Another dumb question - sorry! My batch of 30litres of chardonnay has been fermenting for 7 days - I've had two hydrometer readings of 1000, but have noticed the occasional rumble from the airlock. thought it had stopped. Will it affect the wine if I leave it on the dead yeast for maybe another week? Just want to make sure I'm not degassing/clearing too soon. Thanks for any advice!
Has fermentation finished??
- Thread starter Bon79
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RoomWithABrew
Landlord.
Well I'm no wine expert as only done 3 kits. First two I left for a fortnight as per the instructions. 3rd kit I'd got oxygen and so aerated the must much better and it really did seem over in 9 days. FG was 0.995 for those last couple of days. Had the ferment at about 21 celsius all the time.
So leaving on longer might not be a problem as my instructions said 2 weeks anyway. Make sure it's warm enough and then retest in 48 hours and if stable at 1.000 then you are good to go to the next phase.
So leaving on longer might not be a problem as my instructions said 2 weeks anyway. Make sure it's warm enough and then retest in 48 hours and if stable at 1.000 then you are good to go to the next phase.
Take anything written on the kit box about time with a pinch of salt they all exaggerate, most kits I have made suggest moving on to clearing at .995 or lower this can take anything from 7 days to a couple of weeks, patience is one of the hardest things us home brewers have to learn and believe me we are all impatient when we start out, let it ferment to whatever the instructions say then it'll turn out as it's supposed to and you will enjoy it.
Keep us posted.
Keep us posted.
johncrobinson
Landlord.
Second that Chippy.
Wine will be finished when its finished and not before.
Wine will be finished when its finished and not before.
Update ...first attempt at wine making! Readings seemed to stabilise at 1000, so degassed. Was expecting loads of bubbles/foam, but there was very little really. Used a wine wand in the end for a couple of minutes, then a bit with a paddle out of paranoia! Now its cleared and is in a plastic carboy ready for bottling. Was wondering if tis worth leaving it in there for a few days in case I haven't got rid of the CO2?? Looks like wine, at least.
RoomWithABrew
Landlord.
@Bon79
My instructions ( which above said take with a pinch of salt ) were 5 days in the next carboy then a sort of stationary twist to drop sediment off the side of carboy then another 2 days rack again and leave another 48 hours for bottling. THere was several additives to help clearing and some Sod Met for long term during those stages.
I assume you had a recipe before you started cooking?
My instructions ( which above said take with a pinch of salt ) were 5 days in the next carboy then a sort of stationary twist to drop sediment off the side of carboy then another 2 days rack again and leave another 48 hours for bottling. THere was several additives to help clearing and some Sod Met for long term during those stages.
I assume you had a recipe before you started cooking?
Yeah - its a Wine Works Chardonnay kit. I've followed the instructions, just a bit unclear about whether there is any benefit in leaving the wine for a bit longer before bottling. Stabiliser and finings already done their bit.
johncrobinson
Landlord.
Wine does age in theory somewhat better in bulk
Stored in a full glass (demijohn.) and kept in the dark.
However I would not risk long term storage in plastic containers.
If yours is nice and clear then you can bottle it
Stored in a full glass (demijohn.) and kept in the dark.
However I would not risk long term storage in plastic containers.
If yours is nice and clear then you can bottle it
RoomWithABrew
Landlord.
If I'm not really aging mine I transfer it into wine bags and that saves a lot of washing and the dispensing is easy. Not sure on your instructions but mine suggests Sod Met added at bottling stage if it's going to be kept longer than 3 months to preserve aroma and reduce deterioration.
johncrobinson
Landlord.
Sod Met (sodium metabisulphite) or sulphite also known as campden is a sanitiser used in winemaking to cleanse equipment and is often added in small doses to wine to preserve it.
A rate of one tablet to the gallon is enough.
It wont come in your kit.
At the very least you should rinse your bottles and equipment with it.before using them.
It also neutralizes any bleach residue from cleaners such as Milton.
The addition to wine is optional.
It comes in small tubs of 100 tablets for about two pounds in cost.
ANY outlet that has homebrew kit for sale will have it.
I don't personally use it IN my wine but I DO rinse all of my equipment with it after washing.
A rate of one tablet to the gallon is enough.
It wont come in your kit.
At the very least you should rinse your bottles and equipment with it.before using them.
It also neutralizes any bleach residue from cleaners such as Milton.
The addition to wine is optional.
It comes in small tubs of 100 tablets for about two pounds in cost.
ANY outlet that has homebrew kit for sale will have it.
I don't personally use it IN my wine but I DO rinse all of my equipment with it after washing.
RoomWithABrew
Landlord.
Some people are sensitive to the sulphites and it's not allowed in uk commercial beer.
johncrobinson
Landlord.
I am not sensitive to it but I can taste it.
Which is why I don't add it directly to my wine. Just use it to remove any bleach taint from my equipment.
Plenty of bottled wines and more especially ciders here in uk do contain sulphites,I see it on the ingredients list.
Beers may be different as i have not seen it listed on any lager/beer.
A lot of beer makers on this site also use it in small doses to remove chlorine from tap water used in their brewing.
Apparently (so i believe,)the chlorine in untreated tap water reacts with something in the hops.Giving an off flavour.
Which is why I don't add it directly to my wine. Just use it to remove any bleach taint from my equipment.
Plenty of bottled wines and more especially ciders here in uk do contain sulphites,I see it on the ingredients list.
Beers may be different as i have not seen it listed on any lager/beer.
A lot of beer makers on this site also use it in small doses to remove chlorine from tap water used in their brewing.
Apparently (so i believe,)the chlorine in untreated tap water reacts with something in the hops.Giving an off flavour.
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Got it in the bottles - 28 of them so have managed to lose 2 somehow along the way. Time will tell whether it is best in a glass or on chips.
A thing called a little bottler came with the kit to help with bottling. It was useful, but I found it difficult to fill the bottles enough due to the volume of the attachment itself in the bottle (if that makes sense??) - when taken out, the level always dropped to the bottom of the neck.
A thing called a little bottler came with the kit to help with bottling. It was useful, but I found it difficult to fill the bottles enough due to the volume of the attachment itself in the bottle (if that makes sense??) - when taken out, the level always dropped to the bottom of the neck.
That's the correct level
I use a little bottler wand in the end of my syphon tube with the aforementioned bucket clip it makes bottling a lot less painfull.
Has a sneaky taste after three weeks - actually not too bad! Bit of sediment in the bottles, but otherwise definitely drinkable. Bit low on the abc though. Got a Merlot on the go which looks like it'll be around 11% ish. Is it possible to increase abv by 1 or 2% by adding extra sugar, or will that mess up the taste? Have read a few bits on the forum, but not quite clear if thats a reasonable thing to do, and if so, how much to add? Cheers.
