racking

[gordonm]

I've read as many threads on racking as I could find but didn't see anything mentioned about degassing and using a clearing agent.
I have white wine that I will rack when the sg reaches 1.010 and then rack again when the sg is down to around 1.000 and hasn't moved for three days.

So when would I degass and when would I use a clearing agent if needed? And if I need a clearing agent, would you have any suggestions.
thanks for any help, gordon

 

[hounddawg]

some bulk aging would be your best bet on both degassing and leaving behind all your lees, as far as sooner you can take a plastic close hanger cut the bottom at one end just before the curl on the other end right after the curl put the straight end in a drill stick the end with the curl into your carboy and stir like crazy making sure not to make a vortex which would add oxygen to your wine, do that several times ove a month, or if you can swing one you can buy a www.allinonewinepump.com from vacuumpumpman steve. it will pull a vacuum on your carboy avoiding oxygen in your wine, as well the negative pressure of the vacuum will degas as you rack, as well he sells a filter housing so you can rack, degas and filter all at one time, by the time you've racked around 4 or 5 times you'll be ready to bottle, which the pump you can get a bottling attachment for it and bottle very quickly. so you can degas by stirring several times. plus racking several times to get all the lees that drop over time, or use a vacuum pup set up which is much quicker and you have less steps to do, i had to save up to get a vacuum pump but it is a real time and labor saver, but most importantly for good wine is tons of patience...
Dawg

 

[BernardSmith]

Degassing is really only necessary if you plan on bottling a wine too early. Wines naturally degas if you simply allow the wine to age and you also assist in the degassing when you rack if you allow the wine you are racking to flow down the walls of the target carboy rather than allow the wine to fill the target from the center...

 

[montanaWineGuy]

I use bentonite for clearing. Works great!

 

[Scooter68]

Remember = Less is more. The fewer things you add to your wine the better. Fining agents and degassing are not really needed if you have the patience. (There are exceptions of course)

Waiting at least 6 months or until it clears is a good plan to go with. Some wines are slow clearing and there are a few that may require help but for the most part time will do the work for you.

 

[Stressbaby]

Degas before fining. When I need a fining agent I use SuperKleer and I've been happy with the results. However, on whites, since I started using small dose of bentonite in the primary on day 3, I haven't had to use a clearing agent at all.

 

[heatherd]

For whites I bulk age six months, adding kmeta at the three month point. I taste at the end of that to check for gas, and check clarity; if both are good I bottle. I don't use any finings as a result. I also don't need to degas.

 

[Scooter68]

The key to all of this is one word - the toughest word for new wine makers.....


PATIENCE !

Rome wasn't built in a day. Even God took 6 days to create this old place we call home.

 

[bkisel]

Here on this site I'm in the minority. I use fining/clearing agents and both whip and vacuum degassing so that I can enjoy my wines sooner than otherwise. I'm in my seventies and ain't going to wait no stinking five years for my LE Amarone or whatever to "come around".

 

[drainsurgeon]

What bkisel said....I do the same.

 

[Johnd]

Here on this site I'm in the minority. I use fining/clearing agents and both whip and vacuum degassing so that I can enjoy my wines sooner than otherwise. I'm in my seventies and ain't going to wait no stinking five years for my LE Amarone or whatever to "come around".

Maybe not so much a minority, I put the vacuum pump on and degas every wine I make. Don't really use the fining agents much anymore though...............

 

[gordonm]

ok, thanks. I think I'll just let it set for about six months and see what happens. gordon

 

[Scooter68]

Depending on the variety a year before drinking is probably best. I could never wait 3-5 years. I agree I want to enjoy the wine!

 

[trucknut]

More Kmeta?

For whites I bulk age six months, adding kmeta at the three month point. I taste at the end of that to check for gas, and check clarity; if both are good I bottle. I don't use any finings as a result. I also don't need to degas.

Right after clearing some kit makers are requesting a solid plug and a 1/4 tsp kmeta for bulk aging. I find it hard to keep a rubber solid plug in the carboy without a plug holder (rigged).
I would like to leave the wine like this for 5 months (then bottle) without adding or opening the plug, not sure if this is the best idea. At 5 months add kmeta, then bottle.
In your quote above, do you add more kmeta at bottling time?

 

[FTC Wines]

I agree with Bill & others, I degass & vacuum rack 3-4 times for a year total. Then bottle. I'm pushing 70 & want to enjoy what we make. With 700 bottles in inventory I know I'll last at least 2 more years!!!! Roy

 

[Arne]

Right after clearing some kit makers are requesting a solid plug and a 1/4 tsp kmeta for bulk aging. I find it hard to keep a rubber solid plug in the carboy without a plug holder (rigged).
I would like to leave the wine like this for 5 months (then bottle) without adding or opening the plug, not sure if this is the best idea. At 5 months add kmeta, then bottle.
In your quote above, do you add more kmeta at bottling time?

Try using a drilled stop with an airlock. Does the same thing as a solid stopper, but lets the pressures in and out with barometer changes. Also lets any leftover co2 vent if it builds up. Arne.

 

[drainsurgeon]

I would want to be 100% sure that my wine is totally de-gassed before I put a solid bung on and strap it down. I would't sleep waiting for the sound of shattering glass. I don't even own a solid bung.

 

[Scooter68]

Hope the "Rubber" bungs you folks are using are made for use with wine. I quit using the ones I bought - the stink from the rubber apparently reacting with the fumes of alcohol create one nasty smell. Not sure if that's what ruined my strawberry wine but the smell of burnt rubber was definitely coming off that rubber bung After I got it away from my wine the smell diminished but never went completely away. (It was a pre-drilled bung.)

 

[vernsgal]

I too am on the bus with bkisel. I degas and add clearing agents after my SG goes dry. I then bulk age for 4-6 months ( longer on my top end ones) then bottle for 2. Then they're up for grabs!

* I do know that because I bulk age for up to 6 months I shouldn't have to clear and degas but I have had issues in the past that I no longer get doing it this way

 

[trucknut]

My one carboy has a strapped solid rubber plug for about a week now. The only reason I used the solid plug is due to the manufacture instructions. From the start, strapping is the only way the plug would stay down and seal.
Is there any reason the manufacture is requesting a solid plug over the air lock, for bulk aging?
So far the groups seem fairly negative on the solid plug, I will leave this one and resume using the air locks in the future. The solid plug is nice, as the carboy fits under the wine room cabinets.