Specific Gravity residue --

OilnH2O · Jun 11, 2006

I checked the specific gravity of my lilac wine today -- it was 0.994 by the way -- but after I pulled the hydrometer out of the wine, it was covered with some white substance that, when I tried to remove it, was the same consistency and acted like... Crisco!Yes, Crisco -- white, greasy and sticky!Since I'm having other problems with my rhubarb (on the yeast forum) my first thought was "what next!"

(Actually, that wasn't my FIRST thought, but the first I could share with you

) Any ideas? For background, the lilac wine is in an air-locked 1 gal bottle, with just enough headspace to allow for the SG to be taken directly in the neck of the bottle. So whatever is there, is in the secondary -- I did not thief a sample and check sg in another sample jar. If Martina sees this, this might be the "floaties" I mentioned earlier. Yes, the hydrometer was cleaned (straightA)and sanitized (sodium metabisulfite sanitizer) and then rinsed before it went in the lilac (Masta's got me hyper free-SO2 sensitive now!)

earl · Jun 12, 2006

Oil

This is from WineMaker Magazine, it concerns Volatile Acidity, or turning the wine to vinegar:

If you’re using glass carboys, another early sign is a brittle film on the top of your wine. Later, assuming the bug you’re dealing with is an actual aceto-bacter, the film will become a white, ropy layer, and by then, you are definitely stuck with salad dressing.

Is this what you have???

earl

OilnH2O · Jun 12, 2006

Not yet -- from the research I've been able to do so far, my thoughts are that it is pectin haze. I've posted the problem on winepress because Jack Keller watches it closely, hoping for an idea from him or others -- you're the first who's responded! (So far!)

This is not brittle, but the "floaties" are white, wispy sort of, and floating at the neck of the carboy. When the hydrometer came out, they sorta clung to the side and were sorta soapy or like Crisco. The whole wine is still hazy, which is described on Jack's website for some fruit wines (but he didn't mention lilac).With the lack of clearing and settling, I thought of the "pectin haze" but definitely need EXPERT advice at this point!

Thanks for thowing out another possibility!

earl · Jun 13, 2006

I had something similar with my Apple/raspberry. Long ropy strands that would come from the top and sink to the bottom. Then if you watched a while they would go back to the top. Almost like a lava lamp. This was after my first racking from the fermentation bucket to the carboy. I just let it sit for about 3 weeks and they went away. The smell during that point was pretty bad. After I racked it a second time there was no trace of them. The smell is great now and it is quietly bulk aging in my basemant.

earl

OilnH2O · Jun 13, 2006

Theseseem to move like that, when I move the bottle, but in the liquid it looks similar to a lava lamp. I mentioned this several weeks ago on the "lilacs" posting, and Martina respondedto not worry, they'd drop out -- but nothing has changed inalmost 4 weeks!

On winepress someone thought it might be the nectar from the flowers that has coalesced -- but I'm amazed nectar could withstand the vigorous fermentation that took place -- Jack Keller's site doesdescribe something called "pectin haze" in fruit wines -- but lilacs aren't fruit....

At this point, I'm going to let it sit and try to learn more, especially from those who have doneflower wines, before I start doing stuff...just to be DOING STUFF! Otherwise, the "Patience" police will be on me!