Stuck Fermentation

[Anne]

I'm a newbie and wanted to try something different. About three weeks ago I tried to make a batch of white cranberry wine - one gallon. I used a recipe for a red cranberry wine - 2 qts of juice, 2 qts of water, 2-1/2 tsp acid blend, 1/2 t. pectic enzyme, 1/2 tsp. energizer and 1 campden tablet. At first I only used 1/2 pack of yeast. My starting S.G. was 1.090. The first week it fermented very slowly, so over a few days I added another pack of yeast. Still wasn't hardly fermenting. Then I added another tsp. of energizer, following a technique I read about to gradually introduce it into the batch. Still hardly no action. In desperation I threw in a tsp. of nutrient. I'm pretty sure the juice I used (I think Ocean Spray) did not contain any sulphites, as I tried to read the label carefully. Three weeks later the S.G. is still reading 1.050. Is there much else I can do, or should I just chuck this batch?



Thanks for your help. Anne

 

[Wade E]

What is the temp of the must? I would try adding another tsp of nutient
as the vintners cranberry wine base called for quite a bite more than
all the others I have done. When looking in ingredients on products,
besides looking for meta, stray very far from sorbate. I would say get
this batch warmer though maybe using a desk lamp right up against it or
a heating pad.

 

[Waldo]

You might try giving it a good vigirous stirring too

 

[grapeman]

Anne where do you have the bucket sitting(what room- temperature)? What was the yeast you used? How much sugar did you add and when? If you can find the container reread the label and like Wade said check for any type of preservative.

 

[Anne]

I have been stirring it about every other day. It's sitting in my kitchen -- room temperature about 69 or 70. Some type of preservative might very well be the culprit. I no longer have the bottle but will check next time I go to the store. I have added a teaspoon of nutrient and have it sitting under a lamp now. We'll see what happens! Thanks, Anne.

 

[Angell Wine]

As long it is fermenting (slowly as it been) don't worry about until it stops. I've got a wine expert white merlot that's been going 19 days now.

 

[Joseph1]

Did you test the acidity or pH of the must prior to adding acid blend? Cranberries have a high level of acidity and the addition of acid blend may have created a very low pH environment that would inhibit the yeast. Low temperatures will also inhibit the yeast. Raising temperatures will help but it will probably be a slow fermentation.

 

[OGrav]

Sounds like you got some good advice. One thing caught my eye, though. Have you been stirring it this whole time? Or just when you started thinking that you might have a problem? Stirring will make your yeast go aerobic and reproduce more, not necessarily converting sugars. It's possible that you have an inch of yeast on the bottom ready to do its thing given some time. I have one old book that wrote about a wine that they purposely shook it every day for two weeksand it had grown so much yeast it completed fermentation in two days after.
Sobate?
Temp?
Good yeast?, Starter? Yeast characteristic/they vary
Acid
Was that straight cranberry juice you started with, or a blend? I recently made an ocean spray "cranberry" wine, but cranberry was the third juice listed. I didn't dilute much at all.
Thats all I got, hope your wine is feeling better.

 

[Wade E]

Is it still at 1.050 now. Whats going on?

 

[Anne]

It's moving along ever so slowly - now at 1.040. As to the pH or acidity, I have no idea as I have no way of testing. I guess I'll just keep stirring and keep it under the light. Thanks again.

 

[Wade E]

Glad to have it back in progress!