I started a fruit mix of strawberry, pineapple, banana, and mango....crazy i know. Well the Gravity went from 1.090 at start to 1.000 in just 3 days. Once I realized the gravity was so low so fast I racked it into carboy under an airlock now its foaming like crazy. So my question is did I mess it up letting it get so low before racking and whats up with this foaming. Any help would be awesome
Foamy beginning
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First off welcome to the forum. If your wine is going to over flow you could split it up into two containers under airlock for a day or two. It sounds like a lot of C02 which is ok.
Oh yeah I am new here thanks. I am also pretty new to making wine. I started with some kits, I actually did like 3 wine expert kits, and I also am trying one of the vintners harvest recipes with the fruit concentrate (cherry). This fruit mix is my first free style or non kit. I really want it to turn out at least decent. I will tell you it smells awesome, and the color is pretty nice. its almost like a very light pinkish color. from what I read with a strawberry wine with it was I used the most of its supposed to be orange, but this is pretty cool. I hope the flavors mix well.
southlake333
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I guess my first question is, are you 100% sure you got an accurate SG reading after 3 days? If it's foaming like crazy in the secondary, it sounds like it is still in the middle of active fermentation which tells me the SG should be higher than you measured.
Second question is, what happened to the fruit? Did you put it in a bag, then remove it when you racked to the secondary? Or is it still all mixed in? If mixed in, the yeast could be eating on it.
To ease your mind, no you didn't mess up. You could let it go completely dry in the primary if you want so racking at 1.000 is just fine. At this point just clean up any foamy spillover, reset your airlock with fresh water/vodka/etc and let the yeasties create your yummy goodness.
I checked the SG. Several times, I guess one thing I didn't factor is temp difference maybe it could have been slightly higher. Also yeah once I racked to secondary I pulled the fruit bag and wow, I started with about 18 lbs is fruit and when I pulled the bag there was maybe only 5lbs left. Is that normal? Also it is awe fully murky, it seems like I would have to rack it a lot to even come close to getting something clear.
southlake333
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Yep, having that little fruit left is normal. What you're pulling out in the bag is the leftover skins/meat/etc. All the liquid gold juice has been sucked up by the yeast and is now part of your wine.
The murky look is also normal. I liken it to a smoothie. But yes, all that sediment will fall out and you'll end up with a crystal clear wine.
The murky look is also normal. I liken it to a smoothie. But yes, all that sediment will fall out and you'll end up with a crystal clear wine.
also the recipe I am using or at least referencing dosnt even have a point for adding metibisulfite. According to what I was reading it says to rack again a week after racking to secondary, then again 2 weeks later than ever 2 or 3 months after but when the heck should I add the metibisulfite. It also never mentions adding Potasium sorbate to prevent the renewed fermentation any advice? and forgive me I am new to this so I am still learning. And thanks for all the advice so far.
southlake333
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There are lots of things you can do and I myself am still learning, but here's my advice.
Once you ferment dry (SG below 1.000 and stable for 3 straight days), rack onto 1 crushed campden tablet per gallon (that's potassium metabisulfite) of wine. Then you have some options. What I would do is to also add potassium sorbate and sparkolloid at this time. That will prevent the yeast from reproducing (effectively killing any chance of refermentation) as well as speed up the clearing process. 2 weeks after adding the campden, sorbate and sparkolloid, the wine should be clear. At that time, sweeten to taste, then let it sit for another 3 or 4 weeks to ensure every last bit of sediment has fallen out. Then bottle and enjoy!
Once you ferment dry (SG below 1.000 and stable for 3 straight days), rack onto 1 crushed campden tablet per gallon (that's potassium metabisulfite) of wine. Then you have some options. What I would do is to also add potassium sorbate and sparkolloid at this time. That will prevent the yeast from reproducing (effectively killing any chance of refermentation) as well as speed up the clearing process. 2 weeks after adding the campden, sorbate and sparkolloid, the wine should be clear. At that time, sweeten to taste, then let it sit for another 3 or 4 weeks to ensure every last bit of sediment has fallen out. Then bottle and enjoy!
saramc
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The foaming could be caused by the yeast you are opting to use, some are known to be high foamers while other are low foamers. Also, some yeasts are quick fermenters while others are slower. The temperature of your ferment will always have an impact on the turnaround time.
As far as dosing with k-meta there is a common standard that many follow and it goes like this: If you are working with fresh fruit (and this includes fresh frozen) then you will want to dose with k-meta (or Campden tabs) prefermentation. If working with frozen/bottled/packaged fruits/syrups ALWAYS read the labels and look for sulfates/sulfites and sorbates, etc.-- since these can inhibit the yeast you pitch from doing a good job. Even if your ingredient list says there is a sulfate/sulfite added it is USUALLY at such a low level that it will not inhibit your yeast from doing their thing BUT to help avoid playing with fire you can opt NOT to dose with k-meta (or Campden tabs) prefermentation and instead dose with k-meta/Campden when you transfer for the first time from primary to your secondary/airlock. You can USUALLY even use a product that lists a sorbate on its ingredient list, but you just have to be aware of those fruits that are known for being hard starters or have a tendancy to get stuck--a little due diligence. RACKING FROM PRIMARY TO SECONDARY/AIRLOCK: For alot of people there is usually a "magic number" when to do this---mine is when there has been a decrease by 2/3 from the starting S.G. So, it stays in primary, lightly covered so there is an aerobic fermentation going on--the yeast have access to oxygen; and then when the S.G. has dropped by 2/3 I rack for the very first time, leaving as much sediment as possible behind and apply the airlock (for an ANAEROBIC FERMENT). THEN, I do not hesitate to rack off "gross lees" that develop because they can and many times DO develop off flavors in your wine--but is up to each individual winemaker to decide what amount of gross lees is "too much"; and I am an advocate of fermenting with the "fine lees" intact at a low temperature after consulting the temperature range for my chosen yeast--that is just me. Anyway--I usually rack about a month after I transition to airlock for the first time and then usually 60 days after than--dose with k-meta, and then rack every quarter (90 days) dosing with k-meta. I continue to rack once a quarter (or more often if dropping gross lees) and dosing with k-meta at least once a quarter until the wine is clear and no longer dropping sediment. Once the wine is clear and no longer dropping sediment I make note to dose with k-meta once a quarter and once I am ready to bottle I will stabilize with k-meta always added with sorbate if the wine will be off-dry, but if the wine is dry it just gets k-meta. I try to coordinate the final dosing with bottling....and I NEVER, EVER rush to bottling. The majority of my country wines do not see a bottle until 9 months to a year; my meads are usually a year or longer; my dry reds no earlier than a year. My exception: Skeeter Pee gets bottled as soon as it is clear and stabilized. Note: if stabilizing an off-dry wine with k-meta PLUS sorbate and then backsweeten, I then wait 7-10 days and use my hydrometer to ensure that refermentation has not occurred and then I rack ONE FINAL TIME because there is usually a fine layer of lees that drops after stabilization with k-meta PLUS sorbate and the backsweetening agent. Rushing to bottling can cause problems because many times your wine has not been degassed properly, etc. I also find that opting to give my wine time to age in the carboy I also do not have to use fining agents like Sparkolloid/SuperKleer,etc., because nature as allowed by time will clear the wine on its own PLUS you will usually have a better tasting wine as a result of this. That is just my experience.
Oh, and welcome to the forum JohnnyB!
As far as dosing with k-meta there is a common standard that many follow and it goes like this: If you are working with fresh fruit (and this includes fresh frozen) then you will want to dose with k-meta (or Campden tabs) prefermentation. If working with frozen/bottled/packaged fruits/syrups ALWAYS read the labels and look for sulfates/sulfites and sorbates, etc.-- since these can inhibit the yeast you pitch from doing a good job. Even if your ingredient list says there is a sulfate/sulfite added it is USUALLY at such a low level that it will not inhibit your yeast from doing their thing BUT to help avoid playing with fire you can opt NOT to dose with k-meta (or Campden tabs) prefermentation and instead dose with k-meta/Campden when you transfer for the first time from primary to your secondary/airlock. You can USUALLY even use a product that lists a sorbate on its ingredient list, but you just have to be aware of those fruits that are known for being hard starters or have a tendancy to get stuck--a little due diligence. RACKING FROM PRIMARY TO SECONDARY/AIRLOCK: For alot of people there is usually a "magic number" when to do this---mine is when there has been a decrease by 2/3 from the starting S.G. So, it stays in primary, lightly covered so there is an aerobic fermentation going on--the yeast have access to oxygen; and then when the S.G. has dropped by 2/3 I rack for the very first time, leaving as much sediment as possible behind and apply the airlock (for an ANAEROBIC FERMENT). THEN, I do not hesitate to rack off "gross lees" that develop because they can and many times DO develop off flavors in your wine--but is up to each individual winemaker to decide what amount of gross lees is "too much"; and I am an advocate of fermenting with the "fine lees" intact at a low temperature after consulting the temperature range for my chosen yeast--that is just me. Anyway--I usually rack about a month after I transition to airlock for the first time and then usually 60 days after than--dose with k-meta, and then rack every quarter (90 days) dosing with k-meta. I continue to rack once a quarter (or more often if dropping gross lees) and dosing with k-meta at least once a quarter until the wine is clear and no longer dropping sediment. Once the wine is clear and no longer dropping sediment I make note to dose with k-meta once a quarter and once I am ready to bottle I will stabilize with k-meta always added with sorbate if the wine will be off-dry, but if the wine is dry it just gets k-meta. I try to coordinate the final dosing with bottling....and I NEVER, EVER rush to bottling. The majority of my country wines do not see a bottle until 9 months to a year; my meads are usually a year or longer; my dry reds no earlier than a year. My exception: Skeeter Pee gets bottled as soon as it is clear and stabilized. Note: if stabilizing an off-dry wine with k-meta PLUS sorbate and then backsweeten, I then wait 7-10 days and use my hydrometer to ensure that refermentation has not occurred and then I rack ONE FINAL TIME because there is usually a fine layer of lees that drops after stabilization with k-meta PLUS sorbate and the backsweetening agent. Rushing to bottling can cause problems because many times your wine has not been degassed properly, etc. I also find that opting to give my wine time to age in the carboy I also do not have to use fining agents like Sparkolloid/SuperKleer,etc., because nature as allowed by time will clear the wine on its own PLUS you will usually have a better tasting wine as a result of this. That is just my experience.
Oh, and welcome to the forum JohnnyB!
cool thanks, one thing about every thing that is confusing me about the whole process is that my gravity now reads .990, its been about 10 days since i transfered it from the primary. should I continue to wait another week or 2? or go ahead and rack again and dose with k-meta. or should I dose with the k meta and stir up the sediment in the wine to degass. I am just reading alot of directions from various books, web sites, and kits and alot of them are very contradicting. Alot of them tell you to do that, to add fining agents, and kmeta, and stir vigorosly to degass then allow to clear for a while then to transfer again and let age in carboy, then bottle after a long while. Most people I have asked had said the bulk aging in the carboy has no comparison to the bottles. Well any thoughts from any one, I just realy dont want to screw this up, also I am afraid I didnt top it up enough, its just below the neck of carboy maybe 3.5 inches from bottom of bung.
