how to know when wine is clear?
 

SO i fermented just straight grape juice. should be around %9. Ive had it in the fridge for a few days now and Im wondering how the hell i know when its clear. I shined a really bright flashlight in there and cant see anything. I need to siphon it off as quickly as I can so I can re-rack my cranberry. I've tasted it and it tastes...interesting. Definitely can not taste any alcohol!!

Couple easy questions.
1. When did you start this?
2. Do you have a starting and current specific gravities?

My thoughts are, if you can't see through it, and it doesn't taste alcoholic, it's not done yet.

Put a sample into a glass. If it's clear, you'll be able to see through it and there should be no sediment in the carboy. If it's still dropping sediment, it's not ready to bottle.

It is not going to ferment very fast in the fridge :). Seriously, there is no reason to refrigerate it until it is ready to drink, it will just slow the entire clearing and aging process down.

the specific gravity is less then 1, which is surprising for the s04 yeast i used. I couldnt see through the juice before it fermented so should i really be able to see through it after?

Depending on the OG, you may get as low as .990 when it's done.

"Clear" is still obvious even in dark wine. They'll be no suspended sediment, and in a small glass, you'll be able to see through it. There won't be any lees on the bottom, after it's clear and it sits for a while.

should i just put it back in the 5 gal bottles i bought and let it clear that way? but then there will be **** on the bottom. My brew store has a some stuff that comes in 2 packets and you add one then the other and its supposed to clear it. Anyone used these? Also, I added K sorbate, could this be the funny taste?


EDIT: On second thought I think i might just rack them both the cran and grape off to a bucket, while i clean their carboys then rack them back and let them sit for 2 weeks. Am i risking oxidizing them?

also is it possible to ferment in my bucket if the lid is not drilled? I was thinking to just not cinch it down all the way.

Leave it in the carboy, and ignore it for a long time. I'd suggest keeping it at room temperature, so it'll age better. If you added sorbate, and it's still been fermenting, you might have some weird flavor. Why the sorbate? I'm not sure I understand what you're asking about buckets and cran and stuff.

Letting something sit for two weeks isn't anywhere near long enough. Wine can't be rushed. I wouldn't add any finings right now, either. You've already changed the temperature, added sorbate, and are thinking about racking. It's often best left alone to finish.

I rack wine every 60 days or when there are 1/4 inch of lees on the bottom. I don't rack more often than that, and often much less. Keep it topped up and airlocked, and at a reasonable temperature and it will be fine.