Help - Slow Fermentation Start

[Jmcqueen]

Decided to use my muscadines to make wine this year and used the recipe in the E.C. Kraus catalog. The recipe follows below.

30 lbs Muscadine (crushed in a fruit bag)
9lbs sugar
5 tsp. yeast nutrients
¾ tsp. pectic enzyme
1 tsp. wine tannin

I added all of this in my primary fermenter and added spring water to bring it up to 5 gallons. I then added 5 crushed campden tablets and let the must rest for 24 hours covered with a thin clean towel.

I then stirred the must good and sprinkled 1 pkg. Red Star Champagne yeast on the surface and re-covered with the thin towel. Today 24 hours after I added the yeast I checked for fermentation and I see some bubbles but it seems that it is working very, very slow or maybe not at all.

I checked the temperature of the must today and it is 72-degrees and the S.G. is 1.090.

Any ideas as to what I’ve done wrong and why fermentation has not really kicked off yet? Any suggestion as to what I should do now?

 

[CSIJon]

I too followed a similar recipe but I used RC 212 yeast. I just racked into secondary yesterday. I did hydrate the yeast it in a glass for 15mins before adding. After about 18-20 hrs it was going strong. Do you know what your SG was at time of adding yeast. I am sure you will get someone much more qualified to help you than me, but other than the yeast, I dont see anything wrong.

 

[mmadmikes1]

24 hours is nnot a lond time to not see signs of fermentation. I no long look to see if it is fermenting , I listen and smell. On another note, every batch in last 3 months where I used red star Champagne yeast I have had to repitch a new yeast starter. I wonder if I am the only bone have trouble with it

 

[Jmcqueen]

Update -- Slow Fermentation Start

Wow …… glad I just let my muscadines just sit longer in the primary fermenter without re-adding more yeast even if the fermentation action was very slow after 24 hours. It was just showing a few small bubbles when I left town on Monday. However, when I returned late this afternoon fermentation was working at full speed and about to fill the primary with foam. Its been in the primary for 3 days now and beginning to smell good.

When I started the primary S.G. was 1.090 and the must temp was 72-degrees. I measured tonight and the S.G. is 1.070 and still at 72-degrees. My question is --- what should the S.G. be when I move it into the glass carboy and add an air lock?

 

[mmadmikes1]

1.01 or .02

 

[Jmcqueen]

Thanks ........... I'll be watching for the magic number before I rack into the carboy for secondary fermentation.

 

[Jmcqueen]

OK, one more dumb question (hopefully). I was worried about the acidity of my Muscadine must. Today the PH control papers I ordered came in. I checked the must and found that according to the test strips that the PH is 4.0. That is strongly acid ......... so how do I correct this as I understand it should be between 7 and 8 on the PH scale? Is this correct?

 

[mmadmikes1]

No you do not want 7 or 8. Leave it at 4. 7 is neutral and 8 is alkly= bad wine

 

[Jmcqueen]

OK, thanks. I guess I had bad information. The S.G. is 1.020 now so it is getting close to going into the carboy. Thanks to your help.