Something growing on cap?

JakeSnow · Feb 15, 2012

Hello all. I'm used to making wine kits, but have made a crabapple wine before from fruit. My neighbor gave me 12 lbs of black plums last summer and just found them in the freezer and decided to make wine from them. Started them in the primary on 2/11 and added yeast on 2/12. It's been fermenting fine, but when I was punching down the cap on 2/14 these light pink critters were present. They kinda look like inflated yeast when looked at closer. I punched some of them down so there are less of them than seen in the picture.

Smells like yeast but wanted to get a veteran's opinion. I'm pretty good with sterilizing everything and have not had a problem after 6 wine kits and one country wine. Any advice would be great. thanks!

Wade E · Feb 15, 2012

Its fine but you really should push the cap down twice a day so that no mold forms or you will be in trouble then. Pushing it down also helps extract better color and sugars as anything floating isnt in contact with your wine.

grapeman · Feb 15, 2012

It looks like large yeast colonies to me. Punch em down often and they will soon disapear into the wine.

Runningwolf · Feb 15, 2012

Jake I agree with the above posts. I would like to hear more about your crabapple wine. How did you deal with the high acid? I have about 12 gallons aging right now that is very high in acid I would like to do something with. I am thinking most of it will be used for blending.

Wade E · Feb 15, 2012

Dan, mine was high in acid also but never dropped anythiung while in my cellar and it really tasted good despite the high acid. Try some before blending! There are wines as yoiu most likely know that will always be and taste better with much higher acids then most books state should be like grapes grown around Rich's area.

JakeSnow · Feb 15, 2012

Thanks for the advice everyone! Just checking my suspicion.

As far as the crabapple wine, I am not sophisticated with testing a wide range of things. I followed a recipe similar to one posted by Wade on this board but for one gallon, then back sweetened it. Crabapple taste different than apple so it was a bit different but tasted very good. It's been ageing in bottles for a year now. I should try another bottle.