Possible stuck fermentation on first batch of homemade wine

[clames]

Hi All. I'm new here and relatively new to home winemaking, so any insight or answers are greatly appreciated. I've made wine from kits in the past with success, so this year I decided to branch out and make wine from muscadines on our property. I used a recipe from www.eckrause.com.
I started the wine at the end of June and racked from the primary to secondary second week of July. (sorry my notes with exact dates are at home) The hydrometer reading at that time was .992 which seemed a bit low to me. I tested yesterday, and it was still at 992. I racked again and added 2 c dextrose and 2 c sugar and topped it off with some muscadine grape juice that I had canned when I started the wine. This morning, there was still no activity in the stopper. Isn't .0992 very low? If so, how do I get it fermenting again? I appreciate your wisdom. If I do not repond right away, it's because I am at work and cannot check back until later this afternoon.

 

[DoctorCAD]

At .992 it is done, it won't get any lower than that.

Let it sit a year and throw it out...sorry, I just don't like muscadine wine.

 

[cpfan]

I agree with DoctorCAD, it is finished fermenting. (I've never tried muscadine wine, so I don't know if you should throw it out or not. <grin>)

What was the starting sg?

Steve

 

[richmke]

I tested yesterday, and it was still at 992. I racked again and added 2 c dextrose and 2 c sugar and topped it off with some muscadine grape juice that I had canned when I started the wine. This morning, there was still no activity in the stopper. Isn't .0992 very low? If so, how do I get it fermenting again?

0.992 is low if you want a sweet wine. 0.992 is bone dry.

Note: Fermenting only decreases the number. If you think the number is already too low, you don't want more fermentation.

Adding sugar, like you did, will help sweeten it (raise the number), but unless you kill the yeast, the yeast will happily ferment the added sugar, and you end up back at 0.992.

 

[jh0330]

0.992 is low if you want a sweet wine. 0.992 is bone dry.

Note: Fermenting only decreases the number. If you think the number is already too low, you don't want more fermentation.

Adding sugar, like you did, will help sweeten it (raise the number), but unless you kill the yeast, the yeast will happily ferment the added sugar, and you end up back at 0.992.

Hi, I'm new to wine making and I have a batch of blackberry must fermenting.

To my understanding I should ferment ALL the sugar or else I will risk popping some corks from bottled wine.
Let me see if I understand you correctly.
If I want to make my must less dry, after completely fermenting all the sugar in my must, I can add sugar (if I am certain all the yeast has died) or I can add artificial sugar (which the yeast cannot eat) to a bit higher SG reading?

 

[sour_grapes]

Hi All. I'm new here and relatively new to home winemaking, so any insight or answers are greatly appreciated. I've made wine from kits in the past with success, so this year I decided to branch out and make wine from muscadines on our property. I used a recipe from www.eckrause.com.
I started the wine at the end of June and racked from the primary to secondary second week of July. (sorry my notes with exact dates are at home) The hydrometer reading at that time was .992 which seemed a bit low to me. I tested yesterday, and it was still at 992. I racked again and added 2 c dextrose and 2 c sugar and topped it off with some muscadine grape juice that I had canned when I started the wine. This morning, there was still no activity in the stopper. Isn't .0992 very low? If so, how do I get it fermenting again? I appreciate your wisdom. If I do not repond right away, it's because I am at work and cannot check back until later this afternoon.

The way I read your post was that your wine fermented dry (i.e., all done, no sugar left, SG=0.992), and then YESTERDAY you added quite a bit more sugar. What was the SG after you added the sugar?

You say you saw no activity this morning, i.e., less than 24 hours after adding the sugar. Assuming there is still yeast in your batch, it may still take more than a day for their activity to be noticeable. Really, only your hydrometer is a reliable guide. What was the SG after adding sugar, and is it decreasing from that now?

 

[richmke]

If I want to make my must less dry, after completely fermenting all the sugar in my must, I can add sugar (if I am certain all the yeast has died) or I can add artificial sugar (which the yeast cannot eat) to a bit higher SG reading?

Either. But, the only way to be certain all the yeast has died (vs. going dormant), is to kill them. A dose of k-meta does that, after they are done fermenting the wine. Then, a dose of sorbate ensures that any remaining live yeast can't reproduce.

 

[pgentile]

Knowing your OG would also help. If your ABV is around 13 or 14% it might not be easy to get your batch fermenting again. Plus you might not want the ABV any higher.

 

[jh0330]

Either. But, the only way to be certain all the yeast has died (vs. going dormant), is to kill them. A dose of k-meta does that, after they are done fermenting the wine. Then, a dose of sorbate ensures that any remaining live yeast can't reproduce.

Thanks for getting into detail!
I was thinking of sweetening a portion of my batch and contemplating on whether to use k-meta or maybe throwing it into the freezer for a few days.
(Of course all of this right before bottling)

I saw someone say they tasted k-meta in their new pear batch.
A wine maker said "the taste will lessen in just a bit of time".
"How long is a bit of time?"
Winemaker, "6months".
(www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=27720)

I don't want to an wait an extra 6 months, I want my options open! haha
Also, I know there is SO2 in nature but still I just don't want to add more SO2 than enough to kill the wild yeast but not enough to kill my K1 yeast.
Would throwing the wine into my freezer for 2weeks not be suffice? I would think the must would get at least -4 celsius maybe even more?-I'll have to check on it every few hours)
I am guessing many people use k-meta more because of the sheer volume of their batch, while mine is only an itty bitty 2.5 gallons (portion of that is maybe a single gallon haha)?
Is my thought correct?

 

[richmke]

I don't want to an wait an extra 6 months, I want my options open! haha

You can also filter clear wine using filters that will filter out the yeast.

Or, you can bottle dry, and when you drink it, back sweeten (add sugar) then. If you do it this way, you don't have to kill the yeast.

Also, I know there is SO2 in nature but still I just don't want to add more SO2 than enough to kill the wild yeast but not enough to kill my K1 yeast.

You want to kill all the yeast.

Would throwing the wine into my freezer for 2weeks not be suffice? I would think the must would get at least -4 celsius maybe even more?

No. You can store the lees (sediment) from the fermentation in the freezer, and then use it to make Skeeter Pee (lemon wine). The yeast come back to life nicely.

 

[jh0330]

...from the fermentation in the freezer, and then use it to make Skeeter Pee (lemon wine). The yeast come back to life nicely.

Thanks for clarifying that for me ^^

 

[clames]

Thanks for all the responses. I looked back at my paperwork and it appears I did not check the starting SG. Newbie mistake on my part! I did test it about a week after I pitched the yeast and it was 1.003, which by my calculations means this wine will probably have a very low ABV. I will test it again here in a bit and see if it is the same as yesterday. .992. I assume a vinometer will be the only way to get an accurate ABV for this batch?

SO much to learn in this process, I thank you all in advance for your wisdom... I'm sure I'll be back with more questions.

 

[sour_grapes]

I did test it about a week after I pitched the yeast and it was 1.003, which by my calculations means this wine will probably have a very low ABV.

The number 1.003 will not tell you anything about your ABV. You needed to know what the SG was before fermentation commenced.

A vinometer could give you a VERY rough idea of your ABV. There are other ways, but they are probably more trouble than they are worth to you.

 

[Loner]

For sure give it a dose of sorbate. The sweet spot for me on muscadine is @ 1.010 keep an eye on it for a couple of weeks to insure fermentation doesn't take off again. Leave it in the carboy for at least six months before even thinking of bottling. You will probably have to rack it a couple of times to get it off the sediment.

 

[richmke]

If you have a refractometer, you can use the readings from a refractometer and a hydrometer to estimate ABV. This also only works on dry wine.

 

[clames]

Sorbate and six months in the carboy, got it! I've not heard of a refractometer, but my husband loves the science aspect of the winemaking so I will have him look into that. I'm more into the consuming aspect... Thanks again for all the great advice! I'm sure I will be back for more!