Racking into carboy

[Rusty Nesmith]

The kit says to rack into a carboy and add Sulphite/Sorbate and Kieselsol, then stir and degas. Can I just stir them in without degassing and let it degas on it’s own? It says to add Chitosan the next day and stir that in. Will it be good like this in the carboy for three months or do I need to add 1/4tsp of Meta also?

 

[cmason1957]

The Kieselsol and Chitosan (Clearing agents) will not clear your wine while your wine is filled with CO2. Here's what I do. Rack to a 6-gallon carboy with 1/4 tsp of Kmeta in it. Let sit for 3 months. I assume you aren't racking with a vacuum pump, so once a week or so, go down and give it a good violent stir with the end of the spoon. After that 3 months, rack to another carboy with 1/4 tsp of kmeta and your potassium sorbate in it. (That's assuming you are making a sweet wine, if a dry wine I throw away the sorbate). Now add the Keselsol, stir, wait a day, add Chitosan. Wait a week or two for it to do it's job, then rack to a clean carboy and bottle.

 

[mainshipfred]

My recommendation if you have enough to fully top off the carboy is just rack it to the carboy with an air lock. The kit instructions are heading you in the direction of drinking the wine within their short time frame. The wine probably still has some sugar to get rid of and this will let it finish safely without the abundance of CO2 given off by the initial fermentation. If a wine is still fermenting or degassing it will not clear, thus the reason the instruction is asking for all those additives. If you plan on letting it degas on it's own the only thing you may want to add is the sulfite. To help it degass and clear on it's own you may want to give it a good stir prior to completely fill the carboy. This will get rid of a good amount of CO2 without creating a volcano.

 

[Rusty Nesmith]

Thanks, let me see if I have this right. Rack it over and add 1/4 tsp of metabisulphite. After three months repeat. Add the others and stir in a few days before I want to bottle.

 

[mainshipfred]

Thanks, let me see if I have this right. Rack it over and add 1/4 tsp of metabisulphite. After three months repeat. Add the others and stir in a few days before I want to bottle.

See what Craig has to say but if you're going to bottle in 3 months you may want to add the Kieselsol and Chitosan now or within a few weeks. I would skip the Sorbate altogether.

 

[Rusty Nesmith]

I was going to age in the carboy at least six months.

 

[mainshipfred]

Six months is probably on the short end for clearing on it's own. I would add the everything except the sorbate.

 

[cmason1957]

I would let it sit with just Kmeta for at least the first 3 of those months. and probably for 5 months. Then add more kmeta and the clearing agents, if a dry wine throw away the sorbate, it really is an insurance policy for not reading your hydrometer correctly, in a dry wine.

 

[Rusty Nesmith]

Thanks for the help. Sounds like I have a plan now.

 

[Rusty Nesmith]

I forgot to add I will be using a racking cane and not a vacuum pump.

 

[Rusty Nesmith]

Checked it this morning and it was .996. Racked it over to the carboy and added 1/4 tsp kmeta and stirred it good. Going to start a batch of Merlot now.

 

[mainshipfred]

Checked it this morning and it was .996. Racked it over to the carboy and added 1/4 tsp kmeta and stirred it good. Going to start a batch of Merlot now.View attachment 57305

Looking good Rusty! With the first one under your belt I bet you're going to be 10X more comfortable with the Merlot even with the skins.

 

[Rusty Nesmith]

Looking good Rusty! With the first one under your belt I bet you're going to be 10X more comfortable with the Merlot even with the skins.

A lot more comfortable. This one has the skin pack. Hopefully I can get through this one without bothering you all too much. I will start a new thread and keep everybody updated.

 

[Rusty Nesmith]

I did cover the carboy with the cardboard box it came in to keep it out of the light.

 

[Johnd]

A lot more comfortable. This one has the skin pack. Hopefully I can get through this one without bothering you all too much. I will start a new thread and keep everybody updated.

LOL, don't worry about that, there are so many folks here willing to help, it won't be a bother. I feel sure that you'll get through it just fine, the real benefit is that you'll pick up little tricks and ways to do things that'll ease the process, and probably come up with some on your own.

Start that new thread, post your way along, detailing your steps, asking whatever questions come up, before long, you'll be an old pro..........

 

[Intheswamp]

That's looking GREAT!!!!

Now the big question....did you sneak a test tube of it?

 

[Rusty Nesmith]

No. I had to add a little over half a bottle to get it up to that point. I will taste it after it sets for this three months.