Apricot wine -all went quiet after 1st racking

[lanzafame]

hello, i'm new here.

Apricot wine was very happily fermenting and after 2 weeks I siphoned it through muslin into another demi john.

ever since, the fermentation has stopped.

I was wondering why, and if it's possible to start it up again?
any help would be greatly appreciated, as i really don't want it to go to waste.

thanks.

Tom

 

[deboard]

Sounds like it's done fermenting, doesn't mean it's gone bad though. Have you checked the SG (specific gravity)? If it's below 1.000 it's fermented dry. If not, it might be a stuck fermentation.

 

[Runningwolf]

Did you check your sg when you racked? I would check it again 10 days from when you racked if you did if you did check it. You will not always see the action during the secondary even though it's happening. If you didn't check it when you racked, check it now and again in a week and see if the sg is the same or is still going down.

 

[lanzafame]

hi thanks for you responses,

i have just tested the Sg - it was 1.030

i tasted the wine - it is already fairly boozy but extremely sweet still.

based on these facts, what's the best thing to do now, assuming it's a stuck fermentation?

many thanks

Tom

 

[lanzafame]

UPDATE:

while i was performing the SG test, i put a piece of kitchen film over the demijon to keep air out... and noticed that it started to balloon a little, so does this mean that fermentation is in fact still happening but very slowly? but perhaps enough to let it be?

 

[Arne]

Sounds like it is still fermenting. Leave it alone, check the s.g. in a week or so. Make sure it is warm, 70 to 75 degrees. If you have some, you can put a little yeast energizer in and maybe just a bit of nutrient. Give it a stir every day or so. Bet it will finish out, but will probably need some time. Arne.

 

[lanzafame]

Arne, i'll follow your advice and let you know how it turns out.

thanks.

 

[saramc]

Out of curiousity, what was the starting S.G. and what yeast did you use?

It is quite common for wines to take up to 30 days, and even longer, to ferment to dry or for all activity to cease as evidenced by no change in S.G. Once I rack to secondary and airlock it (which I always do this after the S.G. has dropped by 2/3) I do not open that airlock again for a month--the less contact with oxygen the better. There of course may be times you have to open that airlock, especially if you are working on a troublesome ferment.
Many times the gas development is so slow you don't see action in the airlock, but you may have gas escaping around the bung, so you want to make sure that has sealed and making sure the bung is wet (i.e. k-meta solution, food grade lubricant, glycerin) when you insert it into the carboy opening helps to ensure the seal.

 

[lanzafame]

p.s i do have nutrient; how much per gallon should I add?
thanks again!

 

[lanzafame]

saramac,
unfortunately, as this is my first outing into wine making, i failed to take a SG reading before ferment. (i wasn't aware at the time that one should)
the yeast was 'white wine yeast' which came with a Young's Brewing Kit.
Thanks for your advice regarding bungs - i hadn't considered that.

Tom

 

[lanzafame]

The SG is still at 1.030.
there is no activity, but the wine (although very sweet) does not taste bad.

i'd like to get it fermenting again as i'm sure there is too much sugar.

how should i go about doing this- i've heard you can/should use 'killer yeast'?

thanks

 

[bob1]

how much sugar did you add and what yeast did you use?

 

[fivebk]

You may have had a very high starting SG and the yeast may have done all it can do. See if you can find out what the alc tolerance is of the yeast you used. You may be able to add another strain of yeast with a higher tolerance and get it to start fermenting again.

Good Luck

BOB