First Minijet use

[dgwyn]

I just bought a Minijet filter and plan on using it on a batch of Pinot Grigio. My plan was to rack it into another carboy first, and then filter it from there into my bottling bucket and then bottle it. The directions suggest waiting after filtering before you bottle, which I hadn't planned on doing. What's the best workflow? Should I just filter it from the current carboy without racking it first? Can I then bottle it, or should I wait?

 

[ffemt128]

I only recently started using the MiniJet. Each time I have used it I made sure the wine was clear with little to no sediment dropping. I then filtered into a clean carboy and waited to bottle.

 

[dgwyn]

Thanks for the reply. My wine is already very clear. So, following your process, I would filter it to a new carboy and let it sit. Then rack it to my bottling bucket and bottle. How long do you wait before bottling?

 

[winemaker_3352]

That is what i do - i rack it first to a clean carboy - then begin filtering to another carboy.

I will let it sit for a few weeks before bottling.

 

[Tom]

I have done it BOTH ways.

OMG! did I really say that?? LOL

 

[Runningwolf]

I have done it BOTH ways.

OMG! did I really say that?? LOL

Silly Tom nothing you Jersy boys do would surprise us!

 

[Runningwolf]

dgwyn, First off I would never filter from a container with sediment. Thats just me because I like to get as much out of them as I can. I have done as many as (4) 6 gallon carboys in a row without a break to let the machine rest. Also because of the set up time and clean up I always try to have a minimum of 12 gallons to filter.

So now your wine is clear and filtered. If I had help I would go ahead and bottle. Otherwise bottle another day when the time permits unless if you're going to continue to age at this point. I don't see any advantage or harm to waiting, assuming you back sweetened before filtering.

 

[dgwyn]

I don't see any advantage or harm to waiting, assuming you back sweetened before filtering.

Uh oh - guess I need to do some searching around for that one. "Back sweetening?" This wine is a Winepert kit, and the only thing I would add is some sulfite prior to bottling. Is there something else I need to do?

In terms of lack of an advantage, I couldn't figure why it would matter. If I filter it and then bottle it, what would letting it sit again after filtering buy me? I've just shaken the crap out of it, and it's going to sit in the bottle for a couple of months to recuperate anyway. Just my ignorance, I presume.

 

[Runningwolf]

Nope you're just fine. No need to back sweetened a kit. Continue on as is soldier!
If you did still have some C02 in it the filtering would probably removed the rest of it.

 

[ffemt128]

Nope you're just fine. No need to back sweetened a kit. Continue on as is soldier!
If you did still have some C02 in it the filtering would probably removed the rest of it.

I concur. Always try to filter from a sediment free container. I don't bottle from a bucket. I use the auto siphon and a fill tube. Fills the bottls to the correct amount of wine for corking.

 

[Boyd]

Once the wine is ready to my satisfaction I run the wine from the minijet directly into my bottles.

Have not had a problem. People that drink the stuff tell me it is very good.

You do need to be careful not to over fill but that works out with a little practice.

Once had a lady call me when I was in the bathtub to tell me how good it was at 9:30 at nite. She is a pilot for Delta and has had fancy wines all over the world.