Racking Home Made Wine - Do's and Don'ts

Why and How to rack (or transfer) wine from one container to another for home winemakers. Advantages and dis-advantages of different transfer methods demonstrated.
When to rack? 1.To get wine off lees (sediment), 2.when you need the container that it is in for something else, or 3. when you are ready to bottle and you use a different container for bottling.
Sanitizing: Potassium Meta Bi-sulfate (K-Mata) is cheap and excellent, but avoid breathing the the fumes. You need to rinse and clean equipment before sterilizing. Additional info here at 1:09. • Home Winemaking From G...
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[@lisasmith8164]

I started this journey with brewing beer in mind and looking for a simple middle ages type I found mead. Today, I found a bunch of videos on wine and find the simplicity appealing. Thank you so much ❤️

[@SHredWorld]

All great choices, and you don't have to choose just one!

[@mwinchesterjr6862]

OMG - I can't believe it took me this long to realize I can top off my larger vessels with already racked wine. it's so simple but I never thought to do it. I don't need so many bottles of varying sizes.

[@jasonbegin415]

Fantastic! Thank you!

[@SHredWorld]

You're welcome! Thanks for the support.

[@jimbongard3457]

Excellent video. Thank you for the clear instructions and taking a moment to explain alternatives and pros/cons of each.

[@SHredWorld]

You're welcome! Thanks for the support.

[@Superlife1369]

I have been looking for the sanitary no-suck option for a long time now! Thank you for all of the siphoning techniques. You actually put a whole lot of information in just 5 minutes!! ❤️

[@SHredWorld]

Thank you. Glad to help.

[@stanleygrover1685]

Liked your fill and clamp for small batches! great video! good info!

[@SHredWorld]

Thanks! Glad you like it.

[@NONAMESLEFTNONE]

There is some serious knowledge and experience here! I'll be watching these several times. Subscribed!

[@SHredWorld]

Appreciate it. Thanks for your support!

[@user-qj3tp7jk7i]

Just about to attempt my first batch.

[@redknight3439]

Thank you this was helpful... I had no idea there could be that much sediment in the bottom.

[@SHredWorld]

Glad it was helpful!

[@richardwolske2015]

I’ve just started my 3rd season of wine making! Your videos are a big help and bring light to the troubling questions we beginners have , I make wine in August and rack it 3-4 time before November then bulk age until spring .this year I bought a medical vacuum pump and use vacuum to transfer from one carboy to my clean carboy , as I do this its degassing as I transfer and should have minimal oxygen infusion during my Racking . Thanks for your videos hopefully my wine will get better and better 👍🇺🇸

[@SHredWorld]

Thanks for the comment. I'm sure your wine and techniques will get better & better.

[@tedlofland3446]

auto-siphon works great, even better when you use one of those coffee maker stainless steel filter baskets on the bottom end of the auto-siphon. Just don't siphon from the very bottom work your way down. The filter basket will prevent dead yeast from being sucked in on the last bottle. Or just get a Fastferment so much easier.

[@SHredWorld]

great point! I should have shown detail of the syphon I was using. It DOES have a small plastic filter on the bottom, but you still have to be careful if lees is deep.

[@leslieking3974]

Good video. I suggest to have SO2 to minimize oxygen exposure during racking.

[@SHredWorld]

Thanks. I agree; small amount of SO2 helpful at transfers.

[@peterjordan5947]

Do you need to add any additional yeast to ensure fermentation continues or is some yeast always transferred

[@Gmod_gaming]

I made wine right now (I think ) I use a empty bottle put blue berry’s ,honey ,yeast and added water and made it Jan 12 then in Jan 15 it wasn’t doing anything else so I change bottles the thing am worried ab it it smells strong of alcohol idk if that’s good or bad any idea’s?

[@forrest42]

If you dont have more wine to add to avoid headspace in the next 5 gal carboy (in my case mead), should you rack to smaller ones? For example, rack secondarily to 3 gal and 1 gal carboys etc instead of another 5 gal with too much headspace? Trying to avoid as much waste as possible. Thanks, this video was helpful!

[@SHredWorld]

Absolutely rack to smaller size. No need to stop at one gallon, either, I keep half gallon and 1 Liter bottles for leftovers. IE, have racked from 5 gal to 3gal, 1gal, and Liters or 750ml. taste whatever is left.

[@r.pzr.7503]

1:06 What's the model of that pump. Looks great for my largest batches. Thanks in advance

[@SHredWorld]

Shurflo diaphragm pump - 3 GPM

[@moselleisrael3879]

Is this ok to do when starting a termination stage? Mine seems to be building a white bubbly film and I’m still unsure if that’s saying something is wrong or it’s just fermentation. I was going to symphony into something so I could clean out the carboy again and put it back which is how I came across your channel I made it with Concord grapes juice , it was 1.120 but I did make a rookie mistake of having to top off with like a gallon and a half with water because I have a 3 gallon carboy and I didn’t have more of the juice I used around . Not sure if I should just completely waste and start over

[@SHredWorld]

If bubbling, that probably is fermentation. I would let it continue until done, then rack and adjust as needed.

[@kiwiprouddavids724]

Hay I did some black berry wine for a try this year and I just pored it into another bottle ,i am still getting a little bit of sediment and it's really dark and not clear ,I was thinking I would rack it a few more times every two weeks .....any advice would be much appreciated ,I'm scared I might over rack it and I was hoping I could bottle and store it soon for Xmas

[@SHredWorld]

If fermentation is complete, I would continue to rack the wine, but at longer intervals, maybe two months between racking. If you need to hurry the process to have the wine finished by Christmas, you could either place it in refrigerator if possible to hasten clearing, or use fining agents, or filter it. Once clear to your liking, stabilize with Potassium Meta-bisulfite K-Meta), wait at least 12 hours, add Potassium Sorbate, then bottle.

[@aubreyhibbs6629]

You should time lapse a bunch of these.

[@rickvia8435]

Aren't you just pulling the sediment from the the 1st bottle into the second bottle? Seems like you should keep the siphon above the sediment to keep it from the rack bottle...

[@SHredWorld]

Good point! (One I should have made. ) If using tubing, you keep it above the level of the sediment (Lees). We use auto syphons, which have a cap and strainer on the bottom, to allow only wine to enter the tube.

[@rickvia8435]

@@SHredWorld Thanks for the clarification.

[@SHredWorld]

You're welcome. Appreciate the support.