Fiberglass screen

[NC-beeman]

Hi everyone, I started a batch of wine a couple of weeks ago. It is my version of Dragon Blood. After a week in the primer I transferred it to the secondary. I wanted to add some raisins but having previously done this before I knew I would have problems getting a bag of raisins out of the carboy. So I bought a piece of fiberglass screen cut & sewed it into a tube sterilized it and added my raisins to the secondary. Has anyone done this before, and is their a problem?

 

[DoctorCAD]

YIKES..I would not have done that. Fiberglass is truly made of glass fibers. They do not stay in the fabric.

 

[vacuumpumpman]

Use a mesh bag or something similar if needed

 

[Runningwolf]

Go to Home Depot and buy Paint strainer bags in 1 & 5 gallon sizes.

 

[JohnT]

Question: (never having used raisins before) Why not simply add them to the carboy and rack them off later (as you would with whole grape must)? seems to me that raisins that have been soaking for several weeks would not fit through most racking tubes.

 

[Hunt]

Did you already add the fiberglass screen into the carboy? If you did I don't think the wine would be safe to drink. I'm not sure what affects it could have on your body.

 

[NC-beeman]

The screen I am speaking of is the same as what goes in a storm door. Their are no loose fibers. The reason I did this is the last time I added raisins to the secondary they continually stopped up the hose when raking, and a mesh bag full of raisins will not come out of a carboy very easily. Does anyone have better advice for adding things to the secondary.

 

[DoctorCAD]

Perhaps you didnt understand, but the glass fibers will always come out of fiberglass, even solid types. Its just the way it is. You cannot see them, but they are there.

Youve ruined that batch...live and learn.

 

[Hunt]

I'd simply add the raises to the carboy. When you go to rack the wine simply place a mesh bag over the siphon. Then you can simply dump what's left in the trash.

 

[peaches9324]

NC-beeman I have never had raisins come through the siphon. And hardly none of the lees actually get past the siphon. What kind of siphon are you using? Is the siphon tip on? And the general practice of adding raisins is to add them directly to the carboy then rack off of them later and if you want you can rinse them off like you would oak and place them back in if you want

 

[bkisel]

The screen I am speaking of is the same as what goes in a storm door. Their are no loose fibers. The reason I did this is the last time I added raisins to the secondary they continually stopped up the hose when raking, and a mesh bag full of raisins will not come out of a carboy very easily. Does anyone have better advice for adding things to the secondary.

I've done the raisins in "secondary" (added at about 1.020 SG) just one time. I kept my wine in the primary bucket until dry. I found that most of the raisins were floating and were easily scooped out before racking. The small percentage of sinkers caused no racking issues.

 

[fabrictodyefor]

r and if you want you can rinse them off like you would oak and place them back in if you want

I've never added raisins to the secondary, but I've read this before and was wondering why you have to rinse them off, if going from primary to secondary? Just wanting that little tid-bit of knowledge in my brain! Thanks

 

[peaches9324]

I've never added raisins to the secondary, but I've read this before and was wondering why you have to rinse them off, if going from primary to secondary? Just wanting that little tid-bit of knowledge in my brain! Thanks

You want to get rid of any dead yeast cells that are left on them and I use a lil k-meta solution

 

[NC-beeman]

Thanks for the information. I guess I had to learn the hard way. I like the idea of putting a piece of material over the siphon hose. I have taken the filters out. I have some 500 micron sock filter bags. I think I will run the wine through them. Do you think It will be ok then?

 

[barryjo]

The screen I am speaking of is the same as what goes in a storm door. Their are no loose fibers. The reason I did this is the last time I added raisins to the secondary they continually stopped up the hose when raking, and a mesh bag full of raisins will not come out of a carboy very easily. Does anyone have better advice for adding things to the secondary.

Sure. Instead of using a carboy, use a 6-8 gallon primary fermenter with an airlock. Leave the bagged raisins in for a couple weeks and then rack to carboy. Personally, I put the raisins in the primary, in a bag.