Confused and baffled!

[behling]

okay I have been making wine for almost 3 years. I first started with a mash, then wanted to do something less tedious and moved to a concentrate. I have had luck with both.
Last fall we moved into a different home and with the winter being colder I don't know what the heck is happening with my wine.
The first one, had mold that grew on top and I threw the batch out. Disinfected everything twice and started over.
I did have an issue stabilizing 70 degrees. I hate winter!
I used a concentrate with picture provided. I also used lalvin k-1V 1116. I did not rack again. This was started back on 11/19. With specific gravity at 1.680 and it's slowly decreased to 1.100. I checked it today and it is still stuck there. The stopper is still releasing air. I tasted it and it seems fine. Is this batch bad or can I save it? This is my elderberry.
I have another carboy with the same story. Started on 12/17 at spgr 1.680 and on 3/23 it read 1.22 and now today it reads 1.20 I did not rack a second time yet, it still has air escaping and smells strongly of bluerberries and is sweet.

I have used these concentrates before with success. So I am not sure if temperature or water might be affecting how the wine finishes.

Help please as I am at a loss of what to try.

 

[salcoco]

are you sure about the specific gravity reading?I am surprised anything would start with one that high. do you really mean 1.068. at any rate it seemed that your fermentation has stopped. can you verify your specific gravity/ did you use any yeast nutrient in the concentrate? did you mix water with the concentrate to the proper level of specific gravity. nominal value would be 1.092 that would yield a 12% abv.

 

[tjgaul]

Ditto salcoco on the SG levels. 1.068 to start and stuck at 1.010 or 1.020 would be more reasonable.

What temperature were you able to maintain?

If the must/wine is chilly, but still putting off CO2 then simply warming it up a bit may get the fermentation re-started.

 

[behling]

Sorry about the 0 missing. It was an error on my part. I did add water to the concentrate directions. The only thing I added was the yeast. I haven't added anything else.
I did have a heater wrap however the darn dogs chewed the corner and it stopped working.

 

[behling]

Currently the temp in both carboys is at 71.4 and 71.2
However, I think it just reached that temp because it has been significantly warmer outside by finally hitting the 70's.

 

[DoctorCAD]

Its not the temperature.

Give us your entire proceedure and ingrediant list. We'll figure it out.

 

[Donatelo]

I just bottled a white cranberry/ apricot that seemed like it was never going to stop making the SO2. I would stir it and tiny bubbles kept rising. I kept it under an airlock and it did finally finish into a very nice wine. All I can think of is, I didn't add any nutrient or yeast energizer at the start. I'm certain that these guys can figure it out, but I'm just a newbie at this.

 

[meadmaker1]

Water chemistry could be part of it.
Differant friut base could be part of it.
Yeast neutreant/energizer? If you aren't useing it read up. Jack keller .com has a pretty good yeast starter/neutreant article

 

[salcoco]

correcting the sg then you started at 1.068 and now are at 1.01 and 1.022 respectively. you have a stuck fermentation. the wine should be sweet. if you enjoy there taste then rack let them clear and bottle. if you wish to continue than buy some EC1118 yeast 5 gram pack and go-ferm a yeast energizer. take about 100ml of water to 110 degrees. add 7 grams of go-ferm stir well. when water cools to 106 degrees add yeast stir, let sit for about 15-20 minutes. there should be yeast activity. Place water and yeast into a larger jar and add one cup of you stuck wine. once fermentation starts in about four hours or so add two cups, watch for fermentation then add four cups continue with this protocol doubling the amount of wine each time until all is fermenting again. monitor fermentation and once it reaches .998 or less it is finished.