It begins... RJS Cellar Series Cabernet

[Brian55]

(hmmm... that would be like 10 cases of wine, wouldn't it?)

That's only a four month supply at a bottle per day..

 

[jgmann67]

Omg, you're right!!! Must make more!

 

[heatherd]

The first time I made wine, I thought, "What am I going to do with 30 bottles?" But that doesn't last very long in the cellar.

Then I made two batches at once and thought, "What am I going to do with 60 bottles?" That doesn't really last that long, either. We give wine as gifts and of course drink a little of it.

I have been in the basement looking at what's left from my first year, and there's very little. If it was good, it's gone. I have saved one bottle of everything I have done to date.

Heather

 

[jgmann67]

Checked the secondary tonight - Day 4 in the secondary. The wine is clearing well. The temp is a steady 71*. About my only concern is that the SG hasn't changed much. It's about 0.999. Not bad, but I'd like it down around 0.994.

I'm going to leave it be for a another week and see what happens. Is there anything I can do to kick the ferment up a little?

Had a glass tonight. Can't help think this is going to be a good one.

 

[jgmann67]

Four days later, the SG and temp is still about the same. 0.998-ish @ 71*.

So let's say I get to the weekend and it's still the same. Is it reasonable to say fermentation is done and I should just move on to the next step?

 

[RCGoodin]

Here is my process, which works out very well for me:
1. Perform Primary fermentation in a bucket.
2. Rack to 6.5 gallon carboy for final fermentation when SG is between 1.010 and 1.020.
3. When fermentation is complete(wine is "still") wait one week for completed fermentation to stabilize.
4. When the one week is up, move to another 6.5 gallon carboy, add stabilizers and clearing agent(s), and wait one week.
5. When the week is up, do one of two things:
a. For aging, rack gently to 6 gallon carboy and top up to reduce air space as much as possible.
b. For sweet wines (I call them Foo Foo's) rack gently to a vessel for immediate bottling.

I would think there would be a mention of not topping up to 2" because you need some room for degassing. You should degas before clearing and topping. Just trying to think out loud for everyone. Other thoughts?

 

[jgmann67]

The manufacturer's CSR said to give it a good stir and increase temp to 75*. Now we wait.

 

[winojoe]

The 6.5 gallon carboy offers enough room for degassing. But, you are correct, I did not mention it. Good catch!

 

[jgmann67]

Two days later, our SG is a little shy of 0.996. I can wait a little while longer. =)

Another stir, another two days.

*** checked again before bed. not sure how this is possible, but SG is back up to 0.998. This is getting a little aggravating.

 

[jgmann67]

Dosed with 4.5 tsp of fermax today. Let's see if this gets us home.

 

[RCGoodin]

Dosed with 4.5 tsp of fermax today. Let's see if this gets us home.

I think we all went through what you're going through. It's somewhat comforting to re-live it through you. Thanks for keeping us updated.

I remember my first batch was a Stags Leap Mertlot and after I bottled it, I said to my wife this stuff is ready to drink. I got back on this forum and asked the others how could I ever wait 2 years before drinking it? Their answers was "keep making more" and so I did. I still have several bottles of that Merlot and it's great. Right now I have 24 gallons of Chardonnay aging in carboys for about 18 months. As soon as I bottle this batch, I have an Eclipse Cab, red Zin and a strawberry port to get started.

I wish you the best on your first batch and encourage you to get ready for the next one.

I suggest you look into buying the All-In-One pump, a floor standing corker, a bunch of various sized fermenting buckets and carboys, and possibly Buon filtering system......It all makes the hobby a little easier.

 

[jgmann67]

Thanks, RC.

I'm wrestling between the stags leap merlot and an Amarone as my next batch of wine. Then, I'm going to do an island mist peach Chardonnay and bump up the alcohol %. I'm enjoying the hobby a lot.

Keeping my eye open for a floor corker. Need two or three more carboys and another ferment bucket. A friend has a filter that I'm going to look into borrowing.

I keep seeing the all-in-one pump. I need to check that out.

 

[ceeaton]

Jim,

I just ordered a floor corker. It's somewhere on a truck in the middle of the country and is due to be delivered the middle of next week. You are more than welcome to try it out once I get it, I just ask that I get to use it once myself.

 

[jgmann67]

You're on, Craig.

 

[jgmann67]

Over the weekend, I fed it just a little more and gave it another good stir. More CO2 released, but all under control this time. I went to marvel at my projects this morning and the airlock on the cab gave me a blub. I had to smile.

Probably going to leave it a few days, maybe Wednesday will be moving day.

Interesting to compare the RJS Cab to the WE Chard.

Once it's done in the secondary, the RJS Cab needs to be racked, leaving the rough lees behind. Then add KMeta and clarifier/fining agents. Degas and wait.

With the WE Chard, after 10 days, check SG. THEN, add KMeta and fining agents. They want all the lees at the bottom stirred back up into the carboy. Degas and let it sit another week or so before racking into a new carboy.

 

[jgmann67]

I think today is going to be moving day for the cab.

 

[wineinmd]

What did it end up at?

I've been following the thread and haven't quite figured out how you came up with a target FG. Did the kit instructions specify?

 

[jgmann67]

What did it end up at?



I've been following the thread and haven't quite figured out how you came up with a target FG. Did the kit instructions specify?

Provided it's below 0.996, I'm moving forward. According to some, the RJS reds struggle to go below 0.998. The kit says "below 1.000". I'd just like it to go dry as possible.

 

[cmason1957]

If your SG is still changing, even just a little bit, I would wait until you get the same reading three days in a row. That way you are fairly certain it is as low as it is going to ferment. I doubt if you will be able to detect the difference is 0.998 and 0.996, so I would not worry so much about the absolute value.

 

[jgmann67]

If your SG is still changing, even just a little bit, I would wait until you get the same reading three days in a row. That way you are fairly certain it is as low as it is going to ferment. I doubt if you will be able to detect the difference is 0.998 and 0.996, so I would not worry so much about the absolute value.

That day came and went a week ago. I haven't checked it since feeding a little nutrient over the weekend. But up to that point, the need hasn't moved much if at all.