# Fermentation Question



## bfonta000 (Jul 26, 2010)

I am making 5 gallons of Blueberry wine, and I have not seen any signs of fermentation and I pitched yeast almost 96 hours ago. I have nop bubbling action in the airlock, but when I punch the fruit down, I see mild foaming on top, and the foaming gets more when I stir. Is it fermenting?


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## countrygirl (Jul 26, 2010)

i think the more experienced crew will need what type of yeast you used and what was the temp. of the must was when you pitched the yeast, and what is the temp. currently...
from my own personal experience, i did not have a lot of "cap" on my blueberries. it was almost like the fermentation was taking place IN THE BERRIES...i had smooshed them to nothing and they would plump back up everyday!


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## djrockinsteve (Jul 26, 2010)

Don't go by visual signs alone. Use a hydrometer. Your must sounds like it's underway but what gravity did you start at, current temp., yeast used, these all effect the progress.

What is the gravity now and what was it at at start? If you have it under airlock in your primary it is or will be starving for oxygen.


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## bfonta000 (Jul 26, 2010)

Montrachet (5 g)


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## bfonta000 (Jul 26, 2010)

used a hydrometer and the reading was 1.100 at start


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## winemaker_3352 (Jul 26, 2010)

It sounds like it is fermenting - rather slow - but fermenting.

What is the SG now - check it - that will tell you 100% for sure if it is fermenting.

Also what is the temp which you are fermenting at - that will affect the fermentation as well.


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## bfonta000 (Jul 26, 2010)

well, I will check when i get home. The room temp is approx 70 degrees farenheit, what should it read with the hydrometer now?


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## winemaker_3352 (Jul 26, 2010)

Hopefully lower - if starting SG is 1.100 anything less than that would mean fermentation is going on. Different yeasts work at different speeds - i would think you might be around 1.065 - 1.075.

Ideally temp should be about 73-75.


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## bfonta000 (Jul 26, 2010)

ok, I will look when I get home...and move by bucket to a room with no AC


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## bfonta000 (Jul 26, 2010)

74 in the room where I am fermenting, and absolutely no change in the SG reading from when I started...I think it may be time to get another packet of yeast and prime this time as the last time I did not read and just pitched it dry


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## Wade E (Jul 26, 2010)

Can you hear anything like a sizzling in there, it would sound like an open soda can?


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## JasonH (Jul 26, 2010)

Instead of just pitching yeast in, I would recomned you make a yeast starter by rehydrating the yeast in water and adding a little bit of your must every few hours. This way, you can determine if the yeast are viable and it helps them become acclimated to the environment and hopefully lessen any strain on the culture.


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## bfonta000 (Jul 26, 2010)

ok, so I start with a couple ounces of water...what is it gonna do...then when I add a little of my must, what will that do?


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## JasonH (Jul 26, 2010)

When you dump the yeast in tap water, you can tell they are rehydrating. Leave them like that for a half hour and then add a little bit of must (half cup). Cover it with a paper towel and leave it alone for a few hours then add a little more must. After leaving this alone for a while longer you should start to see some action going on. You can continue to do this a few more times, or just dump the starter in after a few rounds of must. Personally, I make my starter up the day beforehand and add a small amount of must every 4 hours or so. I normally pitch the yeast at the same time the next day. Be sure to use a big container to start the yeast so it doesn't blow up all over your basement/laundry/beagle.


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## Larryh86GT (Jul 27, 2010)

bfonta000 said:


> ok, so I start with a couple ounces of water...what is it gonna do...then when I add a little of my must, what will that do?



I've had good luck with starting with 2 oz water, warming it in the microwave until lukewarm (not hot), adding the yeast, letting it sit 20-30 minutes, adding about 2 oz of must to it, letting it sit 30-40 minutes, then pour the yeast into the must, stirring and let it go to town.


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## winemaker_3352 (Jul 27, 2010)

I usually just do warm tap water - it gets to about 103 degrees. The yeast should be in 100 - 104 degrees.


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## countrygirl (Aug 14, 2010)

any updates bfonta?
wondering how that blueberry's going?


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## bfonta000 (Aug 16, 2010)

well, poured down the drain, took advice from many different people and still couldnt get yeast to take.


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## countrygirl (Aug 16, 2010)

ah, dang...u started anything new yet?


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## Julie (Aug 16, 2010)

bfonta000 said:


> well, poured down the drain, took advice from many different people and still couldnt get yeast to take.



you know, you shouldn't have done that, you never came back to say if you took a second reading, this could have been fermenting. As Tom says, actually he harps on this, Patience!


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## Wade E (Aug 16, 2010)

Wine flags across the world at 1/2 staff please!


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## bfonta000 (Aug 16, 2010)

i did take a reading, no change, if anything it went up and not down...oh well, I am just gonna wait till the fall and make a hard cider


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## countrygirl (Aug 16, 2010)

bfonta000 said:


> i did take a reading, no change, if anything it went up and not down...oh well, I am just gonna wait till the fall and make a hard cider


sounds delicious! i am planning a spiced apple wine. getting apples in the freezer and ready! be sure and let us know how this goes. i love cider


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## bfonta000 (Aug 16, 2010)

freezing apples first? I am gonna goto my local orchard and get fresh squeezes cider as my starting point


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## Wade E (Aug 16, 2010)

Make sure the fresh pressed you get is untreated.


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## kegmeister (Aug 16, 2010)

*natural source of pot. sorbate*

I havent made blueberry wine personally but I understand blueberries can contain natural amounts of potassium sorbate, which is used to stabilize (read kill yeast off in) wine. I am not sure what chemical you could use to remove or counter the natural sorbate in the berries. It sounds to me that this is exactly what your problem was however.


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## Wade E (Aug 16, 2010)

Actually its Benzoate not sorbate but same principle. There isnt really a chemical that can be added to negate this but making a strong yeast starter and feeding the yeast god with nutrient and energizer usually works well.


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## bfonta000 (Aug 17, 2010)

untreated how? I thought fresh pressed is watching them load apples in and watching them press the 5 gallons for me.


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