slow to ferment

[GeoS]

How are you covering your bucket? I found that if I use an air lock fermentation crawls along. I get the best fermentation by just setting the lid on the bucket with the hole open. I do not even snap the lid down I put a gallon jug of water on it to keep it from coming off if bumped. I also try to open it and mix it twice a day to keep oxygen in it.

 

[JFire]

I made my first batch of SP my 2nd ever of any wine. Since I didn't know if my first wine will be any good I didn't use the slurry. I started by following the directions on the website to the letter. I rehydrated my yeast prior to pitching. First 3 days I saw nothing but was getting an alcohol smell. At a full week it finally took off and was bubbling nicely. Went from 1.070 to 1.050 in 10 days from pitching yeast. Added the other juice and nutrients and its been rolling ever since. Moved to secondary 3 days after. I'm tempted to get a reading since its slowed but still going well

 

[GeoS]

I made my first batch of SP my 2nd ever of any wine. Since I didn't know if my first wine will be any good I didn't use the slurry. I started by following the directions on the website to the letter. I rehydrated my yeast prior to pitching. First 3 days I saw nothing but was getting an alcohol smell. At a full week it finally took off and was bubbling nicely. Went from 1.070 to 1.050 in 10 days from pitching yeast. Added the other juice and nutrients and its been rolling ever since. Moved to secondary 3 days after. I'm tempted to get a reading since its slowed but still going well

I would check it every 2 to 3 days to see when it's done. If you get two reading the same at least 2 days apart fermentation has stopped.

 

[JFire]

Checked it today. 1.010 degassed it and its bubbling along so I think everything is good. Lime Skeeter pee started tonight.

 

[GeoS]

Checked it today. 1.010 degassed it and its bubbling along so I think everything is good. Lime Skeeter pee started tonight.

You may want to degas it again once it ferments to dry (~0.995). I usually wait until mine is done fermenting before degassing. The gas is carbon dioxide which is a by product of the fermentation.

 

[JFire]

You may want to degas it again once it ferments to dry (~0.995). I usually wait until mine is done fermenting before degassing. The gas is carbon dioxide which is a by product of the fermentation.

I wanted to degass it to make sure it wasn't stuck and that the bubbling wasn't residual co2. It has slowed down but still going. Probably take a reading tonight.

 

[GeoS]

I wanted to degass it to make sure it wasn't stuck and that the bubbling wasn't residual co2. It has slowed down but still going. Probably take a reading tonight.

Sounds like a plan.

 

[JFire]

Concerned I'm stuck. Been 4 days and I went from 1.01 to 1.002. I degassed and gave it 2 tsp of super ferment. Should I just have left it alone? Or was this a good move?

 

[GeoS]

Concerned I'm stuck. Been 4 days and I went from 1.01 to 1.002. I degassed and gave it 2 tsp of super ferment. Should I just have left it alone? Or was this a good move?

Sounds like your getting toward the end of the ferment cycle. It ferments pretty quick at first then slows down toward the end. More of a logarithmic curve than anything. You probably could have left it go. I don't think adding the super ferment will hurt anything though.

 

[GeoS]

The one thing I have really gained from making wine is patience!

 

[Elmer]

"My name is Elmer and my Pee is slow to ferment!"
....

I started my batch on 5/22.
I made a 1 gallon batch with 14 Oz of Santa Cruz Organic Lemon Juice (100% pure lemon juice, no other ingredients, thanks vegan store!).
3 cups sugar
1 tsp Nutrient
1/2 tsp tanning
1/2 tsp pectic
Starting SG was 1.080

I figured I would make it a little strong on the lemon juice, since I would top off with water. Seeing as how I tend to loose some volume when I rack and get rid of the lees and junk upon racking.

I checked the SG on 5/24 it was 1.070
on 5/25 it was 1.070
So I added some more nutrient in hopes of kick starting
and on 5/27 it was 1.070.
it is currently 74 degrees!

It keeps foaming up (see picture below) but I am getting no dropping of the SG!
I whip it morning and night.

Should I add more yeast?
Should I add more water (too much lemon?)?

Unfortunately I dont have the patience for slow fermentation! I got to learn patience or get out of the wine making hobby!



since I keep the lid slightly off to give it some good dose of oxygen, I opened to see what was going on. I can hear the snap, crackle and pop of our little friend yeast doing its business. However is is slow.

 

[JFire]

Elmer it took my SP with no slurry a good 7 days to rock and roll.

 

[Elmer]

Elmer it took my SP with no slurry a good 7 days to rock and roll.

Given that Ferm is sooooo sloooow,
Did you wait to tranfer to secondary?
Or did you still go there between 1.050 and 1.030????

 

[GeoS]

It sounds like your stuck at 1.07. The picture looks like you have yeast floating in there but no fermentation. It almost looks like the yeast hasn't rehydrated yet. I would let it go for another day or two.

How old was the yeast and was it EC1118?

 

[CBell]

If you can hear the sounds of fermentation, I'd leave it alone for now and continue checking on it. Skeeter pee, especially with dry-pitched yeast instead of a slurry takes a long time. I am always second guessing my skeeter pee when it first starts because it takes so long to really get started. I bet if you give it a few more days, you'll have a good head of foam and feel silly for ever worrying.

Once it really builds up it'll go fast.

 

[JFire]

Given that Ferm is sooooo sloooow,
Did you wait to tranfer to secondary?
Or did you still go there between 1.050 and 1.030????

I added the extra bottle and nutrients at 1.050 and moved to secondary three days later

 

[JFire]

Concerned about my sp. I was @ 1.02 4 days ago was concerned I was stuck degassed and added 2 tsp of super ferment. Take a reading today 1.01 ish. Suggestions?

 

[CBell]

1.02 to 1.01 in 4 days is good progress in secondary. Things slow down a bit toward the end. Be patient, give it a week, and you'll probably have fermented dry

 

[GeoS]

Concerned about my sp. I was @ 1.02 4 days ago was concerned I was stuck degassed and added 2 tsp of super ferment. Take a reading today 1.01 ish. Suggestions?

The purpose of the secondary is to reduce the exposure to oxygen, that's why we top it up into the neck of the bottle. The disadvantage is it slows down fermentation. Fermentation needs oxygen. Its a catch 22.

What happens is the carbon dioxide, CO2, that results from fermentation, forms a layer above the must which keeps the oxygen out. To get some oxygen back in we whip it daily. The oxygen doesn't stay long once you set the lid back on the bucket because of the new buildup to CO2.

The bottom line is you need to have as little exposure to air when fermentation stops. To do this, once it gets to around 1.01 you put it in the secondary and ferment to dry.

Hope this helps. It helps me understand it when I write it out.

 

[JFire]

1.02 to 1.01 in 4 days is good progress in secondary. Things slow down a bit toward the end. Be patient, give it a week, and you'll probably have fermented dry

I typoed it was 1.002 to 1.001 in 4 days.