Stabilising and Clearing - Stir Vigorously, or else...

As I read through last week's deal at Northern Brewer for 10% off a wine wand, I wondered - what's the point of that tool?  Well we found out during the Stabilizing and Clearing step we performed last week why one might pay $40-$50 for that tool.

We began this step a couple days prior, using the hydrometer to check the specific gravity.  As per the directions, once the specific gravity was consistent for two days in a row, then we were able to go ahead with this next step.

We began with racking the wine back into our primary fermenter bucket.  This process was as exciting as ever and resulted in wine on the floor and pants.  (I promise to refrain from a "wine on the floor, lookin' like a fool with your wine on the floor" joke here...hehe, I just did anyway by saying I won't.)  No one knows the unclassy crap that happens behind the scenes of making wine.  Well here at Peterzberg Winez, we iz keepin' it real.  True dat.

Then I proceeded to follow the directions and dissolved the metabisulphite and sorbate in a 1/2 cup of cool water.  This is where I discovered paying $40 for a wine wand perhaps was a really good idea.  Thankfully the banker had decent arm strength and I think successfully completed the task of "Stir[ing] vigorously...to drive off CO2 gas.  Your wine may not clear if this stirring is not vigorous enough." 

Well that was a little daunting.  In bold lettering it told us that if we wimped out on this step our wine might be ruined.  Fantastic. 

Well after stirring vigorously for far longer than the 2 minutes it recommended, it was time to add the Chitosan.  More vigorous stirring was required by the directions.  The wine wand was not far from my mind as I watched the Banker use the paddle that came with our kit and a helluva lot of elbow grease to move that grape juice around.  I tried my hand at vigorously stirring, and was pooped out pretty quickly.

The last step required topping off the wine with water, which ensued in a dispute between Banker and Librarian and resulted in a compromise of adding just 4 cups of water.  (Perhaps my side is revealed by the word "just" in the preceding sentence.)

Regardless, too exhausted to blog that night, the deed was done.  In a few days we'll be ready for the next step: Racking and Clarification.