Secondary fermentation in wine cooler?

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Vino1

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I making Malbec from a wine kit. The temperature in my house is close to 80 degrees which is fine for the primary fermentation. The kit instructions indicate that the second one requires 68-75 degrees. The carboy fits inside the cooler with the airlock.

1.Since the cooler's temperature goes up only to 66 degrees, will the difference in temperature affect the wine?

2. After 3 days od starting the fermentation, I noticed in the kit instructions that I was supposed to soak the oak chips in hot water inside the paper bag where they were. Instead, I opened the bag and poured the chips in the juice. I like wines with woody flavor and I believe what I did will reduce the wood flavor. Can I add more chips at a later time?
 
The cooler sounds like a good temperature; your must can get quite a bit warner than ambient temperature anyway. I've got mead at 15 degrees Celsius ambient and its still fermenting happily.
I believe that you were meant to soak the oak to soften the flavour. Wine makers don't age in brand new barrels, they put them through a bit of use first. So if anything I think you'll find the wine is too woody! Alternatively they might just be saying to do that to sanitize the wood?
I'd give it a taste, and if its getting a bit much I'd consider racking off the wood. Not certain of this though.
 
Thank you for your reply. I just siphoned the wine to the carboy. Since the weather will be cooler for the next few days, I will leave it on the floor. So far, SG is 1.002 and the aroma is great (although not oaky).
 
I've had luck fermenting (primary and secondary) at those temperatures - my fridge is set at 57 right now to ferment a kit, and just got done bottling another done at that same temperature. It was by far the best I've made. Reading the beer brewing forums, temperature control is one of the biggest factors in the quality of the resulting product. I don't know why temp control wouldn't also be important here even if the yeast strains differ.

By way of comparison, my first few were done in the house (Houston) during the summer, and with the AC blowing were at the top of the recommended temperature range for the yeast. I can definitely tell a difference.
 
Once I degas it, I will place the carboy in the wine refrigerator. The instructions indicate 57-66 degrees so it should be good.
 
Vino1 said:
Once I degas it, I will place the carboy in the wine refrigerator. The instructions indicate 57-66 degrees so it should be good.

Degassing between the primary and secondary? It is unnecessary.
 
My wine is already in the secondary fermenter. Next week it should be ready for degassing.
 
Vino1 said:
My wine is already in the secondary fermenter. Next week it should be ready for degassing.

Unless you are rushing to bottle, no need to degas. It will degas on its own.
 
I will degas this batch and once it is bottled, I will probably try another batch and wait without degassing. How long should it take?
 
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