1st Batch.... Should I top off Secondary?

[hounddawg]

 

[Riledup5]

OK.... another situation. Man, I thought I got this process right after the couple of mistakes I made on my first batch. I started a WE Pinot Noir on Monday (1/18). Everything has been going great! Last night my son came over and wanted to see my setup. Everything seemed great. This morning.... everything seemed great. This afternoon I went to check on things and when I opened the door to the room I smelled sulpher. SG went from 1.076 Monday to 1.034 today. Temp was at 78. Too high? Should I leave it? Should I add some KMet? Copper? Help me!

 

[hounddawg]

i aint never done a kit nor grape wine , but it sounds like it is degassing
Dawg

 

[Riledup5]

i aint never done a kit nor grape wine , but it sounds like it is degassing
Dawg

Thanks Dawg, knew I could count on you but being a noob, what does that mean? And should I just leave it?

 

[hounddawg]

yes let it degas, when your SG gets to 1,000 or lower rack and airlock, it takes time to degas, or a vacuum pump when racking will pull your gasses out, but so will time,
Dawg

 

[hounddawg]

oh, NO COPPER when you rack put 1/4 tsp of k-meta(potassium metabisulfite _) per 6 gallons to avoid oxidation, add the 1/4 tsp at every rack and at bottling time
Dawg

 

[Riledup5]

oh, NO COPPER when you rack put 1/4 tsp of k-meta(potassium metabisulfite _) per 6 gallons to avoid oxidation, add the 1/4 tsp at every rack and at bottling time
Dawg

Thank you.. Much appreciated

 

[sour_grapes]

When you say that you smell sulfur, do you mean like a burnt match, or like rotten egg/dog fart? I assume the latter (H2S, AKA hydrogen sulfide).

I would recommend aerating this a bit to help the H2S dissipate. Stir it up good, or whip it if you have such a device. Or "splash rack" it once or twice.

 

[bstnh1]

i aint never done a kit nor grape wine , but it sounds like it is degassing
Dawg

Really? You think its degassing after just 3 days .....and with the SG still above 1.000?

 

[Riledup5]

When you say that you smell sulfur, do you mean like a burnt match, or like rotten egg/dog fart? I assume the latter (H2S, AKA hydrogen sulfide).

I would recommend aerating this a bit to help the H2S dissipate. Stir it up good, or whip it if you have such a device. Or "splash rack" it once or twice.

Thanks..... I gave it a good stir. If that does the trick, how long before it might dissapate?

 

[Riledup5]

Really? You think its degassing after just 3 days .....and with the SG still above 1.000?

I wish I knew the chemistry behind what you guys are talking about. I was a chemistry major and biology minor, but that was 25 years ago. I forgot more than I knew

 

[Riledup5]

Thanks..... I gave it a good stir. If that does the trick, how long before it might dissapate?

And it is more like rotten eggs

 

[hounddawg]

Really? You think its degassing after just 3 days .....and with the SG still above 1.000?

what do you say to someone that's so excited and having fun the first things he will learn hum?
as all on here know, i am non technical, and enjoy myself, you think i should of been more up tight, he's learning, once he gets a handle on it he'll ask others, and be merrily on his way to a very enjoyable hobby, and i did mention degassing vacuum or as he pleases, you kinda sound like i rub you the wrong way, if so i apologize to you, but i suit myself and enjoy myself, and he'll learn to suit his self, and enjoy the craft his way, is not the point, i pointed out a
couple things, he'll get his confidence, and since i go mainly old school. except for modern tools to make life easier,, I'll apologize if I've offended you, But Don't Hold Your Breath expecting me to apologize to you or anyone for the way i look at life,
Skoal
Dawg

 

[hounddawg]

I wish I knew the chemistry behind what you guys are talking about. I was a chemistry major and biology minor, but that was 25 years ago. I forgot more than I knew

throw them big labels out there, i guess it covers your intoxication ,,,
life's short, enjoy it,
Skoal
Dawg

 

[hounddawg]

yes let it degas, when your SG gets to 1,000 or lower rack and airlock, it takes time to degas, or a vacuum pump when racking will pull your gasses out, but so will time,
Dawg

yep i agree with myself, @Riledup5 , let time degas, when at a SG of 1.000 or (lower) rack, add K-meta 1/4 tsp per 6 gal at each racking, and at bottling time, I'll just half to bone up on some big labels too (as well) whelp guess i'd better get back out i'm purty , busy changeing the spark plugs on my diesel powerplant, and need to put antifreeze in my VW beetle, then oil my sky hook, and find where i left my stud stretcher, hi-ho hi-ho off to wurk i goesie
Dawg

 

[Venatorscribe]

When you say that you smell sulfur, do you mean like a burnt match, or like rotten egg/dog fart? I assume the latter (H2S, AKA hydrogen sulfide).

I would recommend aerating this a bit to help the H2S dissipate. Stir it up good, or whip it if you have such a device. Or "splash rack" it once or twice.

Absolutely agree with this. It will recover/solve most of your immediate issues. Hang fire on the Cu at this stage. That is only a technique to be employed down the track if nothing else works. But remember time will probably solve most issues.

 

[hounddawg]

I wish I knew the chemistry behind what you guys are talking about. I was a chemistry major and biology minor, but that was 25 years ago. I forgot more than I knew

the chemistry books cause most classmate to become bubbas boy toys, the year all chemistry books were new and did not have the info,,,,
Dawg

 

[Rice_Guy]

This thread was busy
As a general statement, * the higher the temperature the greater the risk of stressing the yeast and producing sulphur odor, * if we know we are going to run hot we frequently can avoid stress by adding extra yeast nutrient as Fermaid (O / K), * some yeast are more resistant some less (look at the instructions on Montrachet). * the temperature in an active carboy seems to be about two degrees warmer than the ambient air

This morning.... everything seemed great. This afternoon I went to check on things and when I opened the door to the room I smelled sulpher. SG went from 1.076 Monday to 1.034 today. Temp was at 78. Too high?

My one experience with sulphuric smell was using Montrachet in Chilean Sarah on a temperature series, it was slight in 75F and more pronounced above. The good news is it went away without any intervention.
As a general statement copper is to be avoided since it is hard to control. There are some measured in ppm liquid Cu drops that are safer, the only vinters club folks I know who have tried Cu fermented a very nasty tasting grape buy and were looking for anything to fix it. The wine stayed , , , UMM interesting after treatment, however it was a good learning experience for the whole club!

As a general statement if the wine is 1.005 or higher there is quite a bit of sugar left and would be called a “stuck fermentation“. The alcohol yield is reduced and the risk of infection/ refermentation/ bottle bombs will increase. When done intentionally wine folks add potassium sorbate or cider folks pasteurize or use grosch bottles.

 

[bstnh1]

what do you say to someone that's so excited and having fun the first things he will learn hum?
as all on here know, i am non technical, and enjoy myself, you think i should of been more up tight, he's learning, once he gets a handle on it he'll ask others, and be merrily on his way to a very enjoyable hobby, and i did mention degassing vacuum or as he pleases, you kinda sound like i rub you the wrong way, if so i apologize to you, but i suit myself and enjoy myself, and he'll learn to suit his self, and enjoy the craft his way, is not the point, i pointed out a
couple things, he'll get his confidence, and since i go mainly old school. except for modern tools to make life easier,, I'll apologize if I've offended you, But Don't Hold Your Breath expecting me to apologize to you or anyone for the way i look at life,
Skoal
Dawg

No, you didn't offend me, Dawg. Actually, I learn a lot from reading your posts. It's just that I really don't think the wine is self-degassing only 3 days after he started it. It's giving off gas, as all fermentations do, but I wouldn't refer to it as degassing.

 

[Riledup5]

Thank you everyone. I love that there are so many techniques, methods and opinions on how to do things. It shows me that there is no "right way". Maybe it is an art? Anyway.... I will just give it some time. I turned down the temp, gave it a good stir and continue to do so daily and see what transpires. @hounddawg I enjoy and learn from your posts. Much appreciated. Thanks to you and everyone else for the input.