Country Wine Slow Fermentation and Lack of Flavor

[Oyarsa]

I started a second attempt at a tamarind wine. I use 20 oz. of tamarind pods, shelled, simmered for about 30 minutes, removed pulp from seeds, added 4 lbs sugar and water to reach 2 gallons (SG 1.076). I added pectic enzyme and campden tablets and left the mixture for 24 hours covered with a cheese cloth. I added yeast nutrient and pitched Lalvin EC-1118 yeast, but made some mistakes in the rehydration and it didn't look very alive to me.

After 36 hours without signs of fermentation, I pitched another packet. This time I was more careful, but the yeast still looked anemic.

That was Tuesday night. By Wednesday afternoon, a spot of yeast was growing on the surface, but no bubbling or other signs of fermentation. Left for a few days and returned last night. The area has grown to cover most of the top. Still reading about 1.076, but all the pulp is at the bottom with sugar water on top , so maybe it would be lower if mixed up. After resealing the lid, it is bubbling today, but slowly.

The taste was a slightly acidic sugar water taste. No tamarind flavor to speak of.

Can I speed up fermentation by adding more nutrient? Temperature is about 70 (ambient). Should I stir it or leave the yeast layer undisturbed? What would you do at this step?

 

[StevenD55]

Stirring with a sanitized utensil may help. Sounds like you might need to check for high acidity if yeast is struggling though.

 

[Oyarsa]

I will give that a try. The acidity is high, but unfortunately I don't have (nor can I afford right now) anything to accurately measure the pH. Just litmus paper. I could add something (calcium carbonate...do I remember correctly?) to raise the pH, but it would be a shot in the dark as to how much.

 

[StevenD55]

If it has started fermenting, hopefully it will gain some momentum soon. Sometimes they just start out a little slow.

 

[Arne]

How warm is the must? Lot of slow ferments this time of year and a lot of it has to do with the must is not warm enough. Should probably be in the low to mid 70's. Your lack of flavor is probably due to not enough fruit. If you start out way weak on flavor it will most likely end up the same way. You still have plenty of time to add more flavor to it. Good luck with it, Arne.

 

[Oyarsa]

The temperature is at 70 ambient. I may check the actual temperature tomorrow, stir, and retaste.

How would you suggest adding flavor? Simply add more fruit now?

I'm contemplating racking into two 1 gallon glass jugs for a secondary. Maybe add another 10 oz. of pods at that point, then rack them back in a few weeks to my bucket for bottling?

 

[StevenD55]

The temperature is at 70 ambient. I may check the actual temperature tomorrow, stir, and retaste.

How would you suggest adding flavor? Simply add more fruit now?

I'm contemplating racking into two 1 gallon glass jugs for a secondary. Maybe add another 10 oz. of pods at that point, then rack them back in a few weeks to my bucket for bottling?

I wouldn’t add anything to it for flavor or backsweetening until about ready to bottle. And even then just slowly add adjustments after dosing with potassium sorbate. Add a fraction of what you want to use for flavor or sweetener at a time, let it sit for a week, test and add more if desired. It seems to take time for flavors to be assimilated, react and/or stabilize. So it’s easy to add too much thinking that it wasn’t enough when taste testing.

 

[Stressbaby]

Once alcoholic fermentation is done, you can add flavor with a "secondary infusion." Tamarind might be good for that actually. Just put the pods in the wine and monitor frequently. If there is much sugar, add sorbate and KMS first. Rack off when the desired level of flavor intensity is reached. The secondary infusion may actually be more "true" to the original flavor.

 

[Oyarsa]

Sounds like a plan. Thanks for the suggestions!