twd000
Well-Known Member
Got a Grand Cru Heritage Estates Pinot Noir kit. Read through the directions and ready to go. Couple questions:
I usually hydrate dry yeast when brewing beer, I assume the same is recommended for wine? Packet is Lalvin EC-1118 - what is the optimal temperature for this yeast? I have a digitally-controlled refrigerator for fermenting that I can set to +/- 0.3 C, so 70-80 F listed on the directions doesn't really narrow it down.
It has me mixing in the bentonite in primary, which I'm OK with. Also got a "tea-bag" full of oak chips, which is also supposed to go in primary, according to directions? I thought oak-aging was supposed to wait until secondary?
Stabilizing and clearing step is listed @ 14 days - any harm if I don't get around to it for an extra week or so? Directions have me adding sulphite, potassium sorbate, <degassing>, kieselsol, chitosan. Are all these chemicals necessary if I plan to bulk age it for a couple months, rather than the 28 days in the directions? I've heard that degassing can be skipped if letting it age long enough (the CO2 will naturally come out of solution over time).
I usually hydrate dry yeast when brewing beer, I assume the same is recommended for wine? Packet is Lalvin EC-1118 - what is the optimal temperature for this yeast? I have a digitally-controlled refrigerator for fermenting that I can set to +/- 0.3 C, so 70-80 F listed on the directions doesn't really narrow it down.
It has me mixing in the bentonite in primary, which I'm OK with. Also got a "tea-bag" full of oak chips, which is also supposed to go in primary, according to directions? I thought oak-aging was supposed to wait until secondary?
Stabilizing and clearing step is listed @ 14 days - any harm if I don't get around to it for an extra week or so? Directions have me adding sulphite, potassium sorbate, <degassing>, kieselsol, chitosan. Are all these chemicals necessary if I plan to bulk age it for a couple months, rather than the 28 days in the directions? I've heard that degassing can be skipped if letting it age long enough (the CO2 will naturally come out of solution over time).