Help with diagnosis w/pictures

[JDL]

This is my first batch of wine from scratch. I have made 3 wine kits up to this point that are all bottled and no problem.

I made wade's chocolate strawberry port and am to the bulk age step.

I did not use a fermentation bag so when it was 1.015 I strained all the fruit out with a paint strainer. The two 1 gallon bottles I am using I picked up and cleaned at a HBS and the 3 gallon carboy is brand new and on its first use.

I used one step as a cleaner and sodium meta as the sanitizer for all items. I used 1/2 tspn of k-meta before I racked it over to these containers for bulk aging.

My question is the white ring around the jar and on the very edge of the liquid. They have only been bulk aging for about 3 weeks now and developed the little white ring at about 2 days and then it started to stick to the side as you can see. There is a few seeds on top with what looks to be some pulp left over dangling from them as well on the top. It is being kept betwee 64-67 degrees and in the dark as well.

It is hard to put into pictures but there is nothing actually on the center of the top, it is just what is touching the glass.

Is is an infection? Is this something to even worry about? It is on the new carboy and the small 1 gallon jugs.

My current guess is that it is a slight infection or residue sugar from the back sweetening that took place. I am currently leaning between re-racking and adding k-meta again or leaving alone and taking a chance on the infection.

Thanks in advance for anyones help...

Jeff

 

[Racer]

As the wine slowly de-gases you can get that light foam like your pictures show. I don't see anything going wrong myself

 

[Wade E]

Your fine, I get this or something like this with almost every batch of wine I make, this is normal for a wine that bulk ages. Thats why they sell carboy and bottle brushes. You still have a very cloudy wine and like Racer said you most likely still have much gas in your wine keeping these solids suspended which makes stuf float instead of fall to the bottome making your wine not clear, degas your wine and you will see it clear much faster!

 

[Tom]

Relax and have a gless or 2 or 3 or 4 of wine..

 

[JDL]

Since I cannot stir to degas it anymore, there is already a lot of sediment on the bottom my idea is to use a wine pump that you use to seal open bottles of wine, I just push it down on the carboy stopper and start pumping and push down to create a seal. You can see the bubbles come out of it.

This should work or do I have to rack it and stir it again with the spoon handle?

 

[wyntheef]

what does this mean? you cannot stir to degas anymore.

 

[Wade E]

Vcuum racking will also stir that all up by pulling the C02 up from the bottom. rack off all that sediment and dont be afraid to bring a little sediment over also, remember youll be dropping sediment againanyways so at this point its best to get every drop you can so you dont have to top up with like wines or wha ever later, I rarely ever have to top up anymore. The stuff will fall out again and again!

 

[Lurker]

Even though the vino vac is a good idea, what Wade E said. I always listen to Tom & Wade.

 

[Tom]

Even though the vino vac is a good idea, what Wade E said. I always listen to Tom & Wade.

Well gee.. Thanks for the vote of confidence Rich.

 

[Wade E]

I actually learned this the hard way when I first bought my Mity Vac, I added the fining agent and then put it under vacuum to try and clear it at the same time and didnt pay attention to it for a day and 1/2. i came back to all the stuff that was supposed to be on the bottom being all on the top. It reverse cleared very fast and very good!! After releasing the vacuum it fell down Ok but just about any method of degassing will disturb the lees pretty bad!

 

[Runningwolf]

Well gee.. Thanks for the vote of confidence Rich.

Be careful listening to Tom. You see how much wine he's made. He's still trying to figure it out!::

 

[Tom]

This is true. I and EVERYONE here are always learning..
You know what the alcohol does .. It kills the bad brain cells so it gives MORE room for new GOOD brain cells.. (I think?)

 

[wyntheef]

This is true. I and EVERYONE here are always learning..
You know what the alcohol does .. It kills the bad brain cells so it gives MORE room for new GOOD brain cells.. (I think?)

I believe you tom, but try telling that to my dead braincells.

 

[Luc]

Looking at the pics I think you will be fine.

I can see a layer of white-ish sediment in the second picture. And the wine is still cloudy, and you racked at 1.015.
Putting this all together i think there could still be fermentation going on, however small.

So do not worry, relax and have patience.

Luc