Wood cubes not sinking

[Spinmaster]

I'm making a Winexpert Eclipse Merlot. I'm at the step where I've added the wood cubes. The directions say they should sink after a few days but mine are still floating after 9 days and it's time to rack again. Should I be concerned?

 

[sour_grapes]

I don't think you should be concerned. Mine generally sink, but I doubt that floating indicates a real problem. Probably just a little CO2 still in your wine.

 

[Scooter68]

Ever had a straw float up out of the soda? Same thing. The CO2 bubbles catch on your wood chips and buoy them up so that they don't sink until the CO2 is all gone or the chips absorb enough water/wine to weigh more than the bubbles buoyancy.

 

[GaDawg]

I have made Winexpert Eclipse Merlot several times and I don't add the oak cubes until the wine clears. I don't have a CO2 problem, the time on oak is my call ( I have found that 6 weeks is good for me ), and it is a lot less of a mess (lees are gone )

 

[DoctorCAD]

Witches and ducks float...

Burn her!

 

[TallTexan]

I am making a Selection Petit Verdot. I degassed...or thought that I had...4 days ago and have kept the carboy under negative pressure with Vacuvin. Added the oak cubes about 24 hours after degassing. I use the Vacuvin a couple of times a day to maintain negative pressure. Before I added the oak cubes, there were only a few tiny bubbles surfacing with the Vacuvin pumping. After adding cubes, I have been getting a good ring of foam each time that I pump, and the cubes have not sunk. Question: Can I go ahead and stir again? I have a drill mounted stirring rod that I use. I did whip it hard several times 4 days ago as I added the KMeta, sorbate and chitosan. I'm halfway thru the 8 days between that step and the next racking. Any suggestions are appreciated.

 

[Tnuscan]

I think the oak cubes may be releasing air too, as wood drys the cells colaspe and leave voids through the wood, becoming more porous.

Using the whip and hitting the cubes, because they create drag in the fluid may/might???,, break the little paddles on the bit if they are plastic.

That's all the harm I see.

 

[TallTexan]

Good point re: the oak cubes releasing some air, and the potential damage to the plastic paddles if I stir again at this point. I think I'll go ahead and rack in 4 days and, rather than bottle in a few weeks, I'll carboy age for a few months to be sure that it is done releasing CO2.

 

[skyfire322]

Raising a post from the dead... Mine has been in there for a little over a week and the cubes still floating. I'm not too concerned, but it has been zipped up in a carboy cooler bag (cap on airlock, too) since the closet it's being stored in has been around 80 degrees the past few days.

Should I give it a few days with the top of the bag unzipped and uncapped to let it release a bit?

 

[Scooter68]

80 Degrees for aging ! Yikes, sounds a bit on the high side especially for long term aging. Try to find a cooler spot. Mid-70s would be better, still warm but better than 80.

 

[GaDawg]

My Merlot is under vac. and the oak cubes have been floating for 5 weeks. But my oak cuber are made of wood, so they float!

 

[skyfire322]

80 Degrees for aging ! Yikes, sounds a bit on the high side especially for long term aging. Try to find a cooler spot. Mid-70s would be better, still warm but better than 80.

The cooler is keeping the wine at around 70. Once I get an AC later this week, it'll cool that room down quick!