Forgot to Cold Settle - Advice?

The autolysis itself doesn't cause any problems. That's an effect that you want to promote.

The problem comes when there are heavy lees on the bottom of the fermenter that are allowed to compact while fermentation is still proceeding - especially in low nutrient fermentations, and toward the end of the fermentation. Stirring keeps the lees loose and "aerated", thereby reducing the likelihood of reduction occurring therein.

Tom S

Oh I agree. It's really interesting to see that. I've been interested in the different flavour/aroma and textures of the different lees, but having only used a couple of strains I don't have much data to go off.

I was getting at whether to rack post fermentation (removing some vegetal matter, tartrates, conglomerates, and in Roger's case bentonite) or not. It seems to me that those who conduct successful cold settling (resulting in very clear juice) don't bother to rack any time between the beginning of fermentation and the end of lees contact. Others, however, would rack off the lees towards the end of fermentation to avoid certain particulates.

Ben