Mosti Mondiale MM Instructions - What were they thinking?

[ibglowin]

I add the oak in primary and then transfer it over to secondary and leave it there until the last rack just before clarifying. This is with the chips. Cubes would be added back in after rinsing for more face time with the alcohol. I pretty much follow Appleman on everything but I do snap the lid and add airlock around 1.03-1.04 or when the massive fermentation settles down. I have seen several different fermentation scenarios and each kit ferments slightly different than others but they all seem to find their way to dryness one way or another.

Don't sweat the O2 worries too much, there is enough CO2 to protect it, just stir daily with a spoon to help the yeast get some air as well as help with oak extraction and grape pack extraction is you have a kit with one.

Wow, long post from my iPhone !

 

[Bartman]

The Vinifera Noble directions, I believe, instruct you to add the oak to the primary and then you leave the oak dust/chips behind when you rack to the secondary. I prefer that method because you can test how oak-y it is after the primary fermentation is complete. If you want it oak-ier, you can supplement with an oak spiral or cubes in the carboy.

If the instructions tell you to addit the primary, add it initially. If it says to add it the carboy, do that - they supply the right form of oak to get the kit's intended results. If you have other intentons, feel free to change it up - oak is relatively forgiving (too much/too little can be adjusted, sometimes over an extended period of time however).

 

[grapeman]

The reason for me leaving the airlock off this particular kit is because I did add syrup to boost the alcohol. Because of that, I want to make sure it has enough 02 in there to finish a clean fermentation. By snappin the lid down with an airlock, you slightly limit the air that can be used, slowing the yeast down and leading to a possible creation of off smells. I make sure the airlock is on after transfer to glass and that is why I move it just a while before dry.

 

[JohnnyK68]

The Vinifera Noble directions, I believe, instruct you to add the oak to the primary and then you leave the oak dust/chips behind when you rack to the secondary. I prefer that method because you can test how oak-y it is after the primary fermentation is complete. If you want it oak-ier, you can supplement with an oak spiral or cubes in the carboy.

If the instructions tell you to addit the primary, add it initially. If it says to add it the carboy, do that - they supply the right form of oak to get the kit's intended results. If you have other intentons, feel free to change it up - oak is relatively forgiving (too much/too little can be adjusted, sometimes over an extended period of time however).

They actually want you to add the oak to the carboy and splash rack the first racking onto them. Im going to just follow the directions after speaking to George and do what he does and rack into a wine bottle first. My biggest and really only reason for doing it this way is not to leave the oak behind in the primary. If its in the secondary carboy to begin with I dont have to worry about transfering it.