Question about JOAM ferment temp

[Bodenski]

I started a batch of JOAM yesterday, and it's fermenting quite well.

I know the instructions generally have you ferment this in a warm, dark place. I should have thought more about it, as it's getting kinda chilly outside now, and I can't afford to keep the house that warm! Once I top it off in the next day or so, my plan was to place it where the rest of my wines are aging. It's probably 66-68 degrees now, and may get a little cooler as the months drag on.

Is this too cool a temp to leave it at while I'm leaving it alone? I'd love to keep it in the kitchen but SHMBO will eventually want it moved.

 

[Arne]

I would guess you should be fine at 66-68. The ferment will probably slow down, but what is a little more time when making wine? Good luck with it, Arne.

 

[Grabo]

I have fermented 2x 1 gallon batches, a 6 gallon batch, and a 6 gallon batch that was a blueberry vanilla variant all at around 65-68 degrees in my basement. I think they turned out great; fermentation took just over 3 months until fully clear except for the blueberry vanilla. The blueberry vanilla needed some extra encouragement and time because of a pectin haze.

 

[Bodenski]

Thanks all. I'm not in a rush for it (I have some apple cider and some Dragonblood to get my more immediate need to taste something i've made) so a little prolonged time to clear doesn't worry me. I do have a layer of honey that has clearly layered out at the bottom, but I imagine the yeast will take care of that in time.

 

[Bodenski]

I'm looking at my old threads and thought I'd update a few. My JOAM went two months (average temp close to 65 I think, maybe closer to 60) and was then bottled into swing-top bottles. It had too much pith taste originally. I had a bottle a few weeks ago, and it's already coming along quite nicely. Most of the bottles have a little sediment at the bottom, so if I'm not careful pouring it gets stirred up.

SO the bottom line was that the temp was OK, but I should have let it go longer to clear. And I should move it a few days before bottling, so it can settle out again before bottling. I'll make it again someday, but maybe not this year. I'll see how they taste in another few months first.