winotut
Junior Member
- Joined
- May 4, 2015
- Messages
- 28
- Reaction score
- 8
So, I've brewed beer for awhile now and do know my way around a hydrometer, I do have two from NovaTech so I trust them.
I'll have two questions at the end of this if ya wanna skip the yadda yadda.
My first kit, a WE Vitners Reserve, Pinot Noir. I added some black cherry juice and oak chips (1.5 oz of hungarian, medium toast) to the primary. ...I digress.
Stirred primary daily for 4 days and on the 4th day, late evening, measured gravity at less than 1.0! ...It was .097 to be exact. Oh, I should mention I re-hydrated and used the entire pack of the kit's supplied yeast (Montrachet by Red Star). I also added about a quarter pack of Red Star's Premier Cuvee' sprinkled onto the must.
Yeast slurry at 78 F and must at 72 F at innoculation, room temp held entire time at 72 F.
FWIW, using a bucket with loose lid for primary, paper towel over the air lock hole in lid
In case it was fermented completely dry, I boiled three teaspoons sugar in 1/4 C. water and added to carboy (secondary) after racking the morning of the 5th day. (to ensure some CO2 blanketing occurs under air lock) Today, the 6th day, after racking and adding small amt of sugar on 5th day, there is a small amount of activity in the air lock and carboy.
The two questions:
1) Anyone here have the primary get to a very low reading, less than one, in 4 days (or so) and STIRRED it with such a low gravity in an open fermenter and if so, how did it turn out?
2) (just to add emphasis to #1) Would you be concerned with stirring the wine on the 4th day when the gravity was (unknowingly) already under 1.0, regarding oxidation? It stayed open until racked to secondary late day 5. Of note, the wine was not yet sealed under an airlock as such a low reading was not anticipated this quickly, spent entire time open to atmosphere. Stirred. Gravity under 1.0.
BTW, I've enjoyed "HomeBrewTalk" and look forward to learning a lot about wine now from the wino's here!
I'll have two questions at the end of this if ya wanna skip the yadda yadda.
My first kit, a WE Vitners Reserve, Pinot Noir. I added some black cherry juice and oak chips (1.5 oz of hungarian, medium toast) to the primary. ...I digress.
Stirred primary daily for 4 days and on the 4th day, late evening, measured gravity at less than 1.0! ...It was .097 to be exact. Oh, I should mention I re-hydrated and used the entire pack of the kit's supplied yeast (Montrachet by Red Star). I also added about a quarter pack of Red Star's Premier Cuvee' sprinkled onto the must.
Yeast slurry at 78 F and must at 72 F at innoculation, room temp held entire time at 72 F.
FWIW, using a bucket with loose lid for primary, paper towel over the air lock hole in lid
In case it was fermented completely dry, I boiled three teaspoons sugar in 1/4 C. water and added to carboy (secondary) after racking the morning of the 5th day. (to ensure some CO2 blanketing occurs under air lock) Today, the 6th day, after racking and adding small amt of sugar on 5th day, there is a small amount of activity in the air lock and carboy.
The two questions:
1) Anyone here have the primary get to a very low reading, less than one, in 4 days (or so) and STIRRED it with such a low gravity in an open fermenter and if so, how did it turn out?
2) (just to add emphasis to #1) Would you be concerned with stirring the wine on the 4th day when the gravity was (unknowingly) already under 1.0, regarding oxidation? It stayed open until racked to secondary late day 5. Of note, the wine was not yet sealed under an airlock as such a low reading was not anticipated this quickly, spent entire time open to atmosphere. Stirred. Gravity under 1.0.
BTW, I've enjoyed "HomeBrewTalk" and look forward to learning a lot about wine now from the wino's here!
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