I Think I've Been Racking Incorrectly...

[calmingapple]

So I was looking at a visual cider guide today and realized I've been making a critical error everytime I rack my apple wine.

I have NOT been leaving half an inch of liquid behind as well as the lees. In other words, I stop *just short* of the thick stuff (lees) and I have been taking the somewhat cloudy wine into the fresh jug upon racking.

This explains why I haven't had a whole lot of headspace. I should have known.

Now I feel like an idiot and it might explain why my wines are still quite cloudy and dropping sediment like gangbusters.

Okay, lesson learned. But I am curious now... if I do it properly at next racking... will my wine be okay in the long run? Or is it too late and I just accept it now?

Thanks guys!

 

[oogaboogachiefwalkingdeer]

You can put a wedge under the carboy a few days before you plan to rack. Then you can siphon off the deep side and save most of the clear stuff. I usually just tip by hand and eyeball it. When I do decide to rack to a bottle bucket I leave a good inch behind. I bottle the last inch all by it's self so the first 22 or so bottles are as clear as possible. We drink the last inch or so first.

 

[DoctorCAD]

There is nothing wrong with your technique. It just takes longer to clear. That's not a bad thing, time is your friend with wine.

P.S. you should not bottle if there are any lees in your carboy. Let it all fall out and rack again or rack to a bottling bucket.

 

[Hello]

Definitely not the worst thing but now you know and you can do it differently. Little headspace is good in secondary I believe.

 

[stru]

Clarity has a lot more to do with time than it does with how low you rack, assuming you leave the actual yeast cake behind.

I try to rack off as much liquid as possible, knowing that it's going to take some extra time to clear up... not a big deal.

 

[calmingapple]

Love the wedge idea, thanks oogabooga! Love your name btw!

You can put a wedge under the carboy a few days before you plan to rack. Then you can siphon off the deep side and save most of the clear stuff. I usually just tip by hand and eyeball it. When I do decide to rack to a bottle bucket I leave a good inch behind. I bottle the last inch all by it's self so the first 22 or so bottles are as clear as possible. We drink the last inch or so first.

 

[WVMJ]

First couple of rackings no big deal in winemaking, you want to keep it off of a thick layer of lees, its the last racking when its really done and you want to bottle the next time that you make sure not to get any lees, keep topping off always. WVMJ

 

[calmingapple]

It's been going really well thus far. I just see I could have left beyond some of the liquid that was cloudy is all. I will be sure to remember that next racking (when I will also have my min siphon)

First couple of rackings no big deal in winemaking, you want to keep it off of a thick layer of lees, its the last racking when its really done and you want to bottle the next time that you make sure not to get any lees, keep topping off always. WVMJ

 

[RegarRenill]

I hate those wedges, way too unstable if you have kids/pets running around your home. I did a rough write up for a DIY cradle that works for 5gal+ carboys. Just do a search for carboy cradle...I've been trying to think how to scale it down for a gallon jug, I just need some free time and some scrap lumber to mess with to adjust the angles and spacing of the "feet" and the resting post.

 

[oogaboogachiefwalkingdeer]

No kids running wild here so no big deal. I just use a phone book for a nice wedge and never have had a problem.

 

[RegarRenill]

Yeah, it's that narrow wedge that I mistrust...one bump to he table starts the liquid sloshing and before ya can react, it pivots on that wedge and crash, there goes a 6.5 gallon carboy onto my kitchen floor. Damned cats. Luckily i only lost about 1-2 quarts of mead...