Stalled at 1.030

[Ang]

I started my first Pee a month ago and it is still too sweet to drink. I whipped it mercilessly 3 days ago to get it to progress. OG was 1.100 on July 20. July 25 1.082. July 28 1.070. Racked to carboy after adding and mixing remaining ingredients July 29 at 1.064. Aug 5- 1.040 added 1/2 tsp each of nutrient and energizer, mixed thoroughly . Aug 11 1.034. Aug 15 1.030 when I racked into pail for whipping.
I know SG was high when I added the remaining ingredients but I assumed it needed the help. Now I am frustrated and stumped, I wanted to share it this weekend!
The room has been 74F steady. Any advice?

 

[Ang]

Sorry. I just read a similar post and may have to pitch another 1118 pkg of yeast. I will recheck my SG tonight to see if it is brewing without bubbling. Should I rack it back to the pail and leave it there, mixing daily again? I've had 1118 go to 21.2% before (Dandelion) and wasn't expecting any trouble but this is not regular wine.

 

[knifemaker]

I'd get a good strong starter going, at least a quart. Then rack it back to a bucket and add your starter. I always get mine going without the lemon, and then when it's rolling, I add my lj a half bottle at a time. I usually use just two 32 oz bottles of lj, and don't add the second bottle until after I degass, but before my finings. There's no sugar in it, so nothing to ferment. Dale.

 

[Ang]

Oh, great ideas! We are having our first brew club meeting tomorrow and a month ago I thought I could share it then, too bad. Will the extra yeast leave a taste? I assume it will just die off when it goes dry however long that takes. Then follow normal procedures. Do I leave it in Primary and mix it daily again? Like a new batch?

 

[wineforfun]

Were you stirring it twice daily?
Were you fermenting in a bucket not airlocked?
Did you use yeast nutrients?

Never had any issues with SP or DB fermenting dry in approx. 5 days. I don't use a slurry from previous batches. I always use a new packet of yeast.

 

[Arne]

Did you keep the temperature up? I know it is July- Aug. right now, but there are some places in the world it is cool this time of year. Kinda hard for me to believe, lol, Arne.

 

[Ang]

I tested it last night and is still 1.030. I have had it in an air locked car boy in 74F, steady. I will rack it back to primary and repitch EC1118 and a half dose of nutrients and energizer than if it were new. Whip it daily and expect it to finish dry already! Thanks for your help, I'm sure the next batch will go more smoothly.

 

[Johnd]

I tested it last night and is still 1.030. I have had it in an air locked car boy in 74F, steady. I will rack it back to primary and repitch EC1118 and a half dose of nutrients and energizer than if it were new. Whip it daily and expect it to finish dry already! Thanks for your help, I'm sure the next batch will go more smoothly.

Have you taken any pH reading on the wine as it is now? I'd be curious to see if it's low. If you do one, you'll need to degas a little sample before you test it.

 

[Ang]

Hey, knifemaker. I rewrote my recipe with your suggestions and it reminds me of using turbo yeast to make an alco-base. These brews use liquid carbon for the same reasons they both get aerated. I'm pretty new to this and wonder if anyone uses liquid charcoal?

 

[Ang]

I finally got around to repitching yeast, adding nutrient and energizer and stirring it daily. It was at 1.028 last night. Hoping for the best!

 

[Ang]

Today it is still at 1.030! I am going to pitch it and try again. Unfortunate!

 

[NCWC]

here is a file on stuck fermentation. We had a batch of Zin it took HOURS but we got it going, that was moths ago and the wine is aging and taste very good right now

View attachment 2010RestartStuck.pdf

 

[crabjoe]

I think my SP is stalling.. Like the OP, it's fermenting, but super slow compared to what I've read on how other's SP had progressed.

I don't see how my SP will ferment down from 1.070 to anywhere near 1.000 in 7 days. It's Wed and it's sitting at 1.064, where it was last night. I did have some issues with a rubber smell and got that taken care of yesterday with more yeast nutrients, but it also seems to have really slowed my fermentation.

Today, when I went to stir, I noticed I got way less CO2 release than in the past. I used Red Start Premier Blanc yeast. Should I try pitching EC1118 to see if that might get it going?

 

[cmason1957]

I would consider pitching EC1118, but I would also make a really big starter of it, as in maybe (since you have had issues with this batch) take two packets of yeast, add to the appropriate amount of warm water and let sit for about 10 minutes, then add a similar amount of your must to the yeast mixture, wait about 30 minutes, repeat with similar amount of must. So if you start with 200 ml of water and yeast, first addition should be 200 ml of your must, next addition 400 ml of your must, maybe repeat one more time with 800 ml of your must. Then pitch that into your bucket and walk away after putting it into your fermenter, come back in 24 hours.

 

[crabjoe]

Ok.. Pitched a starter made with EC1118.

When I poured it in a bunch of bubbles came up.. then nothing.. I'll check it tomorrow morning to see how it looks.