Never again!

[Elmer]

Making a WE selection Barolo.
Racking to secondary into a carboy. What should have taken 5 minutes with the AIO took near 30 minutes.

The kit comes with a bag of oak chips and a bag of oak dust. When I started the kit Without thinking, I ripped the bags open and dumped it into the must.
When it was time to rack my racking cane got clogged. I cleared it a dozen times.
Then the hose got clogged, I had to clear this 4 times.

Next time I will leave my self a note and put everything in a small bag.
Why I didn't this time is anyone's guess!

 

[LoneStarLori]

Making a WE selection Barolo.
Racking to secondary into a carboy. What should have taken 5 minutes with the AIO took near 30 minutes.

The kit comes with a bag of oak chips and a bag of oak dust. When I started the kit Without thinking, I ripped the bags open and dumped it into the must.
When it was time to rack my racking cane got clogged. I cleared it a dozen times.
Then the hose got clogged, I had to clear this 4 times.

Next time I will leave my self a note and put everything in a small bag.
Why I didn't this time is anyone's guess!

Oh now I'm scared. I just did the same thing with my LE Shiraz/Viognier kit. It came with 2 bags of different oak chips and dried grape skins. I only used the bag for the skins. It will be ready to rack on Sat. I think I will try some premptive measures. Not sure what yet. But thanks for the heads up.

 

[Pumpkinman]

Elmer, I keep a half dozen muslin bags of various sizes on hand just for that alone, they come in handy!

 

[MrKevin]

LoneStarLori
I never use a bag, I dump everything right in my primary. I then you a plastic cheese form/strainer to rack thru or pre-strain, I stick my racking cane in the strainer and it keeps all the junk from clogging things up.

 

[richmke]

I made a kit recently that had oak dust. I threw it right in.When it got to the bottom (started pulling the thick stuff), I poured the sludge through a kitchen strainer into a pitcher (both sanitized), and then poured that into a carboy.

 

[Putterrr]

i have found the Eclipse reds especially bad for this so the bag is the way to go. the strainer does sound interesting

care to post a picture

thx

cheers

 

[wildvines]

What kind of bags are best to use. Was going to start my kit this coming week. WE eclipse Pinot

 

[Putterrr]

They usually sell a muslin bag at the LHBS. If you can't find one, you can use a NEW nylon stocking. Just cut off what you need and tie a not in it. Sterilize it of course.

cheers

 

[Pumpkinman]

Buy the large muslin bags, you want to tie it real loose so more of the grape surface area comes in contact with the must.

 

[jamesngalveston]

i use 5 gallon paint spray bags from home depot...they work great, and are cheap...usually will hold up for about 5 are 6 batches, then i just toss.

 

[Elmer]

I have one of the those muslim bags,
but I also bought a box of Nylon stockings at the dollar store for $1.08. The box has about 30 of them in there.

I just plain, simply forgot to even use a bag.

My next kit, I hope not to be so forgetfull.

 

[michael-s]

I agree with MrKevin

I tied a cheesecloth on end of racking cane and racked from 1 carboy to another without any problems or delays........... the oak was dumped out of bag directly into the must at beginning of fermentation. Worked fine.

 

[bkisel]

Tisk, tisk, tisk!

I posted about this issue 3-4 months ago having used chips for the first time with my RJS WS Super Tuscan.