Fast primary fermentation?

[keebler71]

Hi all! I'm working on my third kit, a WE SE Argentine Malbec. The directions call for checking during day 5-7 for SG < 1.010 and if so to rack secondary, wait 10 days, check for SG < 0.996 and if so, begin stab&clear.

Day one the SG was 1.093 at the must was 22.5 C. I didn't take any measurements until day 6 where the SG was *already* 0.993 and the must was 27.5 C (I had a heat strap on the primary btw...). I tasted and it seemed completely dry already. I could just barely see and hear some bubbles popping on the surface. I racked to secondary but did not top off (as per the directions which say to leave some room for the stab and clear additions). Concerned that fermentation was going so quickly and might not be giving off enough CO2 to form an O2 barrier, I did fill the carboy with CO2 before racking.

It has now been 11 days total, I haven't taken another measurement yet but I see no bubbles forming at all although I can tell there is positive pressure in the carboy from the water bubble in the airlock being pushed.

So a couple questions:
1) is it normal to have a fermentation proceed this fast?
2) should I top-off the carboy now to prevent exposure to air (it is about halfway between the shoulder and the neck)?
3) is there any harm in continuing to wait before stabilizing and clearing which is still several days away (I am already well below the SG that that step is supposed to start at).

As always - thanks again for all the support!

 

[Rocky]

1. There is no "normal." You hydrometer will tell you what YOUR wine is doing.
2. Always a good idea to top off to reduce exposure to oxygen.
3. Count on your hydrometer, not the "schedule" shown in the directions.

You are doing fine. When you see three days of constant SG, stabilize and clear.

 

[cpfan]

So a couple questions:
1) is it normal to have a fermentation proceed this fast?
2) should I top-off the carboy now to prevent exposure to air (it is about halfway between the shoulder and the neck)?
3) is there any harm in continuing to wait before stabilizing and clearing which is still several days away (I am already well below the SG that that step is supposed to start at).

As always - thanks again for all the support!

1) Normal - I usually ferment about 24C, and the kits usually get down to .992 to .995 in 7 days. .992 is usual for Winexpert and Vineco kits (in my experience anyway).

2) I wouldn't. Others probably would. No "perfect" answer to this q.

3) I normally would wait the number of days (and the sg). Timing of the next step would depend on my schedule, if I was certian (as you are) that the ferment is complete. Most of the time I wait longer than the instructions suggest.

Steve

 

[keebler71]

Thanks everyone. So I took another hydrometer reading and it was 0.990 and the wine was at 85.6 F (I didn't bother correcting for temperature). Interestingly, I should point out that I still had a heating band on the carboy and that measurement was of the top surface of the wine since I use an infrared thermometer and can't measure inside the liquid. The outside of the carboy above the heating band was 85.0 F and below the heating band was 73.3 F. I proceeded to do the stab & clear step (using a power drill to stir) and when all mixed up, the wine temp was 74.5 F.

I of course tasted the wine after the measurement and before the stabilizing and clearing additions and was surprised I couldn't taste any dissolved gas like every other tasting I've ever done. Of course, when I stirred it with the power drill attachment lots of gas was visibly driven out - but I couldn't taste any...

I topped off, cleaned and re-filled the airlock and bung and put her back on the shelf. I left the heating band on to help with degassing. When should I take off the heating band?

Which reminds me,... my bungs never seem to stay in the carboy flush. I use the kind that aren't solid but rather look like little 'buckets' and have a lip around the top. I press them down all the way and they sort of slide up within a minute or so... is this a common and/or anything to worry about?

Thanks again everyone!

 

[Rocky]

Good job, sounds like you are well on your way to a great wine.

Regarding the stoppers, be sure that the stopper and the inside of the neck of the carboy are dry and you should not have a problem with the stopper slipping upward. I have some of the stoppers that you describe and I have found success in inserting the stopper first and then inserting the airlock into the stopper. It is important that the stopper is on the carboy tightly.

 

[wvbrewer]

I also have that type of bung and place it in the the carboy first then the airlock. I have not had any problems with slippage. It sound lik your wine will turn out, let us know it matures.