Crab Apple Wine No Signs of Fermentation

[AcreageWine]

It may be to early yet but I am concerned that the Sg is to high.

I froze the apples, thawed, put in mesh bags and added boiling water. Regularly stirred and ensured it was softening and breaking down the apples. After a couple of days added water, sugar, yeast nutrient, campden, pectic, yeast. 2 days latter I removed and pressed the bags and apples. The Sg was really high, clearly I added to much sugar as it was at 1.135. I have added more boiled water and brought it down to 1.112.

It’s been 2 days since I brought down the Sg and no signs of fermentation. So my questions are;

1) Is the still Sg to high and is preventing fermentation from kicking off?

2) Did I potentially remove most of the yeast when removing the bags of apples and I should add more?

3) Do I just need to be patient?

Your help and experience is much appreciated. Cheers

 

[sour_grapes]

After a couple of days added water, sugar, yeast nutrient, campden, pectic, yeast. 2 days latter I removed and pressed the bags and apples.

How many campden tablets did you add? I would not have added sulfites at the same time as pitching yeast.

If it were mine, I would make a starter with, say, apple juice: Using Yeast Starters For Improved Fermentation

 

[VinesnBines]

I'd say the SG is still too high. I'm making Jalapeno wine and added raisins. My SG went from 1.082 to 1.160 when the raisins released sugar and of course no fermentation. I added water to get back to 1.080 and the yeast (EC - 1118) took off. Foaming like the ocean in a hurricane. Try reducing the SG more.

 

[AcreageWine]

I'd say the SG is still too high. I'm making Jalapeno wine and added raisins. My SG went from 1.082 to 1.160 when the raisins released sugar and of course no fermentation. I added water to get back to 1.080 and the yeast (EC - 1118) took off. Foaming like the ocean in a hurricane. Try reducing the SG more.

I have added more water and brought the Sg done to 1.095. It was more water than I thought it would be. Ill see what it looks like over the next couple of days.

 

[Renegade.Rich]

Could I ask about the yeast and the temperature? How do you start your yeast, what yeast? What temperatures are you working at?

 

[Renegade.Rich]

Also - crab apples - What is the pH or acidity do you think? How much water did you add?

Things that slow fermentation include:-

strong acidity
low temperature
dead yeast
high sulphites
lack of nutrition
very high or very low sugar

 

[AcreageWine]

The temperature has been between 18-22 deg c (64-72deg F). I havent checked the pH, I have been debating whether or not to get a meter. I think my issue was too high sugar. Combined with being a little cool in the room. I sprinkled a new pack of yeast on top and it has since taken off.

 

[hounddawg]

crab apple is what I use for my pear/apple wine, 20lb granny smith, 20 lb. red delicious, 40 lb. pear and 3 lb. sergeants yellow cab apple, that's 3 lb. to 80 lb. of my fruit, I bet that will be some good sipping wine your making,,,
Dawg

 

[AcreageWine]

I think it will be good and sweet. I racked today to secondary and it’s still very active. Great on the nose buts it’s early days.

Do you find the crabs add a lot of sweetness to your pear apple wine or. . .?

I haven’t heard of a pear/apple wine have you done this before, sounds great!

 

[hounddawg]

by far my favorite wine, and all those beggars around me, ,lol,, i use my sergeants for that tart finish, it's like drinking silk but without a watery finish, just a tiny pop at the end, and yes , i make it, i got 84 pounds of apple in my deep freeze, and am building up my pear supply, this year was dry, so it'll take me a while to get another 76 lbs.. , of pear, this batch will take 6 lbs of crabapple, i've never made straight crabapple, i've heard of it and jam as well, sergeants both yellow and i think green grow on bushes and are very very tart, i use mine to give my country wines a good finish, but every wine i make is sweet, they say i have a sweet tooth, sergeants are small knotty little crabapple,,,
Dawg

 

[hounddawg]

pear/apple,, banana/apple/golden raisin,, and pineapple all age 2 years, i got 3#--6's of banana that's at 10 months know, my other except for skeeter pee port i bulk 1 year, my skeeter pee port i bulk 4 to 6 months, when i'm done it has a ABV of around 25%, everything else is 16 to 18 ABV, i only keep EC-1118 AN K1V-1116, all my wines i use tons of fruit to hide my ABV's and all my wines have a FSG of 1.040 to 1,045
good to run across another sweet Tooth,
Skoal
Dawg

 

[G259]

Yeah, with all that sugar, it can't be teeth, it has to be TOOTH! I have to admit though, crab/pear sounds like a winner, and I might try it.

 

[hounddawg]

Yeah, with all that sugar, it can't be teeth, it has to be TOOTH! I have to admit though, crab/pear sounds like a winner, and I might try it.

you've not a clue how accurate you are, I'm 1/8 English & 1/4 Irish, the rest is Comanche , Cheyenne, and Cherokee, i had 1 loose tooth not a cavity in my head, they took all but 7,,, I pulled 5 well really 4&1/2 hehe broke the last off level , so i got 2&1/2 left, all the native American blood makes white cane sugar poison to me, my jaw bone has receded 3/8 inch, lol G259 don't say I'm faking again, I've come to respect you, you had the balls to make peace between us, and I respect you for that, you've earned it in my book,, but don't get the big head, I respect monkeys too, lol, I need one of these technical brains [USER=29562]@sour_grapes or @NorCal or many others to tell me how much you missed,, you said 1 but i got 2&12 is that a 62.12% missed on your part, lol,,, BTW drinking SKEETER PEE PORT,,,
Skoal
Dawg