HELP! Did I just contaminate my Wine
 

Hi,



I am in the process of brewing a 15L. BK Chardonnay kit following the 180
day process taken from Jack Keller’s website.



Now I just finished the Day 80 “racking cycle”, but during the racking I
found that my tap was leaking (I use food grade Fermenters dedicated for
Wine, as I don’t own a glass carboy…yet). Being almost at the half way mark,
total panic came over me and the only solution I could come up with was to
wash and sterilize my arm and fasten the tapbolt by putting my arm in the
wine. Yeah fine! it’s OK to laugh.



Now the $64.000 question, did I just waste 80 precious days of wine making
and contaminate my batch beyond repair?



Any feedback would be highly appreciated



Thanks.

HELP! Did I just contaminate my Wine
 

If you cleaned you arm well I wouldn't worry but not owning a carboy at this
stage could be a much bigger problem! You wine should not be in contact with
the amount of surface air your bucket is providing. THAT will ruin your wine
if it's not already...
Louise:o)

"Nocontamino?" > wrote in message
...
> Hi,
>
>
>
> I am in the process of brewing a 15L. BK Chardonnay kit following the 180
> day process taken from Jack Keller's website.
>
>
>
> Now I just finished the Day 80 "racking cycle", but during the racking I
> found that my tap was leaking (I use food grade Fermenters dedicated for
> Wine, as I don't own a glass carboy.yet). Being almost at the half way
mark,
> total panic came over me and the only solution I could come up with was to
> wash and sterilize my arm and fasten the tapbolt by putting my arm in the
> wine. Yeah fine! it's OK to laugh.
>
>
>
> Now the $64.000 question, did I just waste 80 precious days of wine making
> and contaminate my batch beyond repair?
>
>
>
> Any feedback would be highly appreciated
>
>
>
> Thanks.
>
>
>
>

HELP! Did I just contaminate my Wine
 

I agree with Louise. I would not worry about contamination from your arm.
But you are way late in the process to be using a bucket, sealing or not.
The big danger is oxidation. You need to get it into carboy immediately and
hope it is not damaged too much.

Ray

"Weez" > wrote in message
.. .
> If you cleaned you arm well I wouldn't worry but not owning a carboy at
this
> stage could be a much bigger problem! You wine should not be in contact
with
> the amount of surface air your bucket is providing. THAT will ruin your
wine
> if it's not already...
> Louise:o)
>
> "Nocontamino?" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Hi,
> >
> >
> >
> > I am in the process of brewing a 15L. BK Chardonnay kit following the
180
> > day process taken from Jack Keller's website.
> >
> >
> >
> > Now I just finished the Day 80 "racking cycle", but during the racking I
> > found that my tap was leaking (I use food grade Fermenters dedicated for
> > Wine, as I don't own a glass carboy.yet). Being almost at the half way
> mark,
> > total panic came over me and the only solution I could come up with was
to
> > wash and sterilize my arm and fasten the tapbolt by putting my arm in
the
> > wine. Yeah fine! it's OK to laugh.
> >
> >
> >
> > Now the $64.000 question, did I just waste 80 precious days of wine
making
> > and contaminate my batch beyond repair?
> >
> >
> >
> > Any feedback would be highly appreciated
> >
> >
> >
> > Thanks.
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>

HELP! Did I just contaminate my Wine
 

"Saul_Sabia" > wrote in message
om...
> "Nocontamino?" > wrote in message
>...
> > Hi,
> >
> > I am in the process of brewing a 15L. BK Chardonnay kit following the
180
> > day process taken from Jack Keller?s website.
> >
> > Now I just finished the Day 80 ?racking cycle?, but during the racking I
> > found that my tap was leaking (I use food grade Fermenters dedicated for
> > Wine, as I don?t own a glass carboy?yet). Being almost at the half way
mark,
> > total panic came over me and the only solution I could come up with was
to
> > wash and sterilize my arm and fasten the tapbolt by putting my arm in
the
> > wine. Yeah fine! it?s OK to laugh.
> >
> > Now the $64.000 question, did I just waste 80 precious days of wine
making
> > and contaminate my batch beyond repair?
> >
> > Any feedback would be highly appreciated
>
> i think sterility is far more important in the beginning than half-way
> through. half-way through the yeast is going, it's killing off its
> competitors, its producing a good 5 or 6% alcohol, and between the
> alcohol and the relatively anaerobic environment, the must has a fighting
> chance.
>
> but before the yeast is going, before its established, before the alcohol
> is made, that's when you've got to make sure you're clean and as sterile
> as possible.
>
> i've just had to chuck a 3 gallon batch of coffee wine 20 days into the
> ferment because i discovered that my technique wasn't particularly sterile
> enough (i highly recommend not brewing at 3 am when you haven't had enough
> sleep anyways).
>
> little white growths and a ring around the inside of the fermenter does
> qualify as bad, right?
>
>
> pfft. time to get bleach, and not rely on vinegar, mildly soapy water,
> and a prayer, in that order.
>
>
>
> Saul Sabia
>



No one mentioned that plastic ferments might impart a plastic taste into
your wine after 180 days. I hope your containers are new and have not had
pickles stored in them. BTW, I have stuck my arm in the wine with no ill
after effects.

Regards,

KB