Why Rack?

[lukebuz]

OK - I have some juice that is about done fermenting. I do not plan to bulk age it at all, and drink it young.
So it's a full 5 gallon carboy with a little bit a fruit pulp and all the yeast in it. I'm going to be ending it at a SG of 1.010 with campden and sorbate. I could rack it of course, and then add my sparkolloid, but I was thinking - why bother?
Why can't I just add my campden, sorbate, and sparkolloid all at once?
Let it settle, and bottle all from the same carboy?

 

[Yooper]

Well, there are a couple of things I see. One is that it's almost impossible to end a fermentation with sorbate and campden, and it'll be even more so with all of the lees in there.

Sorbate inhibits yeast reproduction, and doesn't kill yeast, so in order for it to be effective, there has to be very little yeast in suspension and no lees at all (where there are tons of yeast). Since an active fermentation has hundreds of billions of yeast in suspension, yeast reproduction isn't going on so the sorbate will do nothing.

Secondly, lees are full of decaying and decomposing yeast. That's not a problem in a young fermentation, but it will produce poor flavor if left on the lees for more than about 60 days.

 

[dEMOiSEllE74]

The main reason is that any excess lees can cause off flavors.

Not quick enough on the response. What they said...lol

 

[lukebuz]

I won't be leaving it for long - I expect 2 weeks after stopping the fermentation (which is about how long Sparkolloid takes to clear everything up). So, off flavors probably won't be a problem...
However, the fact that I want some residual sugars could be a problem! Sounds like it'll be wise to stop the ferment and rack it before adding the sparkolloid.
Thanks for the tip!

 

[Yooper]

I won't be leaving it for long - I expect 2 weeks after stopping the fermentation (which is about how long Sparkolloid takes to clear everything up). So, off flavors probably won't be a problem...
However, the fact that I want some residual sugars could be a problem! Sounds like it'll be wise to stop the ferment and rack it before adding the sparkolloid.
Thanks for the tip!

What's your plan to stop fermentation? You would probably have to use extraordinary measures, like cold crashing and holding it till clear and then racking off of the lees.

Most people find it much easier (and dependable) to let it ferment out, let it clear, stabilize by racking onto sorbate and campden, and then sweetening it to taste.

Stopping an active fermentation is like stopping a freight train, and off flavors from it not working can occur.

 

[lukebuz]

Well, this is the 2nd batch of Cranberry that I've made, and I plan to do like the first batch (which is bottled and has been drank from - no fizziness or pressure).
I just used 1.2 campden per gallon, and 1/4tsp gallon Po. Sorbate.
Then followed up by a dose of sparkolloid, let it settle for 2 weeks, and bottle.
I haven't had issues...yet. Do you think this is a bad plan?