Hi All

First batch. Started with home pressed apple juice.

Moved it from primary fermentation to a glass jug when SG was about 1.02.
Then moved it to another glass jug with it hit about 0.99.
Is clearing nicely.
Book we are following says to wait about 2 months, then rack again to
continue clearing.

Any benefit/detriment to doing it sooner?

It seemed to have a bit of yeasty smell when we moved it, and am
getting a nice coating of dead beasties on the bottom. So in my
inexperienced line of thinking; it would seem to me to rack sooner than
2 months to get it away from the yeasties.

What say you experienced folk?
Thanks
Mark

pheasant wrote:
> Hi All
>
> First batch. Started with home pressed apple juice.
>
> Moved it from primary fermentation to a glass jug when SG was about 1.02.
> Then moved it to another glass jug with it hit about 0.99.
> Is clearing nicely.
> Book we are following says to wait about 2 months, then rack again to
> continue clearing.
>
> Any benefit/detriment to doing it sooner?
>
> It seemed to have a bit of yeasty smell when we moved it, and am
> getting a nice coating of dead beasties on the bottom. So in my
> inexperienced line of thinking; it would seem to me to rack sooner than
> 2 months to get it away from the yeasties.
>
> What say you experienced folk?
> Thanks
> Mark

It's fine. I rack mine after one month then leave it up to 3 months
between rackings. Any more than 3 months and you risk the yeast rotting
and imparting flavours. You'll be racking a lot if you do it every time
you see a bit of sediment. But I've heard people say "if in doubt
rack". There's little harm in it.

"alien" > wrote in message
...
> pheasant wrote:
>> Hi All
>>
>> First batch. Started with home pressed apple juice.
>>
>> Moved it from primary fermentation to a glass jug when SG was about 1.02.
>> Then moved it to another glass jug with it hit about 0.99.
>> Is clearing nicely.
>> Book we are following says to wait about 2 months, then rack again to
>> continue clearing.
>>
>> Any benefit/detriment to doing it sooner?
>>
>> It seemed to have a bit of yeasty smell when we moved it, and am getting
>> a nice coating of dead beasties on the bottom. So in my inexperienced
>> line of thinking; it would seem to me to rack sooner than 2 months to get
>> it away from the yeasties.
>>
>> What say you experienced folk?
>> Thanks
>> Mark
>
> It's fine. I rack mine after one month then leave it up to 3 months
> between rackings. Any more than 3 months and you risk the yeast rotting
> and imparting flavours.

It's not "rotting"; it's going through autolysis. Autolysis products in
wine impart a roundness and improved palate feel - albeit perhaps at the
expense of some of the fruit. Not a bad trade, really.

You'll be racking a lot if you do it every time
> you see a bit of sediment. But I've heard people say "if in doubt rack".
> There's little harm in it.

As others have posted, there is risk in the extra exposure to air -
particularly in white wines. It doesn't pay to be too busy with the wine
once it has finished fermantation and become stable. Give it some time.

Tom S

alien wrote:

>
>>
>> It's not "rotting"; it's going through autolysis. Autolysis products in
>> wine impart a roundness and improved palate feel - albeit perhaps at the
>> expense of some of the fruit. Not a bad trade, really.
>>
>
> From Jack Keller's website, who seems to be regarded quite highly in
> this newsgroup:
>
> It is perfectly okay to leave the wine on the lees for three months.
> Beyond that and the wine enters a danger zone caused by dead yeast cells
> breaking down -- rotting. While this can cause off-flavors and odors if
> allowed to go on too long, the bigger danger is the formation of
> hydrogen-sulfide gas, which smells like rotten eggs and can be the death
> of the wine.

I think it makes a huge difference if you are talking about "dirty" lees or
"clean" lees.

alien,

Check out this old thread:

http://groups-beta.google.com/group/...ba2ea637 8217

(thread "Aging on lees", begun 12th Dec 2001)

Ageing sur lie requires attention to detail, and use of a suitable
quality lees - I think that's the ultimate point.

Ben

wrote:
> alien,
>
> Check out this old thread:
>
> http://groups-beta.google.com/group/...ba2ea637 8217
>
> (thread "Aging on lees", begun 12th Dec 2001)
>
> Ageing sur lie requires attention to detail, and use of a suitable
> quality lees - I think that's the ultimate point.
>
> Ben
>
OK, looks like Jack's website is trying to avoid a lot of people from
developing bad wines until they have some experience. I think I'll
stick to the 3 month rule for now, when I have a bit more experience and
can afford to waste a bit of wine, I'll give extended aging on lees a
go. This is obviously something you have to watch like a hawk, daily
I'd guess, and have the equipment ready for when things do go wrong.