# Primary fermentation length



## budershank (Aug 5, 2010)

Hello, I recently started my first ever batch of wine. It is a mango wine and i somewhat followed some recipes I found online.

It's now day 13 since I put everything into the primary and added the yeast and my airlock is still spitting out bubbles about every 6-8seconds. Every recipe i read said 'primary fermentation should stop by day 10'. Am I suppose to just let it keep going at ituntil it's down to about 1 bubble a minute?

I stir daily since must is not in a bag. I measured the SG before adding yeast and it was at 1085. I haven't measured since then because from what I read on these forums that is would be very inaccurate and basically useless.


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## Julie (Aug 5, 2010)

It should be fine, 10 day is just a guide not a rule. Take a reading to see where you are at. Do you have this in a carboy?


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## arcticsid (Aug 5, 2010)

Bud, ou have been told wrong.!!!!

Put the hydrometer in there right now and take a reading. Report back with the currnt SG and current temperature.

We'll go from there.


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## rodo (Aug 5, 2010)

First greetings and welcome to the forum.



> I measured the SG before adding yeast and it was at 1085. I haven't measured since then because from what I read on these forums that is would be very inaccurate and basically useless.


 
Untrue, when SG reaches aproximatley 1.005 you should rack to a secondary fermentation vessel (carboy).


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## arcticsid (Aug 5, 2010)

Rod, at this point the current SG is unknown, we need to know where it stands today to get an accurate assessment. The starting SG was at 1.085. even after ten days, still bubbling, it is IMPOSSIBLE to tell where it is whithout an accurate reading from the Hmeter.

It could be very well still fermenting based on temperature, etc. Bud already said it was still bubbling pretty good.

Bud, I am sure NOONE in this forum told you it wa an inaccurate way to measure you ferment progress.

Actually, the opposite, alot of the senior mebers are reluctant to even answer a question if you are making wine without the use of a hydrometer. It is the ONLY!!! way to track this progress, the only way!


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## budershank (Aug 5, 2010)

Thanks for the quick responses!

Current SG is at 1035. Temp is 77.9F

My primary is a 5 gallon food grade bucket with a lid and airlock. As I mentioned, I do stir it once(sometimes twice actually) a day.

Not sure where i got the don't take SG readings during primary fermentation. I guess that's what I get for doing the bulk of my research in between having to work :X


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## arcticsid (Aug 5, 2010)

Looking good then Bud, maybe another day or so, and you may be ready to send it to the secondary.

Take a second to post your recipe.

Lets see what you have going.

I just bought enough of the DOLE 100% juice, Mango/Pinepple that is waiting on deck. It was the very first wine I ever made and was actually pretty darn good.

Be sure to stay in touch with the forum, we will help you turn that into a fine wine you can be quite proud of.


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## rodo (Aug 5, 2010)

Is this a kit, juice or fruit?


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## budershank (Aug 5, 2010)

It was from fruit. I took detailed notes of everything we did, but I took them to work to show a guy who use to brew beer and left it there. Here is the basic recipe

16lbs of Mango(Edward, Glenn and Tommy Atkins cultivar)
2lbs of grapes(red, can't remember cultivar)
10lbs of cane sugar
Pectic Enzyme
However much Acid Blend to get it up to about 4ppt. Was super low starting out.
Manchuret yeast


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## arcticsid (Aug 5, 2010)

That all sounds about right. Still like to see all yournotes.

Seems like an awful lot of sugar, but the hydromter doesnt lie.

Did you freeze your fruit first? This really helps break down the cells and makes it easier to ferment. I like to smash it up with a potatoe masher after it comes out of the freezer. Allow it to thaw, pour some boiling water over it, smash it, and then put into a ferment bag. Either a paint straining bag or a pair of nylons. Be sure to buy nylons that match you eye color. Not sure why, but it works better that way!! LOL, yeah right!

Be sure,, no matter what, you continue to push that "cap" down at least once a day. You are stirring it, same thing, you dont want that fruit to float to the top and get dry, or worse yet to introduce baterias.

Sounds like you have it going just fine Bud, let it do its thing.

Sure would like to see what else you have added. We want this to turn out great for you.


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## budershank (Aug 5, 2010)

I'll try to post my notes from work tomorrow. Was this much else I should of added? Pretty sure that was about it!

I felt like 10lbs of sugar was too much, so i actually mixed 5lbs in with a gallon or two of boiling water. Added that to the fruit and filled up to 5g and took an SG reading that was low, so just shrugged my shoulders and figured whoever wrote the recipe wasn't lying. Added the rest and Sg came out pretty good.

I did not freeze the fruit first, but wish i had as I hear that helps break it down(didn't know that until after). Also, no nylon or anything, so I have to stay on top of not letting the fruit dry out/grow bacteria and it's going to be a little extra work when going to the secondary.


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## arcticsid (Aug 5, 2010)

Definitely keep on pushing down the cap.

Some pectic enzyme would have been good, but dont worry aout that now.

IT WILL NOT ork during an active ferment, you can add it later if you decide. It just helps it break down more.

It really would have been better to add it before the yeast, but the only thing that matters now, is that you have a good solid primary ferment, we will work out all the other stuff later.

So far it sounds like you are doing all the right things.

We know you are, so tell us, what are you thinking a bout next?


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## Julie (Aug 5, 2010)

arcticsid said:


> .....IT WILL NOT ork during an active ferment, /QUOTE]
> 
> You will not ork?????? Ok I already admitted to drinking a bottle how many have you had?


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## arcticsid (Aug 5, 2010)

LMFAO!

I am ORK-ing on the first half of a bottle of fime whiskY!!!!!

CC Club, 12 yo.

I meant Pectinc Enzyme will not work during an active ferment. It is, and should be added before the yeast is introduced and allowed to stay in the must for no les than 12 hours.

But, I too, coincidence, was making a mango wine. From concentrate, but a puply juice. PE will knock it down pretty amazingly.

I will see if I can locate my pics.

Anyhow, once, I thought I was sure I had PE at home, so after I got a ride to the LHBS, I got everything I need execpt PE. So I made it anyway, and it fermenting just fine. When I transfered it to the secondary, I THEN adden the Pecten E. 

By golly, by the next morning it knocked down the majority of all that cloudiness.
So in conclusion.

Pectin E really needs to be added before pitching the yeast.

I don't know what the effectiveness would be after adding after ferment is complete, I can only tell you, I added it when I transfered that batch a 1.010, the next day, it broke down what was inthere.


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## budershank (Aug 5, 2010)

Ah, i added pectic enzyme after the yeast. Doh.

Not sure what you mean by what's next. As far as this batch goes, will simply strain out the must, transfer to secondary and wait for some clearing and rack it.

I will be starting another batch soon, most likely from cherries since those are on sale at the moment.


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## arcticsid (Aug 5, 2010)

Thats what I meant, YUM. Can you get a pretty good deal on them? Buy a zillon, you want to freeze hem anyway. We had some cherries on sale here for like $4.oo pound a few weeks ago.

I seen there around 2.50 n0w, still pretty spendy for wine.

I wll never forget the cherry tre in the yard hen I was a kid, plus all the othe r fruit trees.


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## budershank (Aug 6, 2010)

Not the best deal, 1.99 was cheapest last week. I have 10lbs in the freezer so just need to fill that out a bit more. This is sort of a hobby my mom and I our sharing, and she really wanted to make wine out of cherries.

In the future I am hoping to make wine mostly from what my friends and I personally are growing. That should cut costs tremendously. I'm not sure if I will ever grow enough of my own cherries to do wine, however. Here in FL we don't have quite the cherry selection of you northern folk!


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## UglyBhamGuy (Aug 6, 2010)

i think that what he remembered was that taking an INITIAL SG after the yeast has been added (fermentation has started) is worthless.


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## budershank (Aug 7, 2010)

Just took another SG, at 1025.


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## Woodbee (Aug 7, 2010)

A big Howdy from Eastern Kansas. Looks like it is time to get that batch into a carboy and off of the fruit. Best of luck.
Brad


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