket.

Now you may carefully rack off your wine and proceed to stabilize and clear. In this manner you are protecting your wine as fermentation slows.

 

[richmke]

I think the idea is to rack off the lees at 1.01 in order to minimize the risk of decomposing yeast introducing off flavors.

I was looking at the 180 day schedule, and if I read it correctly, it has the juice being in the primary for 28 days before the first racking.

 

[djrockinsteve]

If you rack off of your lea's before the end of fermentation you will slow the entire process down. The Lee's contain active and dead yeast which contributse to the fermentation process.

 

[Thig]

I don't think I have ever left it in the primary for 28 days. If it has taken that long just to get down to around 1.000 then I would say it has probably stalled. I often leave mine in the primary until it is below 1.000 but I am monitoring it closely and get it in a carboy within a day.

 

[DoctorCAD]

I think the idea is to rack off the lees at 1.01 in order to minimize the risk of decomposing yeast introducing off flavors.

I was looking at the 180 day schedule, and if I read it correctly, it has the juice being in the primary for 28 days before the first racking.

Yes you do leave it in the primary for 28 days, however, it is step-fed the last gallon of juice, so there is active ferment going for much longer than a traditional primary/secondary ferment. Also, the 180 day instructions have you start off in a carboy instead of a bucket, so headspace is minimized (just like a secondary would do).

It works, but I sometimes don't have a free carboy so I start off in a bucket. Then I rack before step-feeding. Gives me 2 extra weeks to clear out a carboy.

 

[bkisel]

I first started with low end kits from RJS which all had instructions to go to dry in the primary. With my first high end kit the instructions had me rack to secondary @ SG 1.020. With kits I follow the instructions. Don't know if it makes a dimes worth of difference which way it is done so long as, I believe, if staying in the bucket, you put it under airlock somewhere between SG 1.020-1.000.

 

[mikefrommichigan]

Thanks for all the replies, it now makes more sense.

I have only made Winexpert kits from the LHBS, and follow the instructions the kit gives, except I now leave the lid off and stir daily for the first 3 to 4 days and take SG readings each time. I then, sometimes, add an airlock and sometimes do not add an airlock, and leave it there until fermentation stops, usually after 6 -8 days. I then rack off into a secondary and proceed to stabilize and clear.

I am not sure why I sometimes add the airlock and sometimes not after the 3 - 4 day period. It doesn't seem to make any difference in the outcome of the wines that I have made.

 

[bkisel]

Thanks for all the replies, it now makes more sense.

I have only made Winexpert kits from the LHBS, and follow the instructions the kit gives, except I now leave the lid off and stir daily for the first 3 to 4 days and take SG readings each time. I then, sometimes, add an airlock and sometimes do not add an airlock, and leave it there until fermentation stops, usually after 6 -8 days. I then rack off into a secondary and proceed to stabilize and clear.

I am not sure why I sometimes add the airlock and sometimes not after the 3 - 4 day period. It doesn't seem to make any difference in the outcome of the wines that I have made.

The very first wine I made I airlocked @ about day six. I never saw any bubbles coming up through the airlock and couldn't understand why. Found out when I finally racked on about day 14 and was cleaning the primary bucket and lid. Turns out the lid grommet had about an inch or so missing so my lid was not sealing the bucket air or should I say CO2 tight. LHBS had an extra grommet which they gave me and problem was solved for the second batch. In the end that first batch of wine (and every batch since) turned out just fine. Personally though I would still airlock between 1.020 and 1.000.

 

[seth8530]

I typically only rack if the wine goes dry of if it appears that the fermetation is slowing to a crawl and I do not want to risk oxidation. 28 days is a LONG time for primary.