Mixing in air during primary fermentation?

[BernardSmith]

I started 6 gallons of elderflower wine on Tuesday (SG 1.100) and now realize that I need to be away for a few days. I divided up the batch into two primary buckets so that there is a larger air surface. My question: I won't be able to mix air into the buckets for about 4 days. Is this going to create a catastrophic (irrepairable) problem or will the impact be minor?

 

[Midwest Vintner]

I started 6 gallons of elderflower wine on Tuesday (SG 1.100) and now realize that I need to be away for a few days. I divided up the batch into two primary buckets so that there is a larger air surface. My question: I won't be able to mix air into the buckets for about 4 days. Is this going to create a catastrophic (irrepairable) problem or will the impact be minor?

Depends, what yeast was used? A slow working yeast might be ok. Can you get anyone to come by and stir once a day at least?

 

[robie]

I don't know about elderflower specifically, but with some wines, people seal up the bucket and use an air lock all through primary. I don't do this, myself.

Having someone come by and stirring it is the best, of course.

How many more days should it ferment? What I'm really asking is when should it be sealed up in secondary? If you do what I recommend below, you wouldn't want that time to come while you are gone.

Splash stir it really well before you leave. I would consider covering the buckets with a clean cloth, so the wine can still get some ventilation. The CO2 will be pushed up and out and some oxygen will be able to slide/roll in under the CO2.

Just don't seal it up with an air lock, unless it is time for secondary. It should be just fine.

 

[BernardSmith]

Robie, You asked "How many more days should it ferment? What I'm really asking is when should it be sealed up in secondary? If you do what I recommend below, you wouldn't want that time to come while you are gone". I was assuming that it would not be ready to rack until Tuesday or Wednesday at the very earliest and I will be back by then. Wednesday would be only a week after the addition of the champagne yeast. I don't use airlocks for the primary and have covered them with cloth.

 

[robie]

Robie, You asked "How many more days should it ferment? What I'm really asking is when should it be sealed up in secondary? If you do what I recommend below, you wouldn't want that time to come while you are gone". I was assuming that it would not be ready to rack until Tuesday or Wednesday at the very earliest and I will be back by then. Wednesday would be only a week after the addition of the champagne yeast. I don't use airlocks for the primary and have covered them with cloth.

That's great timing. You should be just fine.

I think you should send me a couple bottle of it, so I can make sure it turns out OK....
(Just kidding!)

 

[BernardSmith]

Robie, I made a couple of gallons of this wine a few months ago and it tastes (to my uneducated palate) pretty darn tasty! but I am experimenting and was planning to make this batch sparkling

 

[robie]

I have never made any of my wines sparkling (on purpose, that is). One of these days I am going to have to try this with a summer wine, likely.

Do you know how to do it? There are some older threads on here about how to do it. I think Dan (Runningwolf), among others, has done this several times.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

 

[Deezil]

Here's a How-To from out Tutorial section, on the more-traditional method of making a sparkling wine