Riddling Rack Plans

[Mike Rose]

Hello,

Do anyone has a good reference for plans to make a riddling rack? I'm looking to make a large, two-sided rack for some sparkling cider I've been storing. Any internet articles, PDFs, old book titles, etc... would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Mike

[Mike Rose]

Or if anyone has an old riddling rack and is willing to provide measurements and photos — that would be helpful too. :)

[eaglewolfff]

Forgive my ignorance... what is a riddling rack?

[Claude Jolicoeur]

I don't think you really need any (at least for a first trial) - you can use your standard 12-bottle cases, and put the bottles upside down in them. Once in a while shake a bit the case to send the lees into the neck.
Claude

[Richie McBride]

Pupitre de remuage is the French term.
They pop up on ebay France.
Not cheap.

[Martin Rellstab]

Hi Mike,

I was trying to build a riddling rack myself, but just couldn't get the angels right to get the bottles enough into the vertical position. 

After seeing and measuring an antique riddling rack in a local winery, I decided that it might be too difficult for me to build and I would also have to spend some money on the proper tools. 

Soon after, an original rack was for sale secondhand, so I decided to buy it.

I've just measured it up.  I hope you can understand how it all fits together - this is my first go at a CAD program. The major difficulty will be the smaller board at the back. It doesn't follow a cylinder form (i.e hole saw), it is probably more something done with a big spindle moulder and a custom tool. Or you just chisel it out approximately. 

As others said, you don't need a riddling rack for a couple of bottles, but it certainly makes a beautiful bottle rack.

Cheers

Martin

  

[Barney]

If you don't mind purchasing them:

http://www.barrel-shop.com/champagne-racks.html

[Mike Rose]

Thank you very much for posting. I'm thinking it might be best to find a small one (sometimes they sell old chopped up rack as decorations) to get the proper angles.

The small piece in the back is cut to hold the neck I assume? Do you have any photos of the rack?

Maybe there is a small market for new riddling racks (for small producers) in the US? :)

[Zara]

Hi Martin,

It has been long since you posted this reply, but I found it very interesting as I was looking for a riddling rack building plan myself.

Thank you for sharing these, and one question: do you have the measurements of the overall rack and a plan of how it is positioned? Or maybe you have shared the building instructions somewhere else later on? It would be very useful if you could share any further details.

Kudos  from Armenia!

Zara

[Mike Rose]

I actually ended up finding a large rack locally — about a year ago. Couldn't believe it. I'll post photos and measurements soon. Need to get out to the barn soon anyway. :p

[Eivind Krey Nitter]

Hi!

I make PetNat style ciders and I am generally ok with some deposits. However, for some of my batches there will be just to much gushing from the bottle, in large part provoced by nucleation with the deposits I believe. And in such cases its tempting to do a disgorgement to get rid of (most of) the deposits and some of the pressure as well.
I have never done a disgorgment before, but my question is about the riddling prosess. Ive tried to shake a bottle and leave it upside down overnight, and it seems that thee lees will gather quite nicely in the neck. Now wouldthis be ok for my purpose and what then is the reason for this really tedious process of riddling/remuage?

(I wouldnt bother freezing the bottlenecks for  either I believe.)

Thank you :)

[Old Spot]

There is a very simple solution beyond just shaking the bottles and leaving upside down.  Spin the upside down bottle a few times with vigor to create a vortex within the solution. The lees concentrate in the middle of the vortex like a tornado and mostly fall into the cap. Do this a few times and the neck of the bottle will be very clean. No need for the tedious champagne method of riddling on a rack.

[Nick Geoghegan]

We use the spinning method Old Spot describes  for our Methode Traditionelle ciders. It still takes a few rounds and weeks but we get great clarity and no sediment remaining at all.

I did a video a while ago on Instagram about it:

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CUcGuEjFpNC/?igsh=djMycGg5Z3g4bzdh

Cheers,

Nick

[Eivind Krey Nitter]

Thanks a lot for advice and great video. Will certainly start practicing anytime soon :)

[thepgr...@gmail.com]

Great video, Nick. Do you have a disgorging video? Would love to see that too!

[Nick Geoghegan]

There's some of the process in this video with my sister Tina doing the work: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3mu5LfSO2e/?igsh=NjF1N2psZnBzZ3Zn

Before this step we have frozen the plug of yeast that has settled in the bottle with a neck freezer. You can see the neck freezer  in the foreground of the video. 

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[MARTIN CAMPLING]

Interesting Nick.
I was also looking for the video that you said you'd do about the disgorging, but couldn't find it. Do you have a link, please?
Cheers,
    Martin

[Nick Geoghegan]

I just realised you cant see much in that Disgorging Video. Next time we disgorge I will make a new video!

Cheers,

Nick

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[gareth chapman]

Have a look at @Christian stoltes instagram  the wee Scottish cider company (@seidear) • Instagram photos and videos you will see pictures of the riddling racks he has made.
Some people have said it's not worth going through the process of extended riddling, well that depends how clear you want your finished product to be and how much lees you want to actually remove.
The problem with a one off or multiple swirling type riddling with the bottle fully inverted is that any deposits stuck to the glass will mostly stay stuck there.
The act of progressively inclining and swirling creates a sort of scouring cascading action whereby the falling lees scour their way down the glass, cleaning as it goes, whereas a vortex type method only shakes off loose deposit.
One thing you can try if you want to use one of these short cut riddling methods is to undergo secondary fermentation with the bottles stood upright before vigorously shaking to loosen the lees, but then you won't benefit from the extra contact the cider has with the lees if the bottle is on it's side.
I suppose it depends on what you are trying to achieve, do you just want a clear sparkling product whereby the disgorging is the most important part of the process or are you trying to modify the organoleptic qualities of the cider whereby the secondary fermentation and maturation are the most important part of the process.