Mosti Mondiale Stuck ? fermentation

[ldmack3]

Not sure if stuck or just ending.
Gets down to 1.000 withing a week and stays there for another week before i bottle. This only happens with my reds. Whites are ok.

Tried warmer and cooler temps. 72F to 80F
Only area where I did not follow instructions to the letter is I usually miss starting 2nd fermentation until it is 1.020 to 1.030 instead if 1.040 to 1.050.
Tried to restart fermentation in the carboy with no success.
Checked hydrometer.
Always rehydrate yeast.
Have some red 3 years old and still good.
Keep it out of light, vibration and monitor the ambient temp daily and must temp 1 -3 days depending on the stage.
Stir the must as specified.
Sterialize everything and shake off excess sulfite.
I have 4 limited release coming and want them to be the best they can. What I make is good but think a little dryer would be better.
Any ideas?
Thanks

 

[ibglowin]

Many of us ferment to dry in the bucket so transferring over to glass at 1.02 vs 1.04 should not be an issue. Main thing is temperature, a little O2 need to finish out.
Did you add the yeast nutrient (supplied) ?
Did you accidentally add the Sulfite or Sorbate while it was still fermenting?
Are you checking the SG daily to see if its dropping slowly?
Are you using the supplied yeast (EC1118)?
Any difference in water?
Seems preety strange that your whites are fermenting to dry and not the reds if everything is the same.

 

[rhoffart]

When you say "reds" ... how many times has this happened?
In my little experience I don't think a kit will get "stuck" ... It either is finished and you hydrometer is a little off -or- you killed it with sorbate or SO2.
It sounds like your process is tight. Not sure ...

 

[Wade E]

Im guessing these are the smaller 10- 12 liter kits!!! Im not fond of them as many of them do that, why, I have no idea! The bigger kits very rarely do this and usually ferment down to .996 or less and also have much more body. Unfortunately for some reason these smaller kits do this often, maybe try fermenting to dry in the bucket. Its what Ive been doing for many years and by doing this you are not leaving any viable yeast behind thus possibly making it harder for the fermentation o finish. Just snap the lid shut with airlock around 1.020 if you are not doing that from the beginning.

 

[ldmack3]

I will try and answer all the questions but not in the order ask.
Usually 23L kits
10-12 times
Never (so far) added sulfite or sorbate accidently.
Uusually check SG daily to try and catch it when ready to go to 2nd fermentation but I travel some and miss the date.
During 2nd fermentation check s.g. every day or so until it hits 1.000 and then every 2 - 3 days. after a week at 1.000 I assume it's done and move on.
Only use the yeast supplied
Add nutrient when supplied
After the must starts foaming good snap the lid shut. It immediately start good bubbling and continues for 2-3 days until ready to 2nd ferment. Then slow a little
I stir as recommended.
I track everything by spread sheet and would be happy to send a sample if I could figure out how to paste it.
I track:
Make
Style
lot#
Label info
Batch#
Date
Day
Must temp
Ambient temp
S.G.
Notes on bubbling and other note worty items.
When racked
How yeast is rehydrated/pitched
I use a stop watch on how long to rehrdrate the yeast at 90F! (I know. Pretty anal!)
I track how often it bubbles Until the SG reaches 1.000; 30 sec; 1:20 sec etc. Usually throw in the towl when it hits 4 and 6 minutes between bubbles. Give it a few more days, check the SG and then move on
Just recently switched from tap to Ozarka Spring Water (no difference)

I'm down to trying:
1. Another hyd as I need a spare anyway;
2. When it appears stuck racking to a bucket to try and restart fermentation. Tried in the carboy with no success.
3. I'd like to just not worry about it but would really like to get it dry.
Thanks for the advice. Any other ideas?
I appreciate it very much.

 

[Wade E]

So this was an all juice kit that you did not add any water at all? If nit what Im referring to is that there are kits that are concentrate and some of these start you off with 10 liters of concentrate while some are 18 liters. The bigger ones for the most part are way better and have a lot more body. There are 23 liter kits out there though and even some of those arent that good. Could you tell us exactly what kit this is?

 

[ldmack3]

Le'Original All juice 23L. 100% juice no water 90% of the time.
I have done a few reds with less than all juice and the whites were less than 100% juice.
95% of what I make are Mosti Mondiale; Amarone, Shiraz, Borolo, Montepulciano
I have done a few Vinefara Noble & Cellar Craft
I prefer the 100% juice as they, over time, develop more than the concentrates.
open to all suggestions and ides.
thanks

 

[Wade E]

Sounds lime youve done everything right including your juice on better wine kits. I myself prefer the RJS Winery and Ep kits and never seem to have a problem getting to or below .996. That said have you ever checked your hydrometer in distilled water at the temp your hydrometer is calibrated to. Some hydrometers are calibrated to 60* while others are the 66* and at that temp in distilled water it should read 1.000. If your hydro reads anything else youll have to adjust for that.

 

[ldmack3]

Hummm.
did not use distilled water to check the hydrometer. I did use the chart included with hydrometer for correction.

Maybe that is it. distilled water.
I'll try when i get back in town.

If it works....
"We're not worthy!
We're not worthy!"

Will advise
Thanks

 

[ldmack3]

OK. got soem distilled water and checked the hydrometer.
It's a 60F hydrometer and it read 1.002 at 74F, adding a correction of 1+ pts puts it 3-4pts high.
But doing the math it was not the distilled water, it was my mistake in reading it during the previous test.

Even though the SG readings are now .996 / .997 for reds I still wonder what the whites fermented more drye.

Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions!