Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
starts sucking sediment, raise the racking tube up to break the
suction.
4. Place the rubber stopper with an air lock filled with
sanitizing solution in the secondary fermenter. Using a carboy
handle if necessary, move the secondary fermenter to a
location out of sunlight where even temperatures are
maintained.
5. Immediately clean and sanitize your primary fermenter,
racking tube, and tubing and stow them away. If you don't
clean them immediately they will likely be ruined.
The Secondary Fermentation: Step-by-Step
1. Wait. And wait. Then wait some more. Patience, I have
been told, is a virtue. After your first racking from the
primary to secondary fermenter, the yeast will lag for a
couple of days while it tries to catch up. Allow the secondary
fermenter to sit unmolested until: the wine starts to become
clear, you have more than a dusting of sediment at the bottom
of the container, or the air lock only operates once every
couple of minutes. This will likely take about a month.
Because the secondary fermenter sits for so long, don't forget
to check the airlock periodically and top up the sanitizing
solution in it so it doesn't evaporate and leave your wine
vulnerable.
2. The day before racking, sit the secondary fermenter up on
a table or counter, and tilt it using a book or other wedge, as
before.
