Racking to the Secondary - When?

[Chopper]

Some recipes say to rack to the secondary when SG reaches 1.03, or 1.01, etc. And then monitor SG until it reaches a level that indicates fermentation has stopped. Then add sulfite and sorbate.

Some recipes say to rack to the secondary after 5 days, or 7 days, etc. This is pretty much after fermentation has ceased, and seems to be the easiest. Because there's no daily monitoring of SG. Just wait 7 days, check SG to make sure it's appx 0.996, rack into the secondary, and add sulfite and sorbate. Kill a bunch of birds with one stone.

Yet, since it's so easy, one or more of Murphy's Laws would probably refute its validity.

So, tell this green horn what you do, and why. Please.

Thanks,

Chopper

 

[Tom]

All wines ferment at different times. Some are fast some are slow. The temp is also very important.

I rack when its around 1.010-1.020. then wait till its as dry as it can. Add sulfite and Sorbate. Some kits will say to add clearing agents here also.

 

[Chopper]

All wines ferment at different times. Some are fast some are slow. The temp is also very important.

I rack when its around 1.010-1.020. then wait till its as dry as it can. Add sulfite and Sorbate. Some kits will say to add clearing agents here also.</font>

OK, I hear you. And I know that you are 100% correct. I would like to ask you, though, why you rack into the secondary at SG 1.010-1.020 instad of at SG 0.996. Is it because you want to minimize exposure to oxygen?

I just want to understand.

Thanks,

Chopper

 

[Joanie]

You are exactly right, Chopper.

 

[grapeman]

By racking at 1.010 or a bit higher, you are past the violent stage of fermentation. It won't overflow the airlock that way. It still isn't finished fermenting so it will create extra C02 to fill any headspace. This prevents oxydation of your wine. If you go much lower than the 1.010, it could stall the yeast and you could end up with a stuck fermentation.

 

[Tom]

OK, I hear you. And I know that you are 100% correct. I would like to ask you, though, why you rack into the secondary at SG 1.010-1.020 instad of at SG 0.996. Is it because you want to minimize exposure to oxygen?


I just want to understand.

Thanks,

Chopper
[/QUOTE]


Yes it protects the wine from O2

 

[Chopper]

OK, sorry for so many basic questions, but here's more. Correct me where I'm wrong.


Yeast is pitched, fermentation starts, and I monitor SG every day when I stir the wine. When SG reaches about 1.010, I rack into the secondary and airlock it. Fermentation will continue for several days, as indicated by bubbleaction in the airlock.


As soon as bubble action ceases (on about day 7), I need to addsorbate. But Ido not add campden since I added it in the primary (campden only needs to be added at every other racking).


Do I add the sorbate directly to the carboy, or should it be dissolved in a little hot water?


Do I stir the sorbate into the wine? Would doing so introduce oxygen?


Is it necessary to add campden and sorbate at the same time? If so, can they be dissolved in the same water together?

 

[Tom]

Once in secondary you need to check the gravity not wait 7 days.

The campden you added should have been BEFORE fermentation. If you added it to the primary that would inhibit yeast growth. Yes you need to add K-meta and sorbate when the wine is finished. Degass before you add theis. Some here would add the chemicals in water just to make sure its disolved.

Stir the chemicals in

 

[Skyhawk]

I know this may be controversial, but at least 60% or 70% of the wine I make goes to completion in the primary. The only time I press before that is if the particular skins (grape or fruit) are very high in harsh tannins, or I desire a more fruity wine that's ready to drink earlier (about 30% of my wines).

White juices I always ferment under airlock in slightly over-sized carboys, so oxidation is never a problem, and I feel that keeping it with the original lees longer seems to help body. I might also risk loosing all that fruity volatile goodness if doing whites in a wide top primary bucket, especially since I enjoy whites slowly done at lower temperatures (under 65F) which can take several weeks.

Many reds I'll keep going in a conventional primary until they're finished. Oxidation isn't normally an issue since you don't leave it for days or weeks after fermentation is complete, but do the stir, free wine transfer, and press when signs of fermentation stop after only a day or so. During the next few days it ferments perhaps a bit more (but already at 0.995 or less), then racked off the gross lees. At which point the secondary "fermentation" begins with an MLF inoculation, since the yeast have done their job.

Unless also transferring all the yeast to the secondary by stirring before and during racking at SG 1.020 or less, you risk a stuck fermentation or something that will fizzle for months without appreciable SG reduction because yeast do not multiply easily in those conditions.

 

[smokegrub]

I only check the SG prior to racking from primary in order to be certain I do not have a stuck fermentation. Otherwise, as soon as the heavy foaming stops and quite a bit of lees have accumulated, I rack.

 

[grapeman]

OK, sorry for so many basic questions, but here's more. Correct me where I'm wrong.


Yeast is pitched, fermentation starts, and I monitor SG every day when I stir the wine. When SG reaches about 1.010, I rack into the secondary and airlock it. Fermentation will continue for several days, as indicated by bubbleaction in the airlock.


As soon as bubble action ceases (on about day 7), I need to addsorbate. But Ido not add campden since I added it in the primary (campden only needs to be added at every other racking).
Add k-meta again now. The first bit was to kill wild yeasts before fermentation. I usually wait more time before adding these at this stage.


Do I add the sorbate directly to the carboy, or should it be dissolved in a little hot water?
Always add sorbate to either a bit of water or wine drawn out. Wisk it briskly before adding to the carboy.


Do I stir the sorbate into the wine? Would doing so introduce oxygen?
Just stir the mixture inafter degassing. There is plenty of C02 in thewine to get out. That protects it from oxidation.


Is it necessary to add campden and sorbate at the same time? If so, can they be dissolved in the same water together?
You can add them together to save time and effort. Never add sorbate if there isn't adequate sulfites(campden, k-meta) in the wine.

 

[PeterZ]

Chopper, one thing to remember is that CO2 is about 1.5x heavier than air. As long as there is CO2 in the wine it will blanket the surface and protect the wine from oxidation.

 

[ASAI]

Thank all of you for posting in this thread. This is the kind of communication that makes this forum so darn great. Simple questions, with complicated (seemingly) implications. The blend of what, why, and how to experiment is very helpful to us newbies in learning from so much experience.

One thing toadd from mylimited experiencelearning. Kits are very forgiving, and resilent. It is only when you try to make wine from scratch, from things that don't make wine; and insist that it comes out better than anything else anyone has made, that we need all the detailed knowledge and perfection in steps.