Post regarding hydometers accuracy and my red raspberry must

Sammyk · Jun 17, 2012

There is a recent thread about accuracy/inaccuracy of hydrometers.

My red raspberry must started from jam on 5/29, 16 days ago has been hanging at 1.000 for about 5 days now. Normally I would think it is stuck or done. But a few times a day when I stir there is still a cap on the must. That cap tells me it is not done fermenting as low as it will go.

I have 2 different brands of hydrometers and both are reading the same......

Just an observation.

tingo · Jun 17, 2012

What is your temp? Hydrometers are calibrated for certain temps and need to have thier readings adjusted accordingly in order to b accurate.

cpfan · Jun 17, 2012

Sammyk said:
There is a recent thread about accuracy/inaccuracy of hydrometers.

My red raspberry must started from jam on 5/29, 16 days ago has been hanging at 1.000 for about 5 days now. Normally I would think it is stuck or done. But a few times a day when I stir there is still a cap on the must. That cap tells me it is not done fermenting as low as it will go.

I have 2 different brands of hydrometers and both are reading the same......

Just an observation.

While the sg may drop further, the statement "when I stir there is still a cap on the must" makes me wonder if the stirring is causing the CO2 to come out of solution forming the cap.

I'm a strong believer in "signs of fermentation are grossly over-rated".

What is the temperature of the wine? Low temps will definitely slow fermentation.

Steve

Sammyk · Jun 17, 2012

Steve that is a new term to me. Can you explain more, please? It is 82 here in NC so my guess is the must is warm - we have all the windows open here. It is 80.8 on the table where the primary is sitting

Does this mean it is going bad??

I planned to put it in secondary on Tuesday, can't get to it sooner.

cpfan · Jun 17, 2012

Sammyk said:
Steve that is a new term to me. Can you explain more, please? It is 82 here in NC so my guess is the must is warm - we have all the windows open here.

I`m not sure what you mean by "new term". So I`ll try to explain it all.

The results of sugar meeting yeast is alcohol and CO2. When the wine is stirred the CO2 will come out of solution especially if the beverage is warm. This is known as degassing the wine when done deliberately. So I was wondering if the `cap on the must` was just CO2 being released. (BTW, it`s not must anymore, it`s wine.)

`Signs of fermentation` usually means CO2 escaping out of an airlock. Beginning wine makers regularly ask about CO2 escaping from their air lock when the fermentation is done, or sorbate was added, or whatever. The wine is not continuing to ferment, it`s just the CO2 out gassing, especially if `the wine is warm.

Sometimes fermentation will slow down or stall if the temperature is low. 82F is just fine, and I doubt that this has happened.

Hope this helps. If you have any further questions, please be more specific.`

Steve

Sammyk · Jun 17, 2012

So I just stirred again and within a minute or so the cap formed even though the hydrometer is still sitting at 1.000.

I can rack tonight if necessary but had planned to rack it to secondary in 2 days.

This is the first wines I have made in the summer when it was warmer and I do see my strawberry is moving right along very quickly.

And I do not have an airlock on my primaries, just a heavy bath towel.

Sammyk · Jun 17, 2012

What I meant is I know when the secondary has an air lock it will bubble from the CO2, I did not know that it meant that it is coming out of solution.

B0gus · Jun 17, 2012

I would rack immediately or at least get an air lock on it. Fermentation with a good yeast and warm temp (82 is warm!) will usually take less than 10 days. Your wine is only absorbing oxygen now. Don't stir it, you are only moving the dead yeast from the bottom, it won't help your wine if you stir up the lees after the wine is finished fermenting. FYI, a cap is completely normal on berry wine!