WineXpert Lot's of sludge in my 3-4 year old red wine

[RiderEh]

Small mistake, it's demineralized water with ozone. Not ozone water.

 

[bstnh1]

Small mistake, it's demineralized water with ozone. Not ozone water.

I don't have any experience with other than spring water. But I have read that demineralized or distilled water should not be used because both lack minerals that are essential for fermentation. If your fermentations are not complete, that could be the problem.

 

[RiderEh]

My FG is usually around 0.992-0.996. I would consider that not an issue.

 

[drainsurgeon]

Those of you that are using tap or spring water...beware. Just because you think the taste is acceptable does not mean there aren't contaminants in the water. Yes, even city water! A TDS meter is a quick test to see HOW MUCH stuff is in your water, but what exactly it contains needs further testing. Being in the water business for over 30 years, I've tested thousands of wells and city water and you would be surprised how many were contaminated. I've even tested bottled spring water (sold in supermarkets) that had nitrates in it.

I've read that minerals in water are needed for beer brewing, not wine so much. RO water is the safest way to go. It still contains trace amounts of minerals but removes up to 97% of whatever contaminants are present. If you don't want to spend a few hundred dollars for a good quality RO system, you can buy RO water in most supermarkets for 35 to 40 cents a gallon. Cheep insurance in my opinion.

 

[Mismost]

Those of you that are using tap or spring water...beware. Just because you think the taste is acceptable does not mean there aren't contaminants in the water. Yes, even city water! A TDS meter is a quick test to see HOW MUCH stuff is in your water, but what exactly it contains needs further testing. Being in the water business for over 30 years, I've tested thousands of wells and city water and you would be surprised how many were contaminated. I've even tested bottled spring water (sold in supermarkets) that had nitrates in it.

I've read that minerals in water are needed for beer brewing, not wine so much. RO water is the safest way to go. It still contains trace amounts of minerals but removes up to 97% of whatever contaminants are present. If you don't want to spend a few hundred dollars for a good quality RO system, you can buy RO water in most supermarkets for 35 to 40 cents a gallon. Cheep insurance in my opinion.

Yep, I have great tasting well water that goes through a water softener and two filter before coming in the house. It is great water! But not good for making beer or wine. I can not speak to it adding sludge though. I like to rack until clear and filter as I bottle using the AIO. That has pretty much cleared up wine in the bottle problems around here. YMMV.

 

[berrycrush]

Do you oak your wine?

 

[GaDawg]

Do you oak your wine?

Sometimes

 

[RiderEh]

What I'm concluding is the only thing I could do is bulk store in the carboy longer. The only thing that I find interesting with this is we typically don't find the sediment for 2 years, so I'm not sure this would be successful.

 

[bstnh1]

Check this out - it might give you some answers:

https://sontes.wordpress.com/2012/05/27/understanding-sediment-in-wine/

 

[berrycrush]

Sometimes

I find most of sediment comes from the oak, even I filter my wine at bottling.

 

[GaDawg]

I find most of sediment comes from the oak, even I filter my wine at bottling.

I rack my wine until it is ready to bottle and then add oak for 6 weeks, rack one more time and bottle.I have a few bottles of Chardonnay bottled over a year ago with no sediment.

 

[porkchopmessiah]

I use tap water. I was taught if it is good enough to drink, it's good enough for wine.

You never drank New Jersey water I guess...lol

 

[GaDawg]

You never drank New Jersey water I guess...lol

 

[GaDawg]

lol [emoji23]

 

[sugar]

Hello Winemaker 81,
Sugar here.
You made a comment about unbottling
A batch of bottles adjusted and rebottled. How did that work out?
And not introduce O2 into the wine.
I need to do some myself.