help please

[navi30]

Here is my situation:

Grapes chardonnay 15 boxes-destemed and crushed

In plastic barrel added pottasium meta,after 24 h added yeast c-1118 6 packs.After 5 days moved must to carboys .Now I am in 3rd day and it is fermenting a lot. Color is light creamy brown and I can see the yeast moving up and down. Is this normal for yeast to stay in must? I dont like the color!!!
What should I do?Please help.First time making wine!!!

 

[Steve in KC]

you're going to get immediate help and responses if you post the same at:

www.winepress.us

The site you're on now is pretty slow to respond. Winepress has over 5000 active and very experienced members. The makers of WineExpert kits is even a moderator there.

They'll help you. Just post in the 'grape winemaking' forum.

 

[Wine Maker]

You probably transferred the wine to the carboys before the fermenation was completed. If you were fermenting to dryness the brix reading should have been 0 to -1. Don't worry though, your wine will finish fermenting in the carboys. Leave enough air space (about 25% of the carboy) to allow fermentation to complete and cover with cheese cloth. Once the brix reading is down to dryness, top the carboy off to the neck and put an air lock on. You will contine to see small bubbles escaping.

The cloudiness is normal, especially since you seem to have transferred the wine early. When the bubbles stop or reduce to a small amount rack the wine into clean carboys, add 1/4 tsp of potassium metabisulfite (meta) and let the wine sit for 1 month (you should see a lot of the solids settling on the bottom), then rack a second time and again add a 1/4 tsp of meta. Each time you rack the wine keep your siphone tube close to the bottom to reduce the amount of air getting into the wine and top off the carboys. If you need to top off with less than 2 oz you can use water (I recommend distilled water) or what I do is buy an bottle of similar wine and use that to top off.

Hope this helps. Feel free to ask further questions.

 

[navi30]

You probably transferred the wine to the carboys before the fermenation was completed. If you were fermenting to dryness the brix reading should have been 0 to -1. Don't worry though, your wine will finish fermenting in the carboys. Leave enough air space (about 25% of the carboy) to allow fermentation to complete and cover with cheese cloth. Once the brix reading is down to dryness, top the carboy off to the neck and put an air lock on. You will contine to see small bubbles escaping.

The cloudiness is normal, especially since you seem to have transferred the wine early. When the bubbles stop or reduce to a small amount rack the wine into clean carboys, add 1/4 tsp of potassium metabisulfite (meta) and let the wine sit for 1 month (you should see a lot of the solids settling on the bottom), then rack a second time and again add a 1/4 tsp of meta. Each time you rack the wine keep your siphone tube close to the bottom to reduce the amount of air getting into the wine and top off the carboys. If you need to top off with less than 2 oz you can use water (I recommend distilled water) or what I do is buy an bottle of similar wine and use that to top off.

Hope this helps. Feel free to ask further questions.

Thank you for answer.I will follow your advise.Now I am in 5 th day and a fermentation is slowing down.I can see the yeast is setteling down on the bottom. the 1/4 tsp of meta is per gallon? Am I right?

 

[navi30]

Only thing I did different is I am using airlocks .Shoud I uncover the the carboys or just keep the airlocks on?

 

[twissty]

Leave the airlocks on.

 

[Sacalait]

Thank you for answer.I will follow your advise.Now I am in 5 th day and a fermentation is slowing down.I can see the yeast is setteling down on the bottom. the 1/4 tsp of meta is per gallon? Am I right?

Wrong, 1/4 tsp K-meta/5gals. You can use crush 1 camden tblt/ gal.

 

[navi30]

Wrong, 1/4 tsp K-meta/5gals. You can use crush 1 camden tblt/ gal.

Thank you for quick reply.I will add 1/4 tea spoon of meta per 5 gallons.

 

[navi30]

update

After 3 weeks my wine cleared out. Very nice color . I will rack again today,but looks like it will be a good wine thanks to all your help.

Thank you