Homemade Blueberry - stalled fermentation?

[coolfloyd]

On 9/7 - started with this Recipe to make 3 gallons:
6 lbs of frozen blueberrys
21 pts water
5-1/4 lbs sugar
4-1/2 tsp acid blend
1-1/2 tsp pectic enzyme
1-1/2 tsp energizer
3 campden (crushed)
I stirred it really well .. and the blueberrys were completely thawed.
SG = 1.080

9/8 -evening- stirred .. then sprinkled the yeast on top.
9/9 -evening- stirred
9/10 -evening- stirred
9/11 - (forgot to stir)
9/12 - morning - measure SG = 1.060
9/13 - evening - stirred - SG = 1.052
9/14 - evening - stirred - SG = 1.050
9/15 - evening - stirred - SG = 1.042
9/16 - evening - stirred - SG = 1.040

The Recipe says to wait til SG = 1.030 (5-8 days) to rack to carboy.

My question is.. it's been 8 days.. and has a way to go..
It's been in a fermenting pail . .with the lid closed .. and cotton in the airlock hole ... Tonight after checking it ... I took out the cotton .. and added an airlock .. to see if its bubbling .. it does not appear to be.

Do I continue to wait for 1.030?? will it ever come?
I have tasted the wine .. and it taste good... Smells stinky though..

Any help.. advice would be appreciated.. thanks!
Floyd

 

[St Allie]

You've got energiser listed.. did you add any nutrient?

it smells stinky?.. does it smell of rotten eggs?

Where did your recipe come from?

Allie

 

[coolfloyd]

I got the recipe from a book that came with my wine making kit...
The recipe did not call for nutrient...

I think it smells like yeast.. . my wife said like "bread"...

 

[St Allie]

some say bubbling isn't necessarily a sign of fermentation, however in my exp with homemade recipes rather than kits.. I've never had no bubbles.

bread smell is ok.. rotten eggs is not.

I don't see the need for the blueberries to be in the wine this long myself.. and I would suggest racking now and taking the SG again as the pulp in the must could be throwing your hydrometer out.

Adding a bit of nutrient won't hurt, but only after racking and rechecking the SG, I have a feeling it's close to done or.. you had a leak in the pail of your lid when you added the airlock..

Allie

 

[Wade E]

Blueberry is notorious for taking forever with fermenting. I always add both nutrient and energizer to all my fruit wines. It looks like it is fermenting so all is ok but a small dose of nutrient would help get things going better along with a good stir. It is time to remove the berries from the wine but you could leave the wine in the bucket or rack at this time as its fermenting slowly so no need to worry about blow off in the carboy. Thats why we usually wait because when its in the carboy there is less room for a vigorous fermentation to take place resulting in a big mess.

 

[coolfloyd]

Thank you very much for the advice! I'm a newbie .. kinda of jumped in with both feet.. lol.. and having lots of fun!

I removed the berries.. The recipe said to strain juice from the straining bag.
Do you mash them? .. to get as much juice out as you can??? or do you just let it kinda drip??

Tomorrow after work .. I'll check the SG.. and hope for 1.030 .. either way .. I'll probably rack it into the carboy... and by the way .. the bubbler started it thing.. because its in a 7-8 gallon pail .. it probably takes a little bit for the co2 to fill that space .. .I noticed the plastic lid is bulging..

Floyd

 

[Wade E]

I sqyueeze pretty good most of the time.

 

[St Allie]

As an aside coolfloyd?

I made a richer mixture based on blueberries with the intention of adding brandy and vodka to fortify the wine.

you have 6 lbs of blueberries for a 5 gallon wine..

for the same volume I had.

8 kilos/16lbs blueberries
2 cans 880ml blackberries in syrup.
1 bottle 750ml blackcurrant syrup
1lb/500grams each blackberries and raspberries
1 kilo muscovado sugar
2.5 kilos /5lb bananas
2 kilos/4lbs dried dates
1kg brown sugar
500grams demerara sugar
3kg white sugar
2teaspoons pectic enzyme
3 teaspoons citric acid
3 teaspoons tartaric acid
4 gallons of water
1 teaspoon of nutrient
2 cups of strong black tea

yeast and nutrient

stir daily for 4 days

 

[Midwest Vintner]

As an aside coolfloyd?

I made a richer mixture based on blueberries with the intention of adding brandy and vodka to fortify the wine.

you have 6 lbs of blueberries for a 5 gallon wine..

for the same volume I had.

8 kilos/16lbs blueberries
2 cans 880ml blackberries in syrup.
1 bottle 750ml blackcurrant syrup
1lb/500grams each blackberries and raspberries
1 kilo muscovado sugar
2.5 kilos /5lb bananas
2 kilos/4lbs dried dates
1kg brown sugar
500grams demerara sugar
3kg white sugar
2teaspoons pectic enzyme
3 teaspoons citric acid
3 teaspoons tartaric acid
4 gallons of water
1 teaspoon of nutrient
2 cups of strong black tea

yeast and nutrient

stir daily for 4 days

i think you should have used some raisens too. lol. the most ingredients in wine i have ever seen! we made choc., rasp, merlot and pecan, maple bourbon, but neither have near as many ingredients!

 

[Wade E]

Me thinks the cupboard got cleaned out on this batch!

 

[St Allie]

heheh it was based on lum eisenmanns recipe in our recipe section.. it came out rather well actually and has been bottled a couple of months already after a bit of bulk storing.

haven't tested it yet.. gonna leave it awhile.. oh and I bottled half with brandy and half with vodka..

and yes I used dates because dried figs were three times the price.

Allie

 

[Midwest Vintner]

haven't tested it yet.. gonna leave it awhile.. oh and I bottled half with brandy and half with vodka..
and yes I used dates because dried figs were three times the price.
Allie

seems like you got a good handle on it. let us know how it tastes when you get a chance!!!!

 

[Madriver Wines]

I'll say. Alittle kitchen sink at racking . Cool is talking about a 3 gal. batch but 2lb per gallon is still alittle low. Allie ,what are you calling that "blueberry wine" ?

 

[St Allie]

I'll say. Alittle kitchen sink at racking . Cool is talking about a 3 gal. batch but 2lb per gallon is still alittle low. Allie ,what are you calling that "blueberry wine" ?

oops sorry cool, I missed the 3 gallon comment when I came back in with that reply. ( thanks Steve).. I still think 2 lb per gallon is a little low though and adding maybe a couple of packets of dates would help give it some strength. ( of course that may not be to your taste, we all make things we want to drink ourselves)


I was super creative with the name Steve

and called it...

'Berry Port"

Allie

 

[jwthomas]

sounds like the name fits good let use know how it taste

JW