Still sediment in my bottles? Damn

[jdriver84]

So I was down at the brew shop today. I figured I'd stop in to see if there was anything interesting to add to my collections of tools after having read some more on the forums here. I picked up an acid testing kit, and a bottle brush. I also pickedup a couple packs of shrinking bottle seals too. I grabbed some nice golden ones to top off my bottles of Dandelion as I thought it'd be a nice touch.

Anyways, I pulled my bottles out of the box,and as I held them up passed the kitchenlights I noticed something. There's STILL sediment in the bottles! Albeit a tiny bit of sediment, but it is still noticeable. I was careful to keep my syphon off the bottom of the carboy when bottling, and the bottles even looked beautifully clear after bottling. But nowit seems like each and every bottles still has some minute floaties in them. Arrrrgh.

I realize it'sprobablynot a big deal, but as far as asthetics go, it kind of irks me a bit. Is this common with homebrewwines.Or should I have racked the wine another time or too until there wasnothing at all settlingout in thecarboy. Should I have filtered it during the racking? Like I say, it's avery small amount floating in the bottles, wold the extra effort be in vain? I'm thinking I could have left it in thecarboy and racked it a couple more times for a clearer product. Maybe gave it a second shot of Sparkloid?...

 

[wvbrewer]

I always filter our wine before bottling. Once it has cleared sufficiantlly I filter it in to another carboy using a Minijet filter. I know they a a little pricy, but well worth it. Since I have been using it I have had no sediment in our bottles like we had before.

 

[Auburn-Bob]

I often have sediment in the bottom of my bottles. A small amount is actually allowed in winemaking competitions. Now as for sediment FLOATING in the wine, that is something else. I'm not sure what would cause that.

 

[jdriver84]

Well, the floating isn't really a "suspended" sort of thing. I've been storing mybottles on their sides.I suspect it settle dout on the sides of the bottle during storage, and as I set them upright the seal, things once again became suspended in the wine.

It's such a tiny amountthat I really don't mind, but the color of the wine looks so good that I just wish it would hold crystal clear. I think I could have done with a good filtering and perhaps one more racking off. I don't think that I would have needed to use any more Sparkloid, but Another racking and I think I would have gotten a good amount of that remaining sediment out. I didn't think I would pull so much up with my syphon when bottling though. In the future I think I'll just keep reracking and filtering until it settles out clear in the carboy before I bottle.

 

[Putterrr]

Extra racking and time takes care of sediment (at least with kit wines) for me. I recently sold my mini jet pump since I never used it.

My wine will go from the primary pail to carboy, racked to another carboy (leave sediment behind) and then degassed/ chemicals added, racked again to a carboy for longer bulk aging, racked one more time at bottling time. I don't see anything in my bottles, even whites that are 1 1/2 years in the bottle.

cheers

 

[Flem]

After several rackings, I use a whole house filtration system to put the final "polish" on the wine. Works great for me.

 

[Runningwolf]

Jdriver, never ever bottle when you have any sediment in the carboy. Always rack every couple of weeks or so intil your wine is crstal clear and sediment free. Even though your racking cane did not get down into it there could have been some particles floating around you didn't see. Yes, a filter would eliminate all of this.

 

[Wade E]

You never stated ow long it bulk aged and thats a major bit of info that wew need to know. With that said Ive had a few wines over the years that even after a almost a year of aging dropped a little in the bottle. If you sweeten your wine before bottling this can happen often!!! Its why I sweeten soon after fermentation is done and then do all my aging, I do this because even if you dissolve your sugar in boiling water good it can still settle out. Like Dan said keep racking until nothing falls to the bottom of the carboy for at least like 2 months, then and only then do I feel safe to bottle and never bottle from a carboy with sediment in it or you are asking for problems. 1 slip and you can disturb this sediment and even worse if you have already bottled some npow you need to find vessels to put the rest of this cloudy wine in until its safe to bottle again. I tend to filter my lighter wines almost all of the time but not always my reds. Thats mainly because my reds sit muc longer in aging.

 

[jdriver84]

It spent close to 4 1/2 months in the carboy. I had a bit of a sulp[hur problem at one point, so it was splash racked 3 times, and racked another time after that before bottling.

It's just the faintest bit of sediment, but is it really going to cause any trouble in the bottles? Or should I run them all back into the carboy and filter it?

 

[Geronimo]

If you're using bentonite you might have more difficulty. Bentonite is a very fine clay particle that seems to get back into suspension too easily. Yeast and grape solids tend to stick to each other in the bottom of the secondary and will not cause much to show up in the bottom of the bottle. A really tiny amount shouldn't be a bother.

 

[Runningwolf]

If your not entering any in competition I would leave them alone. Share them with your friends and tell them your next challenge is to have a sediment free wine. I bet after tasting it not a single friend would pass up a bottle if you gave them one. Enjoy your wine, it happens.

 

[Flem]

I agree 100% with Dan. Chalk it up to experience. It's not going to affect the taste, so just enjoy it. Unless your just so anal you can't stand to see it. LOL

 

[Wade E]

There is always this little nifty item.
http://www.fieldstonevineyards.com/catalog/i22.html

 

[jdriver84]

I'm just chalking it up to a learning experience. I made a lot of mistakes, and took a lot of notes on this batch. I came up short on being able to fill the carboy, had abad sulphur stink for a while, missed a couple other steps along the way. I'm surprised I wound up with a nice wine that doesn't taste too bad really! Give it some time to age and I think I'll have a nice tasting drink there. I did use the bentonite to clear, as thats what my recipe recommended. From what I understand this is just to get things to clear quickly, right? Had I left it to clear on it's own, it probably would have taken longer, but maybe cleared out better? My goal for the next batch IS a nice clear sediment free bottle next time around