I made some nice kit wines last year that I recall had instructions to
stir vigorously at some point to get rid of CO2. I can't find the
paperwork now.

I'm now making my first batch of wine from my own grapes and the
primary ferm went fine and I've racked to secondary and topped off and
locked.

The 'jiffy' instructions I found online at http://Winemakermag.com (I
think) don't mention any stirring or CO2. --I did punch down the cap
on this red batch a couple times a day.

I've made a few kits and can handle *a bit* more complexity. So should
I stir at some point?

I'll also look for that old paperwork to see if anything catches my
eye.

I would like to add bentonite to add clarifying at some point as well.

Thanks for any tips! --JP

Jeff,

You can find instructions for kits (BrewKing at least -
http://www.brewking.com/) on their web site in the "Answer Box".

As far as stirring your grape wine to get rid of CO2, you can, but you
probably don't need to. With enough aging (i.e. 18 months or so) before
bottling, and racking to clarify the CO2 will come out of the wine. The
same is also true for fining - you typically don't need to with enough
aging.

Ed

"Jeff Potter" > wrote in message
om...
> I made some nice kit wines last year that I recall had instructions to
> stir vigorously at some point to get rid of CO2. I can't find the
> paperwork now.
>
> I'm now making my first batch of wine from my own grapes and the
> primary ferm went fine and I've racked to secondary and topped off and
> locked.
>
> The 'jiffy' instructions I found online at http://Winemakermag.com (I
> think) don't mention any stirring or CO2. --I did punch down the cap
> on this red batch a couple times a day.
>
> I've made a few kits and can handle *a bit* more complexity. So should
> I stir at some point?
>
> I'll also look for that old paperwork to see if anything catches my
> eye.
>
> I would like to add bentonite to add clarifying at some point as well.
>
> Thanks for any tips! --JP

"Jeff Potter" > wrote:

> I've made a few kits and can handle *a bit* more complexity. So should
> I stir at some point?

I know of no reason to stir a red wine after fermentation has completed. You
do want to introduce a bit of oxygen during the first racking, but this is
done by letting the wine flow against the side of the carboy. I've not
experienced a problem with CO2 in the wine.

> I would like to add bentonite to add clarifying at some point as well.

Red wines do not usually require fining (the higher levels of tannin act as
a fining agent). Bentonite is not usually used with red wines, because it
removes substantial amounts of colour.

There are those who disagree, especially with "light" red wines.

>There are those who disagree, especially with "light" red wines.

Even with "light" red GRAPE wines, I have never needed to do anything
to eliminate CO2 or clarify them.

Most fruit wines do not need anything either; but peach, apricot and
similar fruit wines usualy need fining, in my experience.

vince norris

My guess is that the instructions to stir are based on the assumption
that you will be bottling in 4-6 weeks, as per the instructions. I
have found that even with stirring, wines that I have bottled quickly
sometimes have a bit of CO2 left in them (they are slightly bubby when
opened... not noticeable to look at, but I can tell when I drink it),
but those that I have left in the carboy for a few months have not.
However, after a few months in the bottle, even the early bottled
wines tend to lose evidence of CO2. I'm not sure if it ended up in the
air pocket in the bottle.

I noticed in the first (only) kit I did was that stirring was also to
homogenize the mixture of wine and bentonite/isinglass/etc. It was also to
disperse CO2 because it was a 4 week kit, but you do not need to stir to
dissipate CO2 in any grape wine (IMHO) when you age it for 9 months or so.

"Jeff Potter" > wrote in message
om...
> I made some nice kit wines last year that I recall had instructions to
> stir vigorously at some point to get rid of CO2. I can't find the
> paperwork now.
>
> I'm now making my first batch of wine from my own grapes and the
> primary ferm went fine and I've racked to secondary and topped off and
> locked.
>
> The 'jiffy' instructions I found online at http://Winemakermag.com (I
> think) don't mention any stirring or CO2. --I did punch down the cap
> on this red batch a couple times a day.
>
> I've made a few kits and can handle *a bit* more complexity. So should
> I stir at some point?
>
> I'll also look for that old paperwork to see if anything catches my
> eye.
>
> I would like to add bentonite to add clarifying at some point as well.
>
> Thanks for any tips! --JP