Lemon wine not fermenting

[rlg123]

Hi everyone, glad to join the community

I've got a batch of lemon and ginger wine on the go.

There's about 1.6 litres of lemon juice in a 10 litre batch total and 2kg of sugar.

I put the yeast in 3 days ago but as yet no sign of fermentation.

I read that acid can kill the yeast so wondering if that could be the case here.

If so, is there a way I can rescue it? Maybe make it less acidic by adding water then more yeast?

Thanks for any help

 

[BigDaveK]

Did you measure SG and pH?
The acid doesn't actually "kill" the yeast. The environment becomes inhospitable and they're just plain not happy. And actually most wine yeast will work down to a pH of 2.5, some strains a bit lower.
Did you add nutrient?
And welcome to WMT!

 

[Fencepost]

Welcome. I have done a number of lemon wines and have suffered some similar issues... but this forum fixed me right up! I believe it was @cmason1957 that gave me the best tip and what I use now. From memory (you'd have to look for the thread) but he said to start with less lemon than the batch calls for, make a yeast starter, get the batch going, then add the rest of the lemon in a couple of steps. This keeps pH low initially, and the acid (lemon juice) is added in increments once you have active fermentation. Worked for me on several batches.

That being said, in your specific case, I would not add a lot of extra water (which would improve your pH, but dilute your wine and lower SG), I would recommend you make a yeast starter, then slowly add some of your must, so the yeast gets "acclimatized" the the environment and once you have a starter of a quart or so add it back to your must. Good luck. Hope this helps... and there are many experts on here that may have other suggestions to help out.

 

[hounddawg]

Hi everyone, glad to join the community

I've got a batch of lemon and ginger wine on the go.

There's about 1.6 litres of lemon juice in a 10 litre batch total and 2kg of sugar.

I put the yeast in 3 days ago but as yet no sign of fermentation.

I read that acid can kill the yeast so wondering if that could be the case here.

If so, is there a way I can rescue it? Maybe make it less acidic by adding water then more yeast?

Thanks for any help

i use very little lemon till time to bulk age the i add 1 qt lemon per gallon water, K1V-1116 WORKS GOOD, BUT I USE EC-1118

Dawg

 

[hounddawg]

welcome to WMT
Dawg

 

[rlg123]

Welcome. I have done a number of lemon wines and have suffered some similar issues... but this forum fixed me right up! I believe it was @cmason1957 that gave me the best tip and what I use now. From memory (you'd have to look for the thread) but he said to start with less lemon than the batch calls for, make a yeast starter, get the batch going, then add the rest of the lemon in a couple of steps. This keeps pH low initially, and the acid (lemon juice) is added in increments once you have active fermentation. Worked for me on several batches.

That being said, in your specific case, I would not add a lot of extra water (which would improve your pH, but dilute your wine and lower SG), I would recommend you make a yeast starter, then slowly add some of your must, so the yeast gets "acclimatized" the the environment and once you have a starter of a quart or so add it back to your must. Good luck. Hope this helps... and there are many experts on here that may have other suggestions to help out.

Thanks Fencepost, great idea! I'll try this

 

[rlg123]

Thanks for your replies guys.

I just got some PH strips and it looks to be between 3-4 - closer to 3.

Specific gravity is 1.080.

Will try the suggestion by Fencepost to see if I can get it going. I'm using Lalvin EC 1118

Any other suggestions at this stage would be very welcome

 

[Fencepost]

There's a lot of great ideas on this forum (not mine, but from others). EC1118 is the right choice, if it doesn't kick it in gear not much else will either. Make a starter and keep the must on the warmer end of the fermenting range (I looked back at my notes and my lemon must was in the 76F range). Nutrient would help (or may be necessary) as @BigDaveK mentions. When you do the next one, step feed the nutrient in like the lemon juice. Just to confirm, you are doing this in an open top bucket with a cloth over the top of the bucket, right?
Lemon is a tough one to get going sometimes... but you are on the right track now... and it is definitely worth the effort you are going thru when you get to enjoy it.

 

[rlg123]

There's a lot of great ideas on this forum (not mine, but from others). EC1118 is the right choice, if it doesn't kick it in gear not much else will either. Make a starter and keep the must on the warmer end of the fermenting range (I looked back at my notes and my lemon must was in the 76F range). Nutrient would help (or may be necessary) as @BigDaveK mentions. When you do the next one, step feed the nutrient in like the lemon juice. Just to confirm, you are doing this in an open top bucket with a cloth over the top of the bucket, right?
Lemon is a tough one to get going sometimes... but you are on the right track now... and it is definitely worth the effort you are going thru when you get to enjoy it.

Thanks, I have just made a new yeast starter and its bubbling nicely. Will add the lemon mix to it slowly.

The main batch is in a 5 gallon plastic bucket in a warm cupboard with a plastic lid. Have also added some extra nutrient

 

[hounddawg]

Thanks for your replies guys.

I just got some PH strips and it looks to be between 3-4 - closer to 3.

Specific gravity is 1.080.

Will try the suggestion by Fencepost to see if I can get it going. I'm using Lalvin EC 1118

Any other suggestions at this stage would be very welcome

wellll you could send out more samples,,,,, out to us, after all you ask, lol
Dawg

 

[Fencepost]

Thanks, I have just made a new yeast starter and its bubbling nicely. Will add the lemon mix to it slowly.

The main batch is in a 5 gallon plastic bucket in a warm cupboard with a plastic lid. Have also added some extra nutrient

One last point.... the yeast need oxygen early in fermentation... so it was also beneficial to "whip" (either stir vigorously or as I did use a metal whisk on the end of my battery drill) some oxygen into the must to help the yeast move things along... need to do this early and mid process... As someone on the forum had mentioned.... oxygen is your friend early in the winemaking process but not a friend at the end (when you can damage the wine by oxidation). Get the yeast going, good nutrient, good oxygen and it will take off. Make sure that lid is loose on bucket, I sometimes use a towel and lay the lid on, as it needs to get rid of the CO2 that is being generated during fermentation. Good luck.

 

[rlg123]

Hi guys, thanks to your advice this is now bubbling nicely

I added 100g of sultanas too for nutrients.

2 gallons of lemon and ginger wine here we come!

 

[Fencepost]

Well.... a picture is worth.... @rlg123, so your using the WHOLE lemon. That's a new one on me. Usually it is just the lemon juice (see Skeeter Pee recipe) or maybe a little bit of zest (just the thin yellow outside of lemon). I would be afraid the pith (the white part of the lemon) will give you a bad taste. I did a grapefruit and I think I had a little of the pith in it (from juicing the grapefruits too hard) and it made the wine taste terrible... only wine I ever made where I could not drink it. Maybe it is time to pull in some of the experts on this forum as they know lots more than I. @cmason1957 @Rice_Guy @winemaker81 any comments on whole lemons? Knowing what little I know, I would pull those lemons, but let's see what others say.

 

[winemaker81]

Maybe it is time to pull in some of the experts on this forum as they know lots more than I. @cmason1957 @Rice_Guy @winemaker81 any comments on whole lemons?

When making Metheglin (Mead with spices) I juice lemons and add both the juice and the solids to the fermenter, and it has worked out fine.

In hindsight, it makes more sense to zest the lemons, juice 'em, and add the zest + juice to the must. But my previous MO worked.

 

[StimVino]

Just bottled a lemon and a strawberry-lemon blend. I agree with Fencepost, avoid any white pith part of the lemon. If chopping, overcut the skin to get ride of all the white. If zesting, dont zest too deep into the skin for the same reason - it will taste very bitter. I don't think the whole lemons are doing much for you.

Your lemons should ferment, especially with nutrients and a little heat if temp starts to drop below 68F. I do think that the acid needs to be delt with. Mine was in the high 2’s, which i diluted to above 3.0, but could still clean your teeth when drinking. If i was doing again, i would blend with another low acid fruit, or add a low acid white grape juice base that would help to balance the chemistry. The lemon will still be the dominant flavor.