One day into first batch and already a mistake. How do I correct?

I'm one day into my first batch-- a Selection Cabernet. I obviously want to age longer than what the instructions say. Unfortunately, I followed the instructions completely from the get go. I later noticed that Keller and others recommend taking a gal of must, refrigerating and adding after "vigorous" fermentation stops. I've already added the yeast and I didn't remove any must prior. I assume adding that gal of must at the end of vigorous fermentation acts to somewhat reignite the fermentation process. Is there something I can do to correct this?

Also, I want to go from primary fermenter (bucket), to 6 gal carbouy, to 5 gal carbouy, to bottles. Hence, I want to ferment in the primary fermenter (bucket) for about a month before moving to the 6 gal carbouy. Note: My primary fermenter has a small bung and an airlock. Is there any problem with doing this as opposed to housing in the primary (bucket) until vigorous fermentation is over and immediately racking to a carbouy (as I understand that's typically about a week)?

Reply to
Jack
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If you insist, you could take a gallon out now and refrigerate it for later addition. The yeast won't go far in the 'fridge.

Yes. Once the fermentation dies down the risk of getting something undesirable growing in that bucket is very high. Those buckets aren't airtight enough - at least the ones I've seen aren't. The airlock is pretty much wasted on them because the gas finds an easier path around the edges, under the lid.

IOW, transfer to the 6 gallon jug when the activity has mostly died down and attach an airlock. Be sure to stir the must vigorously before the transfer to release most of the gas or you may end up with red foam all over the floor and yourself as the dissolved CO2 tries to come out of solution all at once!

Tom S

Reply to
Tom S

addition. The yeast won't go far in the 'fridge.

Reply to
Jack

Reply to
A. J.

What is the reason behind doing this, do you have a reference? There may be some benefit to doing it but you don't have to. Many of us make kits where we haven't done what you outline.

As this is your first kit then as another poster recommended you could follow the instructions to the letter. If you really appreciate the wine you make then you will probably be doing more. In the subsequent kits make one modification per kit, never biting off more than your comfortable with.

Yes there is a problem - air contact and oxidation while in the bucket. As someone posted here recently the buckets are not very air tight and you are considering keeping the must there way past the end of fermentation (unless you are doing a fairly cool (

Reply to
Don S

Jack wrote "I'm one day into my first batch-- a Selection Cabernet. I later noticed that Keller and others recommend taking a gal of must, refrigerating and adding after "vigorous" fermentation stops. I've already added the yeast and I didn't remove any must prior. I assume adding that gal of must at the end of vigorous fermentation acts to somewhat reignite the fermentation process."

Jack Keller probably recommends removing a gallon of must from the initial fermentation to increase the head space in a carboy, thus preventing loss/escape of must from the carboy during the rapid fermentation phase. After fermentation slows, and foaming subsides the extra must is added and fermentation goes to completion.

"Also, I want to go from primary fermenter (bucket)"

You used an open bucket for primary fermentation which I assume was large enough to contain all of the must plus foam that builds up during the rapid fermentation. So, there was no reason not to include all of the must.

"Hence, I want to ferment in the primary fermenter (bucket) for about a month before moving to the 6 gal carbouy"

A month is too long to leave fermenting must in an open bucket. Even though your bucket fermenter has a lid and air lock it's not air tight enough to prevent oxidation after the rapid fermentation phase is finished. It will only take a few days for the rapid fermentation to settle down. Hold a lit match above the fermenting must. If the match goes out lots of CO2 is still coming off the must. If the match stays lit you had better rack to a closed fermenter such as a carboy ASAP.

Bill Frazier Olathe, Kansas

Reply to
William Frazier

Relax, you didn't do anything wrong. Rack into glass after the vigorous fermentation is over (~1 week).

bb

Reply to
William

Thanks for all of the info., folks. My only problem with the kit instructions is that they are geared to the wine being bottled after

28 days. I want to age for at least 3 or 4 months. I don't really understand what to do differently to make this happen. It might be as simple as leaving in the carbouy and forgetting about. However, if there are things I need to do to allow for a longer aging, I want to do.

I guess the removing of the gallon of must at the beginning was probably to give foaming room in the carbouy. My instructions say not to top-up in the 6 gal after first racking from the primary. According to the instructions, this racking occurs @ around an s.g. of

1.01. The instructions don't say why you shouldn't top-up, just not to. I can see where there could still be some foaming. Is this the reason for not initially topping-up in the carbouy? I believe the directions said to top-up after the s.g. got below 1.00 (going from memory, don't have the instructions with me). I guess at this point, fermentation is about done. Would you agree with doing it this way or should I top-off the carbouy (secondary fermenter) immediately after racking from the primary?
Reply to
Jack

Depending on the type of wine you might want to rack off the fine lees after a couple of weeks. At that point you want to ensure you are topped up either by adding a similar wine or racking to a smaller carboy (19l). Then you just have to leave it alone for a few months and perhaps add some more potassium meta before bottling.

There's no reason to top up if the wine is still fermenting. The CO2 produced during fermentation will drive out any residual oxygen and thus oxidation is not a concern. Once fermentation has stopped then no CO2 and topping up is important.

Don

Reply to
Don S

That's what to do. Just leave it in the Carboy, and forget about it. Don't worry if each stage takes longer than they say in teh instructions, but once you have stabilized it, just let it sit for the time you want it to..it that is

3 mos, fine and dandy.

Reply to
Insprucegrove

Even when fermentation has stopped you don't need to immediately top up. No need to worry about that until you've opened the carboy as fermentation has replaced the O2 with CO2.

Therefore at the end, until you need to open it to say rack it off the lees, you can just leave the wine sitting in the carboy for another couple of weeks.

Don

Reply to
Don S

While in theory that's true, it's on the risky side to do so. Some types of airlocks will vent in either direction. If it gets cold in the cellar you may find that the water (or whatever you use) in your airlocks has been sucked into the carboy - along with an unknown amount of air and possibly even dead fruit flies. It's really safest to top up containers ASAP, and sulfite them as soon as fermentation is complete.

Tom S

Reply to
Tom S

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