Primary fermentation?

[Jordy Tokes]

I have a batch of island mist green apple kit in fermenter that I added some grape juice and dextrose to bump the ABV. My OG was 1.094. I pitched the 1118 yeast at 23.5°C and 12 hours later my air lock is bubbling like a huge wet fart! The directions say to wait 7 days. So will the air lock keep bubbling for the whole week? And if it stops bubbling earlier do I check SG? Somewhat confused

 

[1d10t]

Following the kit instructions won't hurt. I'd say if you are only going to rack once, into the secondary, don't do it too soon. Let as much 'crap' fall out as possible. If you are going to rack a second time, then some folks won't wait until the primary fermentation is completed before the first racking.

 

[Jordy Tokes]

Following the kit instructions won't hurt. I'd say if you are only going to rack once, into the secondary, don't do it too soon. Let as much 'crap' fall out as possible. If you are going to rack a second time, then some folks won't wait until the primary fermentation is completed before the first racking.

Following the kit instructions won't hurt. I'd say if you are only going to rack once, into the secondary, don't do it too soon. Let as much 'crap' fall out as possible. If you are going to rack a second time, then some folks won't wait until the primary fermentation is completed before the first racking.

thanks. But how do I know if the primary fermentation is done other than checking SG? Just wondering if the bubbles in airlock stop tomorrow I still have 5 days left. Did the yeast stop or is it still fermenting? I’m just kind of wondering hypothetically

 

[sour_grapes]

Bubbles are "for amusement purposes only." Timelines are not worth all that much. Few of us ferment in a vessel with an airlock anyway.

I usually check the SG every day or two, monitoring the progress of the fermentation towards completion.

If you do use an airlock, the bubbles are not useless -- when the bubbling slows down, you know to check the SG to see if you are nearly done.

As I say, I ferment in an open vessel, check SG frequently, and when SG is ~1.005 or so, I use that signal to rack to a carboy. Ignore the 7-days timeline, go by SG.

 

[Jordy Tokes]

Bubbles are "for amusement purposes only." Timelines are not worth all that much. Few of us ferment in a vessel with an airlock anyway.

I usually check the SG every day or two, monitoring the progress of the fermentation towards completion.

If you do use an airlock, the bubbles are not useless -- when the bubbling slows down, you know to check the SG to see if you are nearly done.

As I say, I ferment in an open vessel, check SG frequently, and when SG is ~1.005 or so, I use that signal to rack to a carboy. Ignore the 7-days timeline, go by SG.

Ok thank you very much because the instructions say by day 8 the SG should be lower than 1.010

 

[cmason1957]

One thing to remember about making wine, the yeast have no idea of how many days it has been, second thing to remember is that airlocks lie all the time and if you try to determine anything from bubbles in the airlock or lack thereof you are doomed to failure. I often will clamp the lid down and put an airlock on my white wine ferments, since white wines oxidize so much easier.

Even with that,I open it every day at least once and stir the whole thing. I think it helps keep the yeast in suspension and does the first step of getting the CO2 out of the wine later. After the ferment starts to slow down, around day 5 or 6, I'll clean and sanitize a hydrometer, then drop it into the bucket and leave it. Some folks worry about the hydrometer breaking in there, I haven't had that happen yet and don't. I don't stir hard enough to break the thermometer. If I'm doing a red wine, well the lid is open, so I generally leave the hydrometer in there from the beginning.

 

[Scooter68]

As Sour Grapes and Cmason say - Time-lines in Kit "Instructions" rarely equal reality. The only thing that matters is the SG numbers. Follow those, Ferment with a cloth cover or airlock on the bucket if you wish but go by the REALITY of what the SG is doing.

Those same kit instructions and advertising descriptions will also tell you that you can be drinking your wine in 6 weeks. Well.... I can be drinking my wine in a lot sooner if I buy some "Ripple" - the taste won't be the same but it will be "Wine"

 

[Doug’s wines]

@cmason1957 i also leave a hydrometer in the primary as well as a spoon and thermometer to avoid having to do daily sanitizing of them. Never heard the “afraid of breaking” comment. I don’t want to hijack the thread, but was surprised by that. Feel like there’s more break risk moving it around versus leaving it in?

in line with the thread, yes always use the hydrometer as a guide and ignore the airlock. I’ve had year old wine airlocks bubble in bulk due to temperature changes. Also on kits, I don’t do secondary any more. Most instructions seem to have eliminated it too. I just go primary until dry or my target SG (usually 14 days or so) rack, clear / fpack etc (another 15 days). Then rack to polish and bulk age in barrel or carboy depending on my plan for a year racking every 3 months if carboy and topping up about every quarter if barrel (yes I should probably do more frequently, but I don’t).

 

[cmason1957]

I am with you, I don't have a great if it breaking, some have voiced that concern in the past, not sure who. I think the fear was the little balls in the bottom and if it breaks outside the bucket those aren't in your wine. Do what you are comfortable with.

My timelines for kits are a bit different, I start in a bucket and stay there until fermentation is complete, then to a carboy for about three or four weeks after adding kmeta. Rack a few times, if I had a barrel it would go into that after the wine had cleared mostly by itself. Them kmeta and Sorbate once clear, f-pack, filter. Bottle.

 

[Doug’s wines]

I am still using the kit clearing agents to get a quick clear so I can barrel it. I’ve got Barrels asking for wine usually, but I would prefer to naturally clear and even get rid of the sorbate. Only do the kmeta... could solve that by doing more kits, but currently still outpacing my ability to give wine away... this virus isn’t helping. I was sick for 2 weeks so no one wanted to come get wine. Luckily my household consumption is way up, so almost treading water here...

 

[bstnh1]

One thing to remember about making wine, the yeast have no idea of how many days it has been, second thing to remember is that airlocks lie all the time and if you try to determine anything from bubbles in the airlock or lack thereof you are doomed to failure. I often will clamp the lid down and put an airlock on my white wine ferments, since white wines oxidize so much easier.

Even with that,I open it every day at least once and stir the whole thing. I think it helps keep the yeast in suspension and does the first step of getting the CO2 out of the wine later. After the ferment starts to slow down, around day 5 or 6, I'll clean and sanitize a hydrometer, then drop it into the bucket and leave it. Some folks worry about the hydrometer breaking in there, I haven't had that happen yet and don't. I don't stir hard enough to break the thermometer. If I'm doing a red wine, well the lid is open, so I generally leave the hydrometer in there from the beginning.

So you don't buy the "memory-enabled" yeast with the self-recording SG feature, eh?