RJ Spagnols Winery Series Super Tuscan Question

[eguzowski]

Long time lurker here but have learned a great deal. I am in the midst of my first "premium" kit, RJS Winery Series Super Tuscan, of course based on all the stellar reviews.

Here's where I stand:
8-30 Yeast pitched
9-5 Put under airlock at SG of 1.015
9-12 (today) SG is .998

My question is, the instructions call for being at approximately 28 days to clear and degas. Since my SG is already close to dry it seems like I may be better served to clear and degas now?

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

 

[bkisel]

Welcome to the forum...

RJS Winery Series are 6-week kits. I would follow the instructions up to when you're to bottle and then decide whether or not you'll bulk age.

 

[KeystoneHomebrew]

In a general sense, it does not matter when you clear and de-gas, so long as fermentation has completed. You can do it right after primary, or months later prior to bottling.

The instructions just try to keep you on a schedule.

Short story long, go for it!

 

[cpfan]

Long time lurker here but have learned a great deal. I am in the midst of my first "premium" kit, RJS Winery Series Super Tuscan, of course based on all the stellar reviews.

Here's where I stand:
8-30 Yeast pitched
9-5 Put under airlock at SG of 1.015
9-12 (today) SG is .998

My question is, the instructions call for being at approximately 28 days to clear and degas. Since my SG is already close to dry it seems like I may be better served to clear and degas now?

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

From your description, I have no idea the status of this wine. Is the wine in a carboy? If not, I would definitely rack to a carboy, thus limiting the amount of airspace.

Then I would wait a while. At least another week. This is partly to ensure that fermentation is complete. Perhaps it will drop below .998. It is also to allow further settling before stabilizing and clearing.

Folks have a lot of problems with sediment in the Winery Series kits. Although some of that is wine diamonds, I prefer to allow as much settling as possible. That's why I personally would probably go beyond 28 days before stabilizing and clearing.

Steve

 

[chrisjw]

9-12 (today) SG is .998

My Super Tuscan went down to .992 at 70 degrees (on day 18). I would not rush this. You may not see bubbles out of your airlock but that does not mean that fermentation has completed. Keep checking SG. The general rule is that if it stays at the same SG for 3 consecutive days then ferment has completed.

 

[Ricky]

Eg, I`ve done this kit,

day1 SG 1.86 at 75 degrees
day 5 1.014, 76 degrees, racked to secondary
day 9 .992 75 degrees
day 18 .992 72 degrees.....cleared

the reviews on this kit are great.... I`m thinking about trying the EN Primeur Tuscan kit....good luck with it, there`s so many EXPERIENCED people on the forum,that are very willing to help, got a question ? just ask...

 

[tonyt]

EG
If you have not racked to glass follow instructions and do so. If you have I would top up and leave ubder airlock and rest another week. Then follow clearing instructions. After clear, rack again and either bottle per instructions or bulk age topped up with air lock adding 1/4 tsp potassium metabisulphite every three or four months. Its a great kit. Enjoy. Report back.

 

[eguzowski]

Thanks everyone for the replies! I did rack to a carboy on day 7. Based on what folks say I am really looking forward to enjoying this kit down the road.

I have an Eclipe Stag's Leap Merlot and and an En Primeur NZ Pinot Noir on deck.

 

[tonyt]

Thanks everyone for the replies! I did rack to a carboy on day 7. Based on what folks say I am really looking forward to enjoying this kit down the road.

I have an Eclipe Stag's Leap Merlot and and an En Primeur NZ Pinot Noir on deck.

The RJS EP Pinot Noir is said to throw off lots of wine diamonds. I cold stabilized mine for a month at 40 degrees and in fact there was lots of diamonds. It was delicious at bottling.

 

[eguzowski]

Tony, can you share how long you aged before cold stabilizing and then how long before bottling? Would be interested as I have not cold stabilized a wine yet but sounds like it is time to learn.

 

[tonyt]

Tony, can you share how long you aged before cold stabilizing and then how long before bottling? Would be interested as I have not cold stabilized a wine yet but sounds like it is time to learn.

I pitched the yeast in October 2012 and bottled in July of 2013. It spent the month of June at 40 degrees cold stabilizing. I vacuum racked from my garage freezer 40 feet to my kitchen/winery into a fresh carboy and let sit for another week to come to room temperature. So not counting a month of fermenting and clearing I bulk aged for nine months in glass carboy. I almost always do things in multiple of three months to accommodate adding k-meta every three months.

To cold stabilize (on the Texas Gulf coast) I purchased a refrigerator thermostat item #FE600 ($63.00 TT&L) from Fine Vine Wines and a small reach-in chest freezer from Sears. Place the probe end of the thermostat in the freezer and set the dial on 40 degrees. You plug the thermostat into the wall outlet and the freezer into the thermostat. Hope this helps.

 

[keahunter]

I'm glad you posted this. I was wondering the same thing! My kit is on day 13 and the SG is already lower than when the instructions say I should clear and stabilize. Based on everyone's responses I'll leave it sit for another week checking the SG and as long as it hasn't changed in a week I'll clear, top up and age in the carboy.