How important is time on primary fermentation?

[Frodo]

I am getting ready to start my first kit (WE World Pinot Grigio) and want to be sure that my travel schedule doesn't conflict with the process.

The instructions say that the Primary Fermentation should take 5-7 days, or until the SG is 1.010 or less.

Can the time before racking to the secondary be extended at all like to 8 or 9 days? What will happen? Will the SG continue to decrease until its ruined? If its under 1.010 at 5 days, is it OK to let it go to 7 days?

On the secondary fermentation, which the instructions say should be 10 days or until the SG is 0.996 or less, my understanding is that letting it go longer (maybe to 14 days) is not an issue. Is that right?

Any advice on how timing affects the fermentation process will help in understanding better what is going on and what I should be looking for.

Thanks!

 

[Minnesotamaker]

Frodo, You do have a little bit of latitude with the timing. If you ferement your batch in a bucket with a tight fitting lid and an airlock, you could let it go a little longer without much trouble. The key is that as the wine progresses through the process, it becomes more vulnerable to damage by oxygen. If it ferements dry in the primary, you'll want to rack it quickly with minimal splashing.
Wines that are left in the primary for long periods of time can pick up bad flavors from the sediment at the bottom of the primary, so don't leave it for months.
As for extending the time in the secondary (carboy), you are correct, there is little risk to extending the time as long as it is properly sulfited and protected with an airlock.

 

[derunner]

Ican't help you, but good luck. I just bought this kit and it will be my second i make.

 

[Frodo]

Ican't help you, but good luck. I just bought this kit and it will be my second i make.

Cool! What was the first kit you made and how did that turn out?

 

[Frodo]

Frodo, You do have a little bit of latitude with the timing.

Thanks for the reply! I am hoping to start this tomorrow and would like to follow the instructions closely, but I may be traveling for the next week.

By "fermenting dry", does that mean to an SG 1.000 or less? Will the must eventually stop fermenting if left in primary? Can it use up all the sugar?

I am hoping that this kit being a light white will be more forgiving than a red with grape skins.

 

[derunner]

Cool! What was the first kit you made and how did that turn out?

I'm only about a week ahead of you on my first kit. It has been fermenting since Tuesday and has been bubbling like crazy until today so I think it is getting close. It smells very nice when i get a wiff of it out of the air lock.

It is one of the Island Mist kits, Pomagranate Zinfindel. I thought the wine cooler type kit might be an easy one to start with.

I should be racking it to the carboy tomorrow or tuesday. the advice I was given was just wait until 7 days instead of checking it each day 5-7. Based on bubbles, it looks like it may be slowing down now.

I'm looking forward to that pinot grigio. It is one of my wifes favorites wines.

 

[Frodo]

I'm looking forward to that pinot grigio. It is one of my wifes favorites wines.

That is why I chose the Pinot Grigio as well! I figure she might be more interested in it if its wine she can drink.

I am more of a dark red person myself. I was thinking of doing another value kit from WE like the Spanish Tempranillo or the Sangiovese. I think it may be a good step up before trying something more complicated (and costly) like a SuperTuscan.

Good luck!

 

[tonyt]

By "fermenting dry", does that mean to an SG 1.000 or less? Will the must eventually stop fermenting if left in primary? Can it use up all the sugar?

Yes, yes, and yes. With that said I suggest that everyone follow the instructions exactly, on your first kit. That is I suggest you wait till you will be home for the primary and secondary. You may as well start learning patience, you'll be rewarded. Good luck.

 

[roadpupp]

I agree with Tony.
What is the rush? You will be waiting months to drink this so what is a week?

Better that than too long in the bucket with the gross lees.

I have several hundred pounds of fresh grapes coming and it looks like I have two business trips in that same time frame! I may have to freeze the must. Stupid work getting in the way of winemaking!

 

[Thig]

I have not used a kit yet, but let me ask. Does it not need to be stirred daily like the must if using real grapes? How are going to stir if you are gone.

 

[shoebiedoo]

By "fermenting dry", does that mean to an SG 1.000 or less? Will the must eventually stop fermenting if left in primary? Can it use up all the sugar?

I am hoping that this kit being a light white will be more forgiving than a red with grape skins.

Fermenting dry is just as you stated ;-) it has stopped ferment because it has used up all the sugar, converting to alcohol. My work schedule is one week off and one week traveling so i have to ferment to "DRY" in the primary as a matter of routine. It usually finishes while I'm out of own and it really isn't an issue if you attach the lid with an airlock before you leave.

 

[tonyt]

I have not used a kit yet, but let me ask. Does it not need to be stirred daily like the must if using real grapes? How are going to stir if you are gone.

I usually stir primary daily, especially if there is a grape pack. I usually ignore secondary unless it's a white then I stir secondary daily also.

 

[BeerAlchemist]

Wines that are left in the primary for long periods of time can pick up bad flavors from the sediment at the bottom of the primary, so don't leave it for months.

Do you know more about exactly what bad flavors it can pick up from the gross lees and where they come from? I ask this because when making beer it was for a long time believed necessary to use a secondary in fear of yeast autolysis. However, observation did not match the warning and it was ultimately realized that this concept ported from commercial brewing did not play a role for homebrewers because the hydrostatic pressure that killed the yeast early was not present at our scale. So, that said, I wonder if there is something in the gross lees that causes off flavor, or if it is perhaps a myth?

 

[Frodo]

Just an update on my progress.

I started the primary fermentation on 9/24 and recorded an SG of 1.090. The temperature was around 72 degrees.

Within a day or two, it really started bubbling. I left it go for the full 7 days and checked the SG which was 0.998. That was a little lower than I expected.

I racked the juice into the carboy and am expecting to let it go for 10 days. It is now coming up on 7 days and considering taking a look at the SG to start getting some measurements. It is still blows a bubble into the airlock, but much slower. Since it has gotten a lot colder in the Chicago area, the temp dropped down to 68 degrees for a few days, but it is back up to 70 degrees now.

I have to decide whether to do the degassing now at 7 days, or wait until possibly 11-12 days because I may be out of town. Will waiting a few days longer hurt any?

Overall, everything looks good and am looking forward to the next steps.

 

[tonyt]

I would rack to secondary carboy, top up and add air lock. Should drop a few more SG points.

 

[derunner]

I would rack to secondary carboy, top up and add air lock. Should drop a few more SG points.

Tony, I think he is already in secondary in a carboy and is perhaps finishing that and ready to do the sabilizaton/degassing and fining in the secondary carboy. For WE you keep the lees in during this step.

I have this kit and am making it now so i am familar with the steps. But don't know if Frodo should do it a few days early (if sg is low enough) or wait a few days.

Frodo, I'm about 8 days behind you on this kit. I just went to secondary Friday night. I might be in a similar situation, but am on going to be gone 2 days so it probably wont't matter if i have to wait. This kit smells nice fermenting.

 

[tonyt]

In that case I would top up and give it another week or two. It really could get a bit lower with another week.

 

[Frodo]

I did a test last night and the SG was already down to 0.990. I will do another test today, but my feeling is it may be time to go to the next step (degassing and clarification/fining).

 

[Frodo]

Update on Pinot Grigio

I waited a couple more days to do the stabilizing/degassing and clarification last night after 10 days.

The SG was down slightly to 0.988, so based on my initial reading of 1.090, it calculates to around 13.5% of alcohol.

The degassing brought up a few bubbles initially, but not much afterwards. I used a drill and realized only when I was done that I had it on a slower speed, but I was at it for 5-6 mins.

Immediately, the wine turned much paler/lighter, probably with the sediment mixed in.

Today, I can see a lot of sediment at the bottom already and about the top 3-4 inches much clearer than the rest. The instructions have me wait 8 days and re-rack, then wait 14 days to completely clear before bottling.

Our local wine shop had a wine class that taught me a few techniques and had us try our hand at bottling (and some tasting too!).

Here is a picture of the carboy with it starting to clear at the top.

 

[robie]

.988? I have never had a wine go that low.

It is best to check the wine every 3 days or so and don't consider it finished until the SG has NOT changed since previous check.

Rather than go by bubbles, if the wine gives a fizzy feeling to the end of your tongue when tasting it, it still has CO2 in it and it needs to be removed.