homebrewer trying wine making question?

[grapeadmin]

I think all of those would be good choices. I don't think any of them would be more difficult than any others. If you are not big on oak, I would not add any more than that which comes with the kit.

john

[beerman]

I checked the winexpert web site and the coastal red has no oak.
I was wondering if the aprox. 1 month in the secondary and about 2 oz. of oak chips I have, would yield a nice but very mild oak flavor?

and since I'm gonna be trying this with my 5 gal. gear, and you suggested fermenting the entire batch in my 6.5 primary. To be safe I'll get the tubing that attaches to the econ-lock to make a blow off hose. Get a rubber drilled stopper for my 1/2 gal. jugs with my extra air lock and I'll be all set for the secondary overflow volume?

[grapeadmin]

2 oz's would not be out of line. Usually I use 3-4 oz of oak per 6 gallons. Setting up the blow off tube would be a good idea. You probably won't need it but better to be safe than sorry.

thanks
john

[beerman]

-Is the aprox. only 3 weeks in the secondary enough time to get some oak flavors? (the winexpert site has instructions that have the oak being added to the primary, this way seems strange and would only yield 1 week contact before transfer?)

-Will my fermenting bucket get permanently stained, just stained or will this affect further use for beer?

[grapeadmin]

I have used the equipment interchangeably. It will not be ruined. They usually use the oak powder or chips in the primary which require only a short contact time (like a week). Since you don't like a strong oak flavor anyway, it should be just about right.

john

[beerman]

I posted in my "wine temperature concerns?" that I finally got around to trying my 1st wine kit (winexpert, vinters reserve coastal red). The wine did not stain my primary bucket.
Since I'm using my beer equipment, I racked the wine from the primary into a 5 gal glass carboy and two 1/2gal growlers all with airlocks. One of the growlers can be used for toping off later. The other (much more sediment in this one, with the siphon being re-started) won't be able to be added to the 5 gal. carboy because there is no space.

-Is there anything to do with the extra growler of wine?

Thanks

[grapeadmin]

I would just bottle it and drink it!!

john

[beerman]

I't would be o.k with out the next step of stabilizing and clearing?
There will not be any potasium metabisulphite and sorbate (stabilizing), and no chitosan (clearing) added to this portion.

Thanks

[grapeadmin]

If you are just going to drink it soon and it is clear, you don't need the clarifier, the stabilizer or the sulfite.

john

[beerman]

I was thinks of following the kit instructions schedule. In 2 weeks when the main 5 gal will be at the stabilizing and clearing step, I'll rack the extra 2 growlers of wine another time (after using what's needed for the top off). This will give this extra wine another 2-3 weeks to clear. Then everything can be bottled the same day. I'll label these extra bottles and drink them 1st.

-Sound like a good plan, or is this additional racking a waste of time?
-How long should I let the extra wine (unstablized) age in the bottle?
-The kit instructions state to age for 3 months in the bottle for the main wine (stabilized) to hit it's prime?

Thanks

[grapeadmin]

I don't think an extra racking is a waste of time. It won't hurt.

It could probably age for months but I would drink it first since it does not have the extra sulfite and stabilizer

3 months sounds about right for the main batch.

john

[beerman]

The clearing and stabilizing step seems counter intuitive.
To not rack off the sediment before stiring up and stabilize/clearing, but I'm following the instructions.
I took one hydrometer reading a few days ago and will do this next stabilize/clear step today.
The sample tasted very yeasty and kind of like a too young beer, not mellow etc.

[grapeadmin]

You are correct. It is counter intuitive. The manufacturer says that the extra particulate matter speeds up the clearing though so I would just follow their recommendation.

john

[beerman]

Whipping the wine in a carboy is not so easy. The neck doesn't give much room for things.
The instructions stated 2 min. vigorous stiirring, and also said until the wine stops foaming.
I went well beyond 2 min. and the wine did not really completely stop foaming.

-Hope I whipped it enough?
-How do you sanitize just the long handle paddle, with out a large bucket of solution like when I brew beer?

[grapeadmin]

try whipping it over a couple of days. This works better for me rather than trying to do it all in one day.

For winemaking you don't have to be as sanitary. Just rinse it off with tap water before use and it should be ok.

thanks
john