I used the spin cycle on the family maytag to centriguge 12 bottles of gunk
left after settling chardonnay. I ran it 2 cycles, and it sorta worked, got
about half the gunk I think. I quit because It seemed like there were
currents inside the bottles which prevented it from fully depositing on the
side of the bottles, however I am wondering if I just quit too soon. My
question: Is the success a function of time? Would 4 cycles have worked
better than 2? Are bottle sizes an issue? Thanks in advance for your help!
(My dad is 80, loves the all the red wine I give him, and its good because I
have pretty much followed the techniques you teach on here . .stuff like
garbage bag with water covers, etc. So an old guy in Idaho is happier
because you have been generous in sharing what you have learned! Thanks!)

"Darwin Vander Stelt" > wrote in message
...
> I used the spin cycle on the family maytag to centriguge 12 bottles of
gunk
> left after settling chardonnay. I ran it 2 cycles, and it sorta worked,
got
> about half the gunk I think. I quit because It seemed like there were
> currents inside the bottles which prevented it from fully depositing on
the
> side of the bottles, however I am wondering if I just quit too soon. My
> question: Is the success a function of time? Would 4 cycles have worked
> better than 2? Are bottle sizes an issue?

Longer spin time is better, but I found that the fast stopping when the
brakes come on tends to remix the gunk back into the juice/wine. That's why
I had an old machine modified to (1) disable the timer so that I could set
it to spin as long as I wanted, and (2) disable the brakes and interlock
so the tub spins down slowly. The Maytag man also put a different pulley on
the motor so that it spins a bit faster.

I use 2 liter bottles, which are as big as I can get in there. BTW, wine
lees separate better than juice lees. They're more cohesive - probably
because of the bentonite in them.

Tom S

That makes sense. When I stopped the spin, I could see the liquid moving,
picking up sediment from the bottle wall, a result of the fast stopping.
Thanks!

"Tom S" > wrote in message
news
>
> "Darwin Vander Stelt" > wrote in message
> ...
> > I used the spin cycle on the family maytag to centriguge 12 bottles of
> gunk
> > left after settling chardonnay. I ran it 2 cycles, and it sorta worked,
> got
> > about half the gunk I think. I quit because It seemed like there were
> > currents inside the bottles which prevented it from fully depositing on
> the
> > side of the bottles, however I am wondering if I just quit too soon. My
> > question: Is the success a function of time? Would 4 cycles have worked
> > better than 2? Are bottle sizes an issue?
>
> Longer spin time is better, but I found that the fast stopping when the
> brakes come on tends to remix the gunk back into the juice/wine. That's
why
> I had an old machine modified to (1) disable the timer so that I could set
> it to spin as long as I wanted, and (2) disable the brakes and interlock
> so the tub spins down slowly. The Maytag man also put a different pulley
on
> the motor so that it spins a bit faster.
>
> I use 2 liter bottles, which are as big as I can get in there. BTW, wine
> lees separate better than juice lees. They're more cohesive - probably
> because of the bentonite in them.
>
> Tom S
>
>

"Darwin Vander Stelt" > wrote in message >...
> That makes sense. When I stopped the spin, I could see the liquid moving,
> picking up sediment from the bottle wall, a result of the fast stopping.
> Thanks!



> >

What a great idea Tom! Whould this work with the gross lees or a red
grape? I paid a dear price of $52.00 per 32# case for Washington State
Merlot grapes from Yakima Valley this year. Would love to get every
last drop........Zinman

"zinman" > wrote in message
om...
> What a great idea Tom! Whould this work with the gross lees or a red
> grape? I paid a dear price of $52.00 per 32# case for Washington State
> Merlot grapes from Yakima Valley this year. Would love to get every
> last drop........Zinman

I usually recover at least 50% from the lees that won't settle any further
by normal gravity. It works well on juice lees from the press (white wine),
but even better on wine lees (post fermentation, red or white).

The stuff that remains is about theconsistency of baby sh-- but it smells a
lot better. :^D

Tom S

I used Tom S' idea but in my home-use machine. After nearly six spin cycles,
I got a nice demarcation between wine and lees. I used small Rubbermaid
condiment containers as these were the dregs of one gallon bathes. I will
consider doing the same method in my 15 gallon batches this year. I just
hope the corner laundromat has no issue with it...

"Tom S" > wrote in message
news
>
> "Darwin Vander Stelt" > wrote in message
> ...
> > I used the spin cycle on the family maytag to centriguge 12 bottles of
> gunk
> > left after settling chardonnay. I ran it 2 cycles, and it sorta worked,
> got
> > about half the gunk I think. I quit because It seemed like there were
> > currents inside the bottles which prevented it from fully depositing on
> the
> > side of the bottles, however I am wondering if I just quit too soon. My
> > question: Is the success a function of time? Would 4 cycles have worked
> > better than 2? Are bottle sizes an issue?
>
> Longer spin time is better, but I found that the fast stopping when the
> brakes come on tends to remix the gunk back into the juice/wine. That's
why
> I had an old machine modified to (1) disable the timer so that I could set
> it to spin as long as I wanted, and (2) disable the brakes and interlock
> so the tub spins down slowly. The Maytag man also put a different pulley
on
> the motor so that it spins a bit faster.
>
> I use 2 liter bottles, which are as big as I can get in there. BTW, wine
> lees separate better than juice lees. They're more cohesive - probably
> because of the bentonite in them.
>
> Tom S
>
>