Fermentation not starting.

[jpcart]

I have about 22 gallons of sauv blanc that I processed on Wednesday of last week, adding 50ppm SO2 at the crusher. Cold settled overnight at 50F, then racked on Thursday night. Prepared Cellar Science yeast with Go Ferm and pitched Thursday night. Still nothing! Seemingly no activity 3.5 days later.

I added some must to the rehydrating yeast but not a ton. The must was likely around 58F when I pitched. So possible there was cold shock but I’ve never had this happen before. I’m now warming the must into the 60s but still nothing.

How long should I wait before pitching new yeast? Other suggestions? Thanks.

 

[Snafflebit]

Maybe your pH is very low, combined with the cold juice. You say that you racked the juice. What settled out of the juice that required racking? And I assume when you rehydrated the yeast, it was obviously alive and growing before you added it to the juice?

Definitely adding more yeast sooner than later is the right step, and perhaps retrace all the steps to make sure that you did not over sulfite

 

[jpcart]

Thanks. My ph is low, 3.1, so perhaps a factor. Just gave it another shot taking more care to slow incorporate must.

The racking was just following an initial overnight cold soak to let things fall out.

 

[Paulie vino]

Id pitch it again. If there is a small colony of yeast present in the wine it will only help. If there's no yeast present, then it will definitely help

 

[Ohio Bob]

The only way to be sure is to get out the hydrometer and measure the SG. I’ve had white wines that looked inactive but were happily fermenting.

 

[winechef]

3. 1 isn't really that low, if under 2. 9 that might cause inactivity.

is your yeast old or exposed to air or heat prior to making s starter?

I'd make a new starter, keep temperature around 60. add yeast nutrition, and stir it, give some oxygen to help Kickstart. it.

sometimes a slow start is ok. could be fermenting just not at a rapid pace, if I do closed fermentation, and keep very cool, sometimes takes 1 month to ferment.

patience is a virtue with wine making

 

[winemaker81]

Definitely re-pitch. Make an overnight starter to ensure your yeast is viable AND so that you have a larger initial colony. The method I use is documented here:

https://wine.bkfazekas.com/how-to-make-a-yeast-starter/

 

[jpcart]

Thanks all! I repitched, being more patient to let it acclimate. Also got the must up to 64. This morning it finally got going, whew.

 

[wineview]

Keep the temperature up until it really gets going.

 

[Ohio Bob]

Thanks all! I repitched, being more patient to let it acclimate. Also got the must up to 64. This morning it finally got going, whew.

You haven’t mentioned what your SG has been. It’s customary to add Fermaid O at 1/3 sugar depletion, so I’m estimating that might be when SG is 1.060.