# Why let the yeast ferment until it stops



## MixItUp (Feb 10, 2011)

Versus using a faster yeast and just stopping it at say 10% abv vs. 19% abv?

If there any reason to have this above 6% abv?


----------



## tjbryner (Feb 10, 2011)

MixItUp said:


> Versus using a faster yeast and just stopping it at say 10% abv vs. 19% abv?
> 
> If there any reason to have this above 6% abv?



Any thing below 6% would be hard to keep for type of time safely. As for stopping an active fermentation I don't think you can do it with out adding enough alcohol to kill the yeast. At this point in time you might as well have left it finish.


----------



## robie (Feb 10, 2011)

I am not writing specifically about Skeeter Pee, but letting a fermentation run its full course does more than provide alcohol. 
There are esters and lots of other cool things that develop and mature along the way. Cut the fermentation short and some of those just won't mature.

In some areas and with some wines, stopping the yeast early is a fairly common practice for those who want their wine to be left sweet without having to back sweeten.

To cut it short, you have to somehow stop the yeast from doing their job. You can add brandy or some other high alcohol product, which will immediately kill the yeast. You can also filter the yeast out with a very fine filter.

Adding kmeta to slow/stun the yeast, then sorbate to stop them from further reproduction also works, but without filtering out the yeast, fermentation can start up again in some circumstances.


----------



## WineBaker (Apr 2, 2016)

Agree with all , But if you want to stop it then chill it


----------



## Arne (Apr 3, 2016)

WineBaker said:


> Agree with all , But if you want to stop it then chill it



So true, but don't let it warm up afterwards, especially if you get into bottles. It can give you a nasty suprise. Wine all over, corks blowing, lots of cleanup. Experience counts on this one. LOL, Arne.


----------



## salcoco (Apr 3, 2016)

if you want less alcohol put in less sugar.


----------



## Floandgary (Apr 3, 2016)

Some quick research will reveal that the majority of wines produced from grapes grown for that purpose will result in alcohol levels in the 10%-14% ABV range. Nature's way of providing it's own preservative! Good reason to allow fermentation to run it's course. The term BACKSWEETENING was invented to let you know that you can adjust the product to your taste after nature has done it's thing (LOL). Of course a little chemistry (K-Meta and K-Sorbate) is of use to keep the yeasties from becoming active again. For those wishing a bigger buzz over flavor, dump in the sugar,,,, or drink something made for that purpose!


----------



## PhilDarby (Apr 3, 2016)

an old post resurrected, you could use sorbate as well, which would limit its shelf life, personally I always go over 10% because of preservation issues, with almost everything I ferment.


----------

