WineXpert Stuck Ferment

[Basilhaydens]

Hello all, I Started a Wine Experts Green apple kit on 10/18. This would be the 4th kit I have made from them. All the others turned out great. The moscato i started on 10/26 is doing great, but this one is having troubles. It is stuck at 1.040 SG. OG was 1.110. I waited about 10 days and started checking the gravity, and it was around 1.040 and stayed that way for a few days, I gave it a few good stirs for the next few days till day 14....still 1.040. So I tried giving it some yeast energizer to help it since it was stuck. Checked it again yesterday and after a few days of adding the energizer it still has not dropped. So last night I pitched another pack of EC-1118 in hopes it will start again. Anyone else have any ideas on why it might have gotten stuck or on how to get it to restart? Room temp has dropped a few degrees since its gotten colder but its still around 70 in my basement. I have had a blanket around it once I noticed it was not dropping hoping the warmer temps would help it take back off.

 

[Khristyjeff]

I would try increasing the temperature first to see if that gets it going. If that doesn't work then you can try making a yeast starter (can't remember who exactly, but a regular poster lists his steps for making one).

 

[salcoco]

one suggested method is to make a yeast starter with EC1118, once foaming well add one cup of stuck ferment, once it is foaming well add two cups once foaming well add four cups continue in this manner doubling the volume add after each successful fermentation restart.

 

[sour_grapes]

How are you measuring the SG? Hydrometer or refractometer?

 

[Basilhaydens]

How are you measuring the SG? Hydrometer or refractometer?

Hydrometer.

 

[Rice_Guy]

* you are hitting it with 1118 which is good, the gravity started high at 14.9% potential alcohol, basically where a number of yeast strains will die
* 70F is good, you won’t really improve by running warmer, just stress the yeast/ make the yeast run faster/ have higher nutrient demand
* waiting over night isn’t long for a cell population to build up, you wouldn’t see bubbles yet, building cells takes oxygen and you mixed air therefore good technique
* the standard restart is to start in a small volume with starter nutrient > add some original ferment to acclimate the yeast to built up alcohol/ grow the yeast population > add another volume original ferment to acclimate/ grow the yeast > add a third volume of original ferment to acclimate > mix this back to the original ferment.
* since this is a kit I will assume that the pH was good, low pH is a stress but the yeast should slow down but survive down to pH 2.8,
* you didn’t mention if this was in a bucket with towel cover or in a carboy with airlock building a cell population requires air as for at least the first two days
* best guess for why it stopped is low original nutrient, step feeding nutrient as with a mead should fix this, Ex 1.5gm/liter Fermaid O at start and 1.0gm/liter Fermaid K at 1.060 gravity,

Wine Experts Green apple kit on 10/18. ,,, It is stuck at 1.040 SG. OG was 1.110. ,,, So I tried giving it some yeast energizer to help it since it was stuck. ,,,. So last night I pitched another pack of EC-1118 in hopes it will start again. ,,, any ideas on why it might have gotten stuck or on how to get it to restart? Room 70 F in my basement.

 

[Gerry Congleton]

I just completed my 4th. week a couple of days ago and the SG measured .997 or .998. After a couple of extra days it has not changed. Is this low enough to rack for aging?

 

[rustbucket]

Yes, it can be racked and stabilized at this point. I haven't made the Wine Experts Green apple kit, but I've made another WinExpert kit that is similar to it. The one I made had a flavor pac that got added during the stabilization step so I'm assuming that you'll be adding such a pac at this stage of the process as well.

 

[winemaker81]

The general rule is that if the SG is 0.998 or lower, and is stable for 3 days, call it done. IME most ferments are 0.996 or lower, but 0.998 is realistic. In checking my records, I've had normal wines (not commercial juice or anything with preservatives) stop at 1.002 and never budge.

You are not in charge. Mother Nature is, and she has an odd sense of humor.

If it's not actively fermenting, sorbate will prevent a renewed fermentation. If you feel better about it, wait a week after adding the sorbate before adding the F-Pack. Better safe than sorry.

 

[Gerry Congleton]

Thanks for the information. I am going to do as Winemaker81 suggested and keep my fingers crossed for a goof batch of CS.