My first batch.....

[Deezil]

Sounds good so far, Sam.. Just keep taking those hydrometer readings until it reads the same for 3 days in a row.. Then you'll know its stopped & probably toasted the yeast at that point.... "Probably" means you'll still want to stabilize like i suggested earlier because theres no promises on the yeast being truly killed off by alcohol..

When it reads the same for 3 days in a row, you'll want to see about getting the liquid off of the "gross lees" - all the sludge-like sediment in the bottom of the container - & also want to seperate out all the solids that you can.. It's not worth losing wine over though, because it'll all sink eventually and let you siphon off the top, but if you can get it out now easily, it makes things easier down the road

 

[SamWar]

Okay, so since we know that it slowing down I can stop punching down the cap and stirring then. So that the lees can begin to settle correct ?

 

[dralarms]

I'd keep punching the cap but not stir. That will keep the top wet.

 

[SamWar]

Alrighty gang, It is still fermenting... The S.G. tonight was down to 1.032 IT is bubbling slowly.
I only gave the tank a gentle ounch down to keep the top wet. When I tasted it last night on the end it had a spicy taste. Tonight it was spicy and sweet from the start. I could taste the sweetness as well as the fruit but the overall taste was spicy. What the heck is that from ? ? ?

 

[dralarms]

Alrighty gang, It is still fermenting... The S.G. tonight was down to 1.032 IT is bubbling slowly.
I only gave the tank a gentle ounch down to keep the top wet. When I tasted it last night on the end it had a spicy taste. Tonight it was spicy and sweet from the start. I could taste the sweetness as well as the fruit but the overall taste was spicy. What the heck is that from ? ? ?

Think that's the black plums. If I remember correctly the skin of a black plum has a slight "bite" to it.

 

[SamWar]

Pull the bag before it gets worse or let it run ?

 

[SamWar]

Should I pull the bag with the skins in it or just let it run ? Will the Spiciness mello out over time ?

 

[dralarms]

I think I'd pull the bag, but wait for one of the experts to answer.

 

[SamWar]

Just an update... I pulled the bag yesterday morning, then in the afternoon I racked over to the secondary carboy. I had to add about a quart of water to bring it to just where the neck starts to flare up on an angle. So far so good. I can see a good amount of the lees already seperating on the bottom of the jug. My wife is a little more into the project now that she can "see" exactly what is going on.
I also picked up a one gallon primary bucket yesterday and started a batch of Blackberry wine from frozen berries. So now I have two going....

 

[dralarms]

The curse has struck. Lol

 

[SamWar]

Alright.... I racked over to the secondary carbon on Saturday. I can see the lees settling on the bottom distinctly. How long do I wait till I rack again ? Until there is a clarity difference in a few weeks or do I do it sooner ?

 

[dralarms]

You will be able to tell. Once it starts really clearing it should look like colored glass. It will start at the top and work its way down.

 

[SamWar]

Alrighty, Cool. I thought so and believed that is what I read but wanted to ask.

 

[SamWar]

I just checked on my Blackberry wine. It stopped bubbling this morning. The SG is at 0.994 When I tasted a nip or two from the test tube it was dry and not very sweet. So, I need to stabilize to kill off the yeast then add sugar to sweeten it back up correct ?? Then I just sweeten to taste correct ? ? ?

 

[dralarms]

Well sort of. You need to dose with sorbate and kmeta (campden tablets). After that you can sweeten to taste, measure sg, write it down and check it again in 3 or 4 days to make sure fermentation has not restarted.

Then you can clear it and once its clear you bottle or other long term storage.

 

[SamWar]

Got it !!!

 

[SamWar]

Just an update and a quick question....................
I just racked the BLackberry wine into the secondaries. I ended up with 1 1/2 gallons. It looks and smells very good.
Now the question is this... I last asked about if I should wait until I see a color difference to rack the 5 gallon batch of Plum wine to another carboy. I have been waiting.. There is now about a 3-5 inch line across the bottom where the lees are settling at. It is still bubbling away very slowly so we know the yeast is still working along.
Do I need to be concerned with the lees on the bottom ?
Or is this much normal ?
Also if I do rack over again will the amount I loose will take me away from the 5 gallon mark.
So should I top off with water or use wine ? And if wine what type will go well with a plum wine? A blush, white or maybe even a Moscato ?
Sam

 

[Thig]

I had at least 4 inches of gross lees in the bottom of my muscadine when I racked the first time. I attributed most of it the fact that I squeezed the devil out of the pulp and hulls when I pulled them from the must. Next time I will either let them drain or give a gentle squeeze. I was told to top off using wine because water would dilute the wine too much, I guess it depends on how much water it takes. I am trying to get a collection of different size bottles so I can not have to top off, just use whatever size I need for the overfill. I presently have a 1/2 gallon, 3 liter, 1 gallon, 3 gallon and 5 gallon.

 

[SamWar]

Okay, I don't feel bad then. I used a juicer to to grind the halves of my plums to extract to most pulp. In my head that meant more pulp more flavor.... I guess that is why I have so much I also squeezed the heck out of the bag to get the most out of it. I will hang it somehow next time......
I am growing a collection as well. Luckily I had a half gallon jug to put the rest of my blackberry into yesterday.

I think my biggest question is whether the collecting lees will contaminate the wine or is it fine to sit on the bottom like that till the wine stops bubbling and begins to clear. It had been in this carboy for a week now and you always want the first batch to turn out well !!

Thanks again,
Sam

 

[Thig]

Some of the experts need to chime in here, but I was told not to leave the gross lees in there too long and I believe what you have here is definitely gross lees. If you still have active fermentation going on you may be OK.