Next move advice needed

[Triton]

I'm currently at s/g 1.020 of very nice looking plum wine and I removed the fruit.
Do I transfer to the secondary? or wait until .999


I also need to know how long in the secondary also before I do my first racking. Kind of confused here in these step.




Thanks in advance, everyone has been so helpful

 

[gaudet]

Triton,

You can rack it to secondary between 1.010 and 1.020 if you want to. I normally rack it when it falls between these numbers. You can also wait until its fermented dry <1.000. Neither way is wrong.

Racking it early allows you to see it bubble off the CO2 while the yeast are active. It also provides a level of protection from the blanket of co2 produced. But if you've ever done a kit wine, then usually they allow it to ferment dry.

Fermenting to dry is fine too because there is still plenty of CO2 dissolved in the wine to protect it. When you rack it to secondary you might notice a bubbling for the next couple days and that would be the off gassing of CO2. Given enough time, all of it will come out of solution. Some of us are impatient

 

[Triton]

Ok good, I didn't think it mattered. Thanks

 

[smurfe]

If you was fermenting it in a big bucket to allow for the fruit, go ahead and rack it to a carboy. You are going to have CO2 in the wine but if the vessel is large and not airtight, you may introduce oxygen sooner than later.

 

[Tom]

I agree what Gaudet said. I rack fruit wines @ 1.010

 

[Triton]

I transfered four gallons from my fermenting bucket to my six gallon carboy and put an airlock on it. I have some small bubbles around the edges. Will my wine be ok due to the head space left in the carboy?
I was going to leave it there around fourteen days then rack it to one three gallon and the rest to a one gallon carboy to eliminate the head space. Is this OK?

 

[Tom]

I would not rack to a 6 gallon carboy. Thats way to much headspacs I would rack to smaller carboys.

 

[Bartman]

I'm with Tepe. If the purpose of racking to the 6 gallon carboy is to try to let the sediment fall out for a couple-few days, that's probably ok. I wouldn't let it go more than a few days with that much headspace- 14 days would be too long.

 

[Triton]

Thanks guy's, will rack it out tonight into the proper size carboy's.

 

[Triton]

Let me make sure I'm on the same page. I could have left the must in the primary until my S/G was >1.000, then racked it into the right size corboy's adding campden tablets with air locks attached, wait 30-45 days repeat the step except for adding campden tab at every other racking until the wine was cleared and ready to bottle?

 

[gaudet]

If you meant to say less than 1.000, yes. I have done it in the past, but I like to rack it into the carboy towards the end of fermentation. Its got a lot of CO2 in the liquid so it should be protected from oxidation.

 

[Triton]

If you meant to say less than 1.000, yes. I have done it in the past, but I like to rack it into the carboy towards the end of fermentation. Its got a lot of CO2 in the liquid so it should be protected from oxidation.

Yes less than 1.000 is what I meant, sorry about that. It has been seven days and I have alot of sediment at the bottom of the carboy. Looks like it's just degassing now.


So just rack it off without the sediment, pop the airlocks back on and wait?

 

[gaudet]

Yes sir, if your sg is stable (<1.00 for three days) add the appropriate amount of k-meta or campden tabs, if you intend to back sweeten you can also add the potassium sorbate to prevent any further fermentation.

Now for the really hard part. Waiting patiently to bottle.

 

[Triton]

Thanks alot Gaudet, it's all becoming a whole lot clearer to me now. I have a seven day stretch off from work, just ordered some more carboys and supplies from George. thinking about some pear wine. Also going to get started building some wooded beds so that they can nap in comfort. Folks on the site have some real nice wine racks. Can't wait to get started.
Think I'm pretty much hooked...

 

[gaudet]

You are quite welcome Triton, you are where I was only 2 years ago. I'm just giving back the advice I was given and hope to help you as others have and still do for me.