First batches for 2022

[winemaker81]

@winemaker81 I do my primary in a bucket. If I was to leave it in there on the lees for a 2nd week, I'd be concerned about oxygen exposure. If you want to give it a 2nd week on the fruit pulp, do you use a carboy for primary fermentation?

For kits and small batches, I use a common 6, 7, or 7.9 US gallon fermenter with a snap on lid. In the past I racked when the SG got below 1.010, but now I'm following the FWK protocol -- when the SG hits 1.010 I snap on the lid and add an airlock. On Day 14 I unseal and press or rack.

I was leery, but the theory is sound, and is done commercially (on a much larger scale).

An active ferment continuously emits CO2, which pushes the air at the top of the fermenter out the airlock. While the CO2 mixes with the air just over the wine, over the course of several days the mixture becomes safe for the wine after fermentation ceases.

 

[Raptor99]

@winemaker81 I may have to try that! I am guessing that once you snap on the lid, you don't open it again until you are ready to rack?

 

[winemaker81]

@winemaker81 I may have to try that! I am guessing that once you snap on the lid, you don't open it again until you are ready to rack?

Exactly.

I am thinking that for a fruit or white, I'd seal at 1.020.

 

[Earldw]

Exactly.

I am thinking that for a fruit or white, I'd seal at 1.020.

To ensure adequate fermentation for a CO2 seal?

 

[winemaker81]

To ensure adequate fermentation for a CO2 seal?

No, sealing at 1.010 will work for any wine. Some folks rack whites at 1.020 and put under airlock to slow down the ferment and reduce the aromatics that are blown off. I'd seal early for that reason.

 

[Earldw]

Tested the white today.
original readings: Brix 23.7. pH 3.43, sg 1.102
todays readings: Brix 2.2, pH 3.20, sg 0.990, TA 10.2, ABV, 14.7% . It tastes dry and very tart with a cloudy rose color.

This must was made by crushing 175#’s of red muscadines then taking the first 5 gallons off free-run juice, the solids were left for the red batches. As a consequence there were virtually no gross lees when I transferred it from 1° Fermentation in a bucket to 2° fermentation in a glass carboy. There is about a half-inch of lees in the carboy now after 2 weeks though the wine is still cloudy.

‘’I was thinking of putting it in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks to precipitate out the tartaric acid and hopefully reduce TA. This leads me to three questions:
1) will this have a noticeable effect on TA?
2) would you rack the wine off the lees prior to putting into the refrigerator?
3) would you dose with SO2 If racking?

thanks

 

[Ohio Bob]

Patience. It’s probably better to give it 6-9 months to settle, racking and Kmeta as appropriate. After that time, cold crashing will be effective for dropping out the tartaric crystals.

 

[winemaker81]

1) will this have a noticeable effect on TA?

It depends totally if the amount of tartaric acid exceeds a threshold for solubility. If you have excess tartaric, crystals will drop and the TA will reduce. How much is impossible to determine.

I've had NY hybrid whites drop lots of crystals, and had both minor reductions in palpable acid (taste test) and major reductions.

2) would you rack the wine off the lees prior to putting into the refrigerator?

If it's fine lees, no. There's no value. If anything, crystals dropping will help the wine clear.

3) would you dose with SO2 If racking?

Absolutely. Once fermentation is done, I add 1/4 tsp K-meta per 5/6 gallons at each racking.

 

[Earldw]

Gave the white a taste today and it has come a long way. I enjoyed my little sample though it is still too tart for it’s sweetness, pretty cloudy and kind of a weak-tang color. I was gonna rack it, but there was so little sediment I decided to just give it a shot of benzonite, give it a week to settle then decide wether to backsweeten, bottle, or continue aging. Last years wine made from the same vines (but different process) went through the tang-colored stage, ended up a deep amber, was pretty tart, lots-o-alcohol and tasted pretty good. It got better for about 10 months in the bottle, but started tasting a little old by a year.

 

[Earldw]

A week turned into a month, but I sampled the white today and it’s doable with some backsweetining. Anybody ever backsweeten with nutrasweet? On a small sample I tried both and the nutrasweet tasted a little cleaner and I’m diabetic anyway.

 

[winemaker81]

A week turned into a month, but I sampled the white today and it’s doable with some backsweetining. Anybody ever backsweeten with nutrasweet? On a small sample I tried both and the nutrasweet tasted a little cleaner and I’m diabetic anyway.

If you are satisfied with the flavor, it's fine, and won't require sorbate.

 

[Earldw]

If you are satisfied with the flavor, it's fine, and won't require sorbate.

Cool,
20 gallons of wine cooking and I have nothing to drink! Time for some of these muscadines to start paying the rent

 

[Earldw]

Bottled up the white today. Sg was 1.000 vs 1.102 starting so about 13 1/2% abv. It is still a bit young but is drinkable. It is tart, sweet and you can feel the alcohol. It did pass the gulp test; I can take a nice big drink with no unusual facial contortions!

 

[HillPeople]

Bottled up the white today. Sg was 1.000 vs 1.102 starting so about 13 1/2% abv. It is still a bit young but is drinkable. It is tart, sweet and you can feel the alcohol. It did pass the gulp test; I can take a nice big drink with no unusual facial contortions!

It's the body contortions you need to watch.