Racking from primary w/all grape pack to secondary

[abefroman]

Racking from primary w/all grape pack to secondary, I'm having a hell of a time with this, I tried the auto siphon, got over half racked, had to clear it a couple times, then I switched to just the siphon tube, got over 3/4 racked, after restarting a few times.

What is the best way to do this since all the grape skins, etc keep clogging the siphon?

 

[Ernest T Bass]

I think you could have put the fruit in a nylon bag or what I do is, I leave them loose in the primary so I can stir them up good to get oxygen in the must, when the SpGr gets down to about 1.010 I dip the hulls out with a ( I don't know what you call it, but it's a big spoon with small holes in it), then I "Pour " the must thru a strainer into the carboy w/ airlock. I think that since you transfer to the carboy before the wine goes dry you will create a CO2 pad in the carboy to protect the wine. Someone correct me if I am wrong.

Semper Fi

 

[surlees]

You can try using a large kitchen strainer to dip out the raisins. Another method if you don't have a large strainer is to pour the wine through a collander into another bucket. There should still be enough CO2 so oxidation shouldn't be a concern. Best way to avoid this situation is to put the grape bag into a nylon strainer bag at the beginning.

Fred

 

[abefroman]

Best way to avoid this situation is to put the grape bag into a nylon strainer bag at the beginning.

Fred

Yep, it seems like you and Bud are right there.

 

[phermenter]

Some people swear there's a huge difference in tannin extraction between bagging the grapes and throwing them in loose.

The only kit where I just tossed them in was a WE Crushendo, and I has similar trouble. But I have a plan for next time, I'm going to fish out the skins I can with a strainer, siphon what I can from the primary, then pour all but the thickest sediment through a collander into a big-mouth funnel into the carboy. In my mind it works, just hope it does in reality.

Jim

 

[Dugger]

Some people swear there's a huge difference in tannin extraction between bagging the grapes and throwing them in loose.

Jim

You can do both bag and loose!
Use a large paint strainer bag made for a 5 US gal bucket, put it on your bucket and put the skins in loose. The rim of the bag fits over the rim of the bucket and the bag is suspended in the bucket - there's lots of room for the skins to run about freely. When finished, take out the bag with the skins.

 

[abefroman]

You can do both bag and loose!
Use a large paint strainer bag made for a 5 US gal bucket, put it on your bucket and put the skins in loose. The rim of the bag fits over the rim of the bucket and the bag is suspended in the bucket - there's lots of room for the skins to run about freely. When finished, take out the bag with the skins.

That's a good idea!

 

[FTC Wines]

You can try this method also. Rack with a hose into a carboy, but first put a fine straining bag into the clean carboy [ I use sterilzed paint strainers] after racking, slowly pull the bag out of the carboy so it drains, all the remaining "stuff" will be in the bag ready for the compost heap! Roy

 

[Wade E]

Ive done it both ways and see no difference at all at least against 2 exact same kits. Maybe its just because I ferment to dry in the bucket around 14 - 18 days so I get everything that the grapes had to offer.