Primary, secondary, then...?

[MarkKF]

I've read some wine makers rack a few times. So if I rack my cider into the secondary then a month later rack it again what are the benefits and negatives? I was thinking of adding craisins to the secondary for taste and color. I know fermentation will restart and another racking will probably be necessary to clarify. What's your opinion.

 

[DWavs]

I am far from the expert but I wonder at what point you worry about oxidation? I suppose as long as you have the fermentation kicking back in each time then you would have that nice blanket of CO2 in the headspace?

 

[gratus fermentatio]

Racking past secondary is often called tertiary. It's not always required, but it can help with clearing & sediment. You can protect you wine/cider by adding sufites when racking. One campen tablet (crushed & dissolved in boiled & cooled water) will protect 5 gallons.
Regards, GF.

 

[jamiesavoie]

gratus: in how much water?

 

[kurtism]

gratus: in how much water?

as much water as you need to fill the head space in your fermenter...if you have a crap ton of head space...don't water down your brew too much. 1 cup of water should do the trick easily. that said, i use kmeta powder rather than tabs. i've never had a problem with the kmeta powder dissolving in solution.

does the OP really have to boil a kmeta tab to get it to dissolve or is it just faster that way?

 

[divi2323]

I drop whole campden tablets into my wine and they dissolve pretty quickly. I've never understood why people crush them and dissolve in xyz liquid. The purpose is to get the sulfur to react with oxygen in the liquid and produce sulfur dioxide gas. It removes oxidation and the gas kills bacteria.

When racking just don't splash too much and you should be fine.

 

[divi2323]

One more thing is when racking to a secondary you do it just before fermentation stops. So that you get the co2 blanket described above. If you rack after fermentation has stopped the need to top off to minimize oxidizing comes into play.

 

[Pickled_Pepper]

does the OP really have to boil a kmeta tab to get it to dissolve or is it just faster that way?

I think he said "boiled water". Boiling the water sterilizes it. You can always use bottled water to keep from having to boil it.

 

[gratus fermentatio]

gratus: in how much water?

I use about a 1/2 cup.
Regards, GF.

 

[gratus fermentatio]

does the OP really have to boil a kmeta tab to get it to dissolve or is it just faster that way?

"crushed & dissolved in boiled & cooled water"
Boil water, let it cool, add crushed campden tab, stir to dissolve, add to carbouy.
Regards, GF.