I racked it from the plastic jug into this, should I let it age abut a week and rack it again? And also in the first and last pic on top it looks a little watered down but I used no water, when I rack it next time should I start below that?
gtgirl20 said:I racked it from the plastic jug into this, should I let it age abut a week and rack it again? And also in the first and last pic on top it looks a little watered down but I used no water, when I rack it next time should I start below that?
saramc said:The watered down appearance is that it is starting to clear.
m_stodd said:What's the purpose of racking it so many times? I haven't made wine, but I imagine it's similar to beer in the sense that it doesn't like oxygen exposure
What's the purpose of racking it so many times? I haven't made wine, but I imagine it's similar to beer in the sense that it doesn't like oxygen exposure
CreamyGoodness said:Yoop has probably seen this happen before. I used to make my meads and wait for them to clear. Then I would rack and put a screw top them and let them age for a couple months. Then, proudly, I opened them at my bachelor party and my guests all got sprayed with mead.
Put an airlock on that thing bucko .
CreamyGoodness said:Well as some of the other posters mentioned you should definitely rack to a smaller jug to cut down on all that headspace. After that, yes, I would say you should airlock it. No matter how much the airlock bubbled or didnt bubble, at a few weeks in (and cloudy like that) you definitely still have fermentation still going on.
Ok I'll rack it later into a smaller container and air lock it it smells real real strong now!
CreamyGoodness said:I left too much airspace in the jugs I had housing my wedding mead. They tasted like straight up vinegar when we got around to drinking it .
CreamyGoodness said:The airlock is installed correctly and you just arent getting any bubbles? If that is the case you are aok fine. Dont forget, the airlock bubbles are nothing more than kinda fun to watch. They dont prove anything at all.
CreamyGoodness said:Lol please define "burping"
CreamyGoodness said:ah. Well as I was saying, even if it never "burps" from here on that is not a reason to worry.
Oh my, you have at least another 3 weeks of fermenting and several months of clearing to look forward to.
In the future, not that a week's ferment is far too soon to start racking.
Yooper said:Well, normally for fruit wines you'd ferment on the fruit for about 5 days or so, then rack to a carboy and airlock it. The first racking is commonly done by the 10th day. After that, it's racked only when there are lees 1/4" thick, or any lees at all after 60 days.
Once it's completely clear, and not dropping any lees at all after 60 days, then it's ok to bottle. The airlock should remain in place until bottling, unless the wine is being bulk aged at that point (but even then I'd airlock, though not strictly necessary). That's when the wine is about 6 months old, typically.
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