Racking Technique

How do you minimize oxidation? Add a campden before each rack?

I think you do 1 par gallon every other rack.... So iv been told. But campdem freeks me out so I don't use it in less I have to

Not sure I grasp the question. O2 in wine is good for the beginning of fermentation. Camp den tabs are
For restricting wild, unwanted yeast and microbes. Oxidization is bad after fermentation during conditioning, removing the amount of air (headspace) in your carboy or bucket is the best way to prevent oxidization. On the extreme side you can create a vacuum or introduce co2.

Does that help?

I push my beer from the primary to a freshly purged keg with CO2... no air or agitation involved as long as I don't do something stupid. I would think you could do the same with wine.

TomSD said:

I push my beer from the primary to a freshly purged keg with CO2... no air or agitation involved as long as I don't do something stupid. I would think you could do the same with wine.

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With funnels and jugs my man!

tCan said:

How do you minimize oxidation? Add a campden before each rack?

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Yes- since sulfites are an antioxidant, you can add 1 crushed campden tablet per gallon at every other racking. If you have a meter, your goal would be to keep sulfites at 50 ppm. But 1 campden per gallon at every other racking is a good guestimate!

Woohoo!

Any kind of time frame between rackings? I've got a bottle of apfelwein here I'd like to rack one more time, but it's been awhile since the campden tablet was added...

tCan said:

Any kind of time frame between rackings? I've got a bottle of apfelwein here I'd like to rack one more time, but it's been awhile since the campden tablet was added...

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I just rack whenever there are lees more than about 1/4" inch thick, or if there are ANY lees after about 60 days. It's not really a schedule- some wines throw a lot of lees and some don't. My crabapple wine needs to be racked about three times in the first 3 months, because it'll form a ton of lees. My other wines may only be racked once or twice before bulk aging them. Just make sure you top up after racking!

So there's no set amount of time before the campden tablet wears off?

24 hr's I think .... That's how long you wait be for putting in yeast when you start so that would be my guess .