Mosti Mondiale It's On The Way !!

[Wade E]

Were there any seeds in there at all, hopefully there were not or the grinding might have broken them up and you might have extracted more tannins then you wanted. Youre probably fine though!

 

[unaFORDable]

didn't see or feel seeds, doesn't mean they were'nt there though. I only hit the blender button and released it really fast, so not really blending, just ruff chopping. about half were still whole. should I have gotten more than a cup of liquid???
TinaLouise

 

[Wade E]

Thats about right and if you didnt really see any seeds youll be fine.

 

[unaFORDable]

Just wondering how your Amarone is doing?
When will you start the degassing?
TinaLouise

 

[GrantLee63]

I checked the SG yesterday and itwas .996, so I am planning on racking my Amarone when I come home this afternoon. I will update this thread later today.
- GL63

 

[GrantLee63]

SG = .996

Racked into another clean and sanitized 6 1/2 gallon glass carboy. Started my de-gassing procedure using my Mity-Vac which involves the following:
<UL>
<LI>In the evening, I bring the pressure down to 20" hg. I'll do this several times until it it time to go to bed, as it will 'leak down' as the CO2 gets released. Right before I actually shut the lights out for the evening, I'll pump it down to 20" hg.</LI>
<LI>First thing the following morning, it will read 15-12" hg and I will pump it back down to 20'', then pump it back down minutes before leaving the house for work.</LI>
<LI>When I get home from work in the afternoon, the vacuum will usually be between 17-15" hg. I'll pump it back down to 20" and hold it there until the 24 hour mark is reached. (the 24 hour mark would be the time that I initially applied vacuum to it - in this case, 7:00 PM EST tomorrow.)</LI>
<LI>I will then take the vacuum off and add my clarifying agents per the instructions that came with the kit.</LI>[/list]


Stay tuned for additional updates.
- GL63

 

[unaFORDable]

At this point, I'm finally gonna get all that muck that's at the bottom of the wine out of there. When you racked it, about how much "stuff" did you leave behind? About how many cups of muck was left in the bottom?
TinaLouise

 

[Swede]

What I've been doing for degassing is a combination of using the drill stirrer + vacuum.










I use the drill mounted stirrer like you normally do, then immediatly follow up with vacuum. I repeat that process about 4-5 times or until I can't pull any more foam out after stirring. Seems to be very effective.


And my Amerone finished up at .996 as well and is in the clearing stage now. Actually tasted pretty good. I could taste both the raisins and the oak in there. I topped the carboy off with about 850 ml of Nebbiolo.

 

[Swede]

I have a question on this kit since it's relavent to the conversation... the directions said nothing about adding Potassium Sorbate at the end, but I noticed it came with a packet of it. Did you all add it in?

 

[unaFORDable]

not yet, my directions have it listed under step 5 (bottling time) as the time to add it. I've just got to the racking off the muck, adding potassium metabislufite and stir stir stir. I'm at the stir stir stir part. Before racking SG .990

 

[Jack on Rainy]

I have a question on this kit since it's relavent to the conversation... the directions said nothing about adding Potassium Sorbate at the end, but I noticed it came with a packet of it. Did you all add it in?

Swede,
I am almopst certain this kit tells you to add sorbate just prior to bottling. Take another look.

 

[ras1]

I started mine a bit latter than some of you guys. Wish I would have read this thread earlier...anyway here is how I did mine: <?amespace prefix = o ns = "urnchemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><O></O>
<O></O>
-- Used BM45 yeast rehydrated with GoFerm on 1/31<O></O>
-- Did 1 Min pure O2 day 1 and again Day 2<O></O>
-- Fermented at 65<O></O>
-- Added Fermaid-K instead of the DAP that came with the Kit at 1.040<O></O>
-- Did the raisin squeeze using a nylon strainer bag at sg 40<O></O>
-- Did not use the wood chips instead have 2 Stavin Barrel Replacements/staves in (one Hungarian and One French)<O></O>
-- Raised temp to 78 on Day 7<O></O>
-- SG 2 days ago was .996 will check again tonight and rack if stable<O></O>

 

[GrantLee63]

About how many cups of muck was left in the bottom?

There was about 1/2" - 3/4" of lees and oak on the bottom of my 6 1/2 gallon carboy, so I would venture to guess about 3-4 cups.
<UL>
<LI>Completed degassing using my Mityvac
<LI>Added K-Meta per instructions and stirred well
<LI>Added Clarifying agents per instructions and stirred well</LI>[/list]


I will let this sit for 2 weeks before racking off the sediment that falls out, then bulk-age for3 years or so before bottling, then another 2 or so in the bottle before consuming .... at least that's the plan!
- GL63

 

[ras1]

Added Clarifying agents per instructions and stirred well


I will let this sit for 2 weeks before racking off the sediment that falls out, then bulk-age for3 years or so before bottling...- GL63

GL,


I noticed that they have a Tip below Step 5 that says "If you want to Bulk Age...Postpone adding clairifying agents until 8-10 days before bottling"


I'm sure it is no big deal but, did you do that intentionally?

 

[Swede]

not yet, my directions have it listed under step 5 (bottling time) as the time to add it. I've just got to the racking off the muck, adding potassium metabislufite and stir stir stir. I'm at the stir stir stir part. Before racking SG .990

Ah! I thought I had read through all the instructions but apparently I missed that. I guess I'mused to seeingit called for it at the same time you do the clarifying.

 

[GrantLee63]

GL, I noticed that they have a Tip below Step 5 that says "If you want to Bulk Age...Postpone adding clairifying agents until 8-10 days before bottling" I'm sure it is no big deal but, did you do that intentionally?

Yes.My logic is .....why not let the bulk of the solids precipitate out early?I figure that it would not hurt to use it. However, I am fully aware that there are many who would not even bother with a clarifying agent if they were goingto be bulk-aging for as long as I will beasthe wine would clarify 'naturally' throughout the aging process.


Bottom line: The kit came with it so I used it.


- GL63

 

[unaFORDable]

About how many cups of muck was left in the bottom?

There was about 1/2" - 3/4" of lees and oak on the bottom of my 6 1/2 gallon carboy, so I would venture to guess about 3-4 cups.GL63

Ok, great. Well not really great, I kept looking at that mess and thinking that there's amarone juice in there somewhere and how can I get it back!!!

 

[GrantLee63]

Racked off the lees into a clean and sanitized 5 gallon carboy and 1 gallon jug - which is about 2/3 full. I topped the jug off with CO2 and gave a little shot of CO2 on top of the wine in the carboy beforesealing with a bung. Not much left to do at this point other than wait 3 years or so before bottling .....


- GL63

 

[Wade E]

Is this the batch from the barrel?

 

[GrantLee63]

Negative Wade .... I have a mead that is currently barrel fermenting and will be transferring the Zinfandel I made into it when that is finished.


- GL63