Need Help

[h089321]

Hi, I'm a beginner and on my 3rd batch of wine. I'm making a batch on cranberry wine as instructed from a reciept on the enternet. Started Nov 7th w/sg 1.096 , Nov 13th sg @ 1.040 then went ahead and racked in 4 ea one gal jugs and air locked.Since Dec 15th sg has been @ 1.030.
Is this ok ?
can i bottle ?
thanks

 

[winemaker_3352]

Welcome aboard!!

You might have transferred to your secondary to soon. 1.040 is a pretty high SG to move to your secondary - i usually transfer mine around 1.005 - 1.010.

The yeast need the O2 in the primary to keep the fermentation active.

Your abv is going to be less than 10% as well - which means you wine will not be as protected - ideally you want the abv to be above 10%.

You might consider making a yeast starter and fermenting it down to dry.

 

[Julie]

I won't bottle, sounds like you have a stuck fermentation. What are your temps? Like Winemaker said you probably should make a yeast started to get this to ferment completely.

 

[jtstar]

like the two before me we all think you should make another starter with yeast and put your wine back into your primary and ferment dry

 

[h089321]

ok, i restarted the Yeast process , it is now fermenting and the sg is 1.028 @ 64.3degrees.
when should i transfer and attach airlock?

 

[h089321]

ok, i restarted the Yeast process , it is now fermenting and the sg is 1.028 @ 64.3degrees.
when should i transfer and attach airlock?

 

[Minnesotamaker]

I would put it back into your jugs when it gets around 1.010 to 1.005. A couple of degrees warmer wouldn't hurt either at this point since the batch has already shown it's capable of being naughty.

 

[winemaker_3352]

I would put it back into your jugs when it gets around 1.010 to 1.005. A couple of degrees warmer wouldn't hurt either at this point since the batch has already shown it's capable of being naughty.

I agree!!!

 

[JordanPond]

Agree on awarmer temp if you can.

 

[Duster]

I think the members here have you on the right track. Keep us posted on how it turns out. I have been thinking about starting a batch of Cranberry for Christmas next year but I am a little unsure because I really don't care for cranberrys. I just thought that it would be a popular wine around the holidays.

 

[Runningwolf]

Duster consider Cranberry Chianti. George recommened it to me for a Christmas wine this past year and everyone loves it. He said it is one of his best selling mist wines for the holidays.

 

[Duster]

Duster consider Cranberry Chianti. George recommened it to me for a Christmas wine this past year and everyone loves it. He said it is one of his best selling mist wines for the holidays.

Thanks Dan, now if I can talk the misses into letting me buy just one more carboy

 

[Runningwolf]

Thanks Dan, now if I can talk the misses into letting me buy just one more carboy

Thats the easy part.
"Honey there is this awesome kit and you'll love it too. Everyone's talking about it. Its only $100 or $3.33 a bottle". There you go; kit is $60.00 and carboy less than $40.00. Or how about "I got to get this kit right now. It only amounts to $3.33 a bottle and they're throwing in a carboy with it"!

LOL not that I would do anything like this.

 

[Sirs]

Thats the easy part.
"Honey there is this awesome kit and you'll love it too. Everyone's talking about it. Its only $100 or $3.33 a bottle". There you go; kit is $60.00 and carboy less than $40.00. Or how about "I got to get this kit right now. It only amounts to $3.33 a bottle and they're throwing in a carboy with it"!

LOL not that I would do anything like this.

you know it's times like this I'm glad I'm married to the wonderful wife I got, if I say I need a carboy or want to try this or that she says if you want it get it you know I don't mind.

 

[wjdonahue]

Hey Duster
If you don't like the straight cranberry, think about a good cranberry apple. The sweetness of the apple really balances the acidity of the cranberry.

 

[wjdonahue]

Hey Sirs.....do you lend her out to give other wives lessons (laughing)

 

[Duster]

wow Dan your a genius! Her argument would be just where in the h#ll are you gonna put it! Even if I could put a garage on the apartment this would make the kit about $103 per bottle. My new hobby has consumed the kitchen and spilled over into the living room. I reckon theres still room on her side of the bed. LOL (just kidding honey, just in case you ever read this)

 

[Duster]

Hey Duster
If you don't like the straight cranberry, think about a good cranberry apple. The sweetness of the apple really balances the acidity of the cranberry.

I have only tried one apple wine and it was very tart. I could easily make a gallon from cranapple juice, this would give us enough to try over thanksgiving dinner.
I think I'm gonna give it a try, thanks for the idea

 

[wjdonahue]

Stuck fermentations can really be helped by racking them again before adding the yeast infusion. This racking isn't to take it off any lees that are present, but to add oxygen to insure that that wasn't the cause of the stuck fermentation.

 

[wjdonahue]

Duster....Apples are not apples (laughing). Granny Smiths can be very tart, while something like a Fuji can be almost sicky sweet. And they each have different acidity levels too. As for the cranapple juice, look at the label pretty hard. Most of the bottled juices have chemicals added as preservatives that can really wreak havoc with the yeast