Oh poo... Forgot to stabilize

[mkjennison]

So... I have 6 gallons of original recipe skeeter pee in secondary. The batch was started in February and has been completely clear for a month. Last night I carefully racked off the clearing sediment and added 4 cups of sugar, stirred to dissolve. Forgot to check whether I stabilized before I did this, and I hadn't.

When I get home from work I will check for fermentation... But any suggestions on how to proceed? Will stabilizing now do the trick if there is no fermentation? How long should it sit to be safe?

Thanks,
Mark

 

[Dale1978]

Give it a dose of K-meta and sorbate, wait at least a couple of weeks to make sure no fermentation has restarted.

 

[cintipam]

If it were me I'd just wait a bit to see if it starts to ferm again. It probably will, and I would just ride it out till the sugar is gone or the yeast dies of alc poisoning. otherwise I'd never bottle it just worrying that they would kick off and wind up exploding. Remember, Kmeta and Sorbate won't totally kill a ferment, just slow it down. I'd rather just get it over with. If it does start up again I think I'd even add more fruit juice (like Ocean Spray or something similar) to give the yeast a better chance of eating up all that extra sugar.

I feel for you. I've had to backdoor fix a couple batches I forgot stuff on.

Pam in cinti

 

[GreginND]

Yes, add the sorbate asap. It should be ok but wait before bottling to make sure.

 

[Julie]

I agree with Greg and Dale, I would add sorbate now.

 

[mkjennison]

I did... when I got home I dosed with sorbate and kmeta (needed). I will watch the SG and the airlock over the next few days/weeks to see what happens.

I touched all of my batches of wine yesterday in one way or another, and I must have just done too much

thanks all!!

 

[mkjennison]

I mean, how long does it actually take for yeast to die? The ferm on this one was complete 04-15-14, degassed and sparkolloid 05-27-14...

 

[Geronimo]

I mean, how long does it actually take for yeast to die? The ferm on this one was complete 04-15-14, degassed and sparkolloid 05-27-14...

Some of those pesky buggers will live a looooooong time. All it takes is a few. I've heard of bottle bombs that started bursting 4 months later.

I agree... add the chems now and you'll probably be fine. Rack before you stabilize if you see yeast sediment in the fermenter.

 

[mkjennison]

So I think I dodged a bullet... The SG has not moved, no more CO2 has saturated into the wine, and it is still crystal clear. I am gonna keep an eye on it awhile longer but all looks well.

We'll see what I have to say when my winery is covered in pee in six months.... Haha!

 

[Arne]

We'll see what I have to say when my winery is covered in pee in six months.... Haha![/QUOTE]


Drink it up and no worries. Skeeter pee can go pretty fast. Arne.

 

[fabrictodyefor]

We'll see what I have to say when my winery is covered in pee in six months.... Haha!

And it will last 6 months???