Forgot MLF

[gitmo234]

So I complete forgot MLF and was wondering if I could still try it. I dont have the ability to test for SO2.

I have 12 gallons of red wine from frozen must. I pressed the grapes, let the lees settle, racked it off the lees and filtered it, and now its in bulk aging (12 gals after filter).

It's a bit tart and it made me realize I forgot MFL. During the racking I added 2 campden tablets to the the 6 gallon carboy, once after fermentation, and once after racking again, and the same process for the 3 gallon carboys, except it was 1 tablet.

I was a little light on the campden tablets so im wondering if its worth pitching MLF and hoping. Any thoughts?

 

[mainshipfred]

Hey Chris, saw your text as well. I don't use campden tablets but from what I found it takes 1 per gallon to get 75 ppm so 2 would be 25 ppm which I think will put you in the safe range. Personally I would try it.

 

[gitmo234]

Hey Chris, saw your text as well. I don't use campden tablets but from what I found it takes 1 per gallon to get 75 ppm so 2 would be 25 ppm which I think will put you in the safe range. Personally I would try it.

No worries Fred, I wasnt sure if you had changed your number so I wanted to ask, thanks! I will try it.

 

[Johnd]

No worries Fred, I wasnt sure if you had changed your number so I wanted to ask, thanks! I will try it.

Though your ppm's are low, some MLB's are more sensitive than others. I'd try something like VP-41 or CH-16, which are SO2 tolerant to 50 and 40 ppm, respectively. There are some others as well, just make sure you select a very robust MLB........

 

[jgmann67]

Agree with everyone here. Maybe do a chromotography on your wine to see what you have for malic acid and check your pH. Adjust pH as needed and go to town on an MLF.

A lot of people (myself included) do co-inoculations. I’ve gotten excellent results. Something to consider for the next time.

 

[Bliorg]

...A lot of people (myself included) do co-inoculations. I’ve gotten excellent results. Something to consider for the next time.

How well does that work for you? I haven't tried this yet, have always wanted to, but have heard mixed reviews (a wine educator I know recommends against it).

Yeast produce sulfite during the alcoholic fermentation process, though I can't find anything really quantitative. This article gives numbers, but they're total SO2, rather than free SO2. Regardless, I wonder how much impact that has on efficacy of co-inoculation.

Do you do chromatography during the alcoholic fermentation to monitor MLF? Or just at the end?

 

[jgmann67]

How well does that work for you? I haven't tried this yet, have always wanted to, but have heard mixed reviews (a wine educator I know recommends against it).

Yeast produce sulfite during the alcoholic fermentation process, though I can't find anything really quantitative. This article gives numbers, but they're total SO2, rather than free SO2. Regardless, I wonder how much impact that has on efficacy of co-inoculation.

Do you do chromatography during the alcoholic fermentation to monitor MLF? Or just at the end?

Third time doing coinoculation. No issues. I run the wine through primary fermentation (usually 2 weeks), rack and then do my chromatography to see where I am. Usually it’s well into the MLF by that time. Another couple weeks in a secondary and I’m done.

 

[Bliorg]

Third time doing coinoculation. No issues. I run the wine through primary fermentation (usually 2 weeks), rack and then do my chromatography to see where I am. Usually it’s well into the MLF by that time. Another couple weeks in a secondary and I’m done.

That's good to hear. Next red I'm giving this a try. Thanks for the info!

 

[Tim3]

No worries Fred, I wasnt sure if you had changed your number so I wanted to ask, thanks! I will try it.

Either way free S02 decreases over time. So eventually the ML bacteria would take. Sounds like you've already racked it a few times so I wouldn't rack again, but you could add some dried ML bacteria to your carboys. 0.5 gram should be more than enough for those 6 gallon carboys. Another trick I like to use is to add a few oak cubes / chips that I've used formerly with another wine going through MLF. I freeze them and find they are happy to initiate MLF for me in another wine after pressing. Just add a few cubes to your new oak dose.

 

[gitmo234]

Thanks everyone! I got kinda rushed on this one, but I did take the advice and drop in some CH16.