Newby with some questions before bottling

[hoosiersasquatch]

Hi all,
Our wine is done fermenting and we have some questions before we bottle.

This is how from what we have read we think we should proceed but would like for someone to tell us if we are correct and please share any advice.

We are going rack the wine, add some super-kleer and let set for 1-2 days then rack again

We want to re-sweeten, (it is an apple wine) so we need to add sorbate (1/2 teaspoon per gallon) and sulfite 1/4 TSP per 6 gallons, I believe from what I have read I can add the sugar at this time too??? I have read the wine needs to be degassed, I have the "drill paddle" and could use that at this time also.

This needs to set a few days and then rack again to remove any sediment.

We have just bought a mini jet filter. We could do a "filter run" and let it set a few days to recover from the shock of that.

Bottle from there.

Please let us know if we are doing this correct, and again thanks for any advice.

Rick and Jackie

 

[kashew201]

Wait a week after you sorbate then add sugar solution then wait another week to make sure fermataion has not restarted. that's how I roll.

 

[Runningwolf]

I add sorbate, meta and sugar at the same time, commercially and at home. I used to do it as said above but realize now that it really did not matter. If you're going to cold stabilize do it after back sweetening, then filter and bottle.

 

[Julie]

I do as Dan does, add all at once.

I do have a question you mention adding superklear and you plan on racking two days after adding the superklear? I would leave that sit for a week or two before racking.

 

[Turock]

What did you mean when you said it was done fermenting? Do you mean primary or secondary ferment? You can't bottle an apple wine that has just finished primary fermentation, if this is the case. It should remain in the carboy for about one year before being bottled.

 

[wyntheef]

i've had people comment on how clear my wine was and ask if i had filtered it because of how well super kleer works
on it's own. but that is your choice. typically, i don't do both on the same wine.

 

[fivebk]

I have made several batches of apple wine. As mentioned above I add K-Meta, sorbate & then backsweeten all at the same time. I do recomend that you leave it sit on the SuperKleer for a couple of weeks. All the batches of apple that I have made dropped sediment for a long time ( even after superkleer was used). Apple wine gets much better after the 1 year mark. I don't bottle mine untill it's a year old and then let it sit for 3-6 months. It just takes time for this wine to get good.

Good luck with your wine

BOB

P.S. I have had apple wine that was 3 years old that still had not shown signs of decline in quality. It never lasted any longer than that before we consummed it all.

 

[hoosiersasquatch]

Hi Turock,
We started this batch about 5 months ago, so it is not been in the fermenter for a year.
It has been at 1000 specific gravity for a couple of months and we have no activity in the airlock. We made this batch from apple juice I bought at the grocery store. It is in the secondary fermenter. We have racked it off three times. It appears to be very clear and only a very small amount of sediment when we last racked about 2 weeks ago. We always sample when we rack and it is definitely dry.
thanks,
-Rick

 

[hoosiersasquatch]

Question on aging.
Would aging in the bottle work too? I was hoping to sample some around Christmas.
We were thinking about putting a small cinnamon stick in each bottle when we bottled.
Any thoughts?
thanks

 

[wyntheef]

be careful with the amount of spice you use. a little goes a long ways.
maybe somebody here that has used spices more often would be able to help more specifically (Dan?).