I was given a Merlot making kit for Christmas and excitedly started
making my first ever batch of wine on Feb 11th. The instructions say
that fermentation should have slowed dramatically by day 10 and that I
should rack the wine for secondary fermentation.

Well I gave it an extra day to see if things would slow, but these
little yeast seem to be eating and metabolizing away in there. My
airlock will release a bubble every 20 seconds or so and I can see
streams and streams of bubbles rising from the wine.

I do not have a way to measure specific gravity so that may narrow my
options, but can someone offer a first timer a bit of advice?


Should I wait until the bubbling truly slows before racking and
starting secondary fermentation?
.....or....
Should I just Rack it today as the instructions call for?


FYI: This is a small (1 gallon) Merlot making kit from Vino
Corporation.

Thanks in advance gang!

Steve

On Feb 22, 8:03 am, wrote:
> I was given a Merlot making kit for Christmas and excitedly started
> making my first ever batch of wine on Feb 11th. The instructions say
> that fermentation should have slowed dramatically by day 10 and that I
> should rack the wine for secondary fermentation.
>
> Well I gave it an extra day to see if things would slow, but these
> little yeast seem to be eating and metabolizing away in there. My
> airlock will release a bubble every 20 seconds or so and I can see
> streams and streams of bubbles rising from the wine.
>
> I do not have a way to measure specific gravity so that may narrow my
> options, but can someone offer a first timer a bit of advice?
>
> Should I wait until the bubbling truly slows before racking and
> starting secondary fermentation?
> ....or....
> Should I just Rack it today as the instructions call for?
>
> FYI: This is a small (1 gallon) Merlot making kit from Vino
> Corporation.
>
> Thanks in advance gang!
>
> Steve

It is probably going slower than average due to cool temperatures,
unless you have made an effort to keep it warm. Also, keeping it
under airlock during "primary" fermentation may have kept it from
going as fast as it could. Another day might be OK, but I wouldn't
wait too long to avoid possible off-flavors from dead yeast sediment.

Stephen