# Wine smells like vinegar



## djzmade (Jul 17, 2018)

Is this normal?... I had some i made last year that smell like vinegar when i go to drink. N then i go to open my wine that i hav fermenting n those smell a lil like vinegar too. Why is that?


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## GreenEnvy22 (Jul 17, 2018)

It might be that you had some fruit flies get into your wine at some point. They carry a bacteria that turns yeast into vinegar.


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## djzmade (Jul 17, 2018)

GreenEnvy22 said:


> It might be that you had some fruit flies get into your wine at some point. They carry a bacteria that turns yeast into vinegar.



Maybe. All the fruit came from my backyard. But i put them camden pills in the wine to kill the bacteria... Wouldnt that take care of it?... But is it still safe to drink?


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## NorCal (Jul 17, 2018)

I would say that oxygen exposure is your enemy. It will aallow your alcohol to be converted into acetic acid, the predominate acid in vinegar.


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## djzmade (Jul 17, 2018)

NorCal said:


> I would say that oxygen exposure is your enemy. It will aallow your alcohol to be converted into acetic acid, the predominate acid in vinegar.


Ok. So i gotta find where n how im getting too much oxygen in it. But is it still safe to drink?


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## meadmaker1 (Jul 17, 2018)

How does taste. Do you want to drink it. 
It may not be what you were hoping for but many of us make vinager on purpose. ( but not near our wine )
So i would expect that it is safe to consume.


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## sour_grapes (Jul 18, 2018)

djzmade said:


> Ok. So i gotta find where n how im getting too much oxygen in it. But is it still safe to drink?



In another thread, you implied that you ferment in buckets for up to 4 months. If that is the case, you would get a lot of air exposure from that process. To minimize air exposure, you could/should rack your wine to a glass carboy; when topped off, these expose very little area to the air.


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## NorCal (Jul 18, 2018)

Leaving wine exposed for 4 months would be a recipe to invite acetic acid. I am starting to panic after 48 hours after fermentation is complete without being racked and under airlock.


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## Scooter68 (Jul 18, 2018)

Ah YUP ! Buckets don't provide a good seal. That's why so many people who airlock their buckets during primary part of fermentation complain about not seeing any bubbling or only seeing very little.

Anyone open a plastic bucket of paint that's been previously partly used? How often do you have to skim off that dried paint on the surface - because plastic bucket lids, even in prime condition, don't seal all that well.

Primary in a bucket then finish in a carboy - ALWAYS. If it ferments all the way dry rapidly in a bucket that's one thing but those last stages of fermentation provide less and less of a protective gas blanket so get it to a carboy.


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## balatonwine (Jul 18, 2018)

Sure it is safe to drink. You can indeed drink vinegar, but it may be unpleasant.

Rather, I would suggest, if you detect vinegar, use it as a cooking "wine". Still great then for sauces, chili, soups, etc. Splash a bit into everything you cook. You may find what great food that can create, and you may actually find you don't have "enough".


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## John Pichnic (Apr 13, 2019)

I needed something to drink.  so I racked my blueberry today, sulfited and sorbated and gave it a little stir - it gassed up but it has not been degassed. There's a slight vinegar smell. It tastes really great, not to tart, full bodied, strong . It was started 1-18-19 via Vinter's Best + sugar to 1.09, nutients, RC212, pectinase. racked to secondary 1-28-19 with additional 4 cu sugar (1.06). 2-5-19 I added F-pac 1 lb fresh blueberries + 4 cup sugar.

It's in a 5 gal carboy.......would de-gassing eliminate the vinegar or oxidize it more?

It did not smell to vinegar before racking & sulfiting.

ETA: E.C. Krause said that sulfiting and racking wine can cause a lot of off-smells to come out . So I guess I'll wait and bottle it tomorrow.


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