Fermentation started in the pail

[sroesch]

I picked up my juice today, Merlot, and some grapes to blend. When I opened the juice it was very obvious the fermentation had already started. The SG was 1.080. I added 1/4 teaspoon of Potassium Metabisulphte per 6 gallons in hopes of stopping the wild yeast fermentation before I added my yeast. The temperature of the juice was 51 degrees. My plan is to wait 24 hours before I add my yeast. Does this sound like a good plan? About 2 hours I am still getting bubbles in the airlock. This is my first time using juice instead of a kit so I am a little concerned. Thanks for any help.

 

[Julie]

What do you mean by "very obvious"? And how do you know it was wild yeast? There are some companies that inoculate the juice buckets with yeast, you really cannot stop a fermentation once it has started, the best you can do is add what yeast you want and hope that it takes over. And normally juice buckets have an starting gravity of 1.090

 

[sroesch]

When I opened the juice I saw what I describe as "fizzing". I put an airlock on the fermenting bucket and I am seeing a bubble every 2-3 seconds.