MLF question 171

Hi Pino,

I would not buttume that the MLF is finished until you don't see any more bubbles at all, even teeny-tiny ones when you look really close at the neck of the carboy. So, I recommend just being patient and waiting it out.

If you're cold stabilizing to reduce acidity, note that cold stabilization isn't really very effective for that (0.05 TA reduction is about all). The only other reason I'm aware of to cold stabilize is to avoid tartaric acids from precipitating out in the bottle to form crystals on the bottom, which doesn't affect the wine really. From my perspective, the effort of cold stabilization isn't worth the results. Lugging 5 gallons carboys up from the basement on a cold winters day, along with the possibility of slipping on the ice and dropping the carboy, just isn't my idea of fun. But, maybe you're working in an area where all you have to do is open the barn-garage door.

I've never worked up the courage to try a chromotography kit ... my impression from sources I'd read was that using the kits required some skill and practice.

I know the question of when to innoculate for the MLF raises some debates. I always innoculate just before pitching the yeast, to give the ML bacteria time to take off before alcohol levels start to rise. The ML bacteria really like the skins, too, so I think there's an advantage to introducing them during the primary.

Jon Check out my winemaking homepage