Wondering is there is any way to salvage these batches? They've been in secondary fermintation for a while, the longest around 2 years. Racked every 6ish months, but now looks to have growth on the surface. It looks like 3 separate kinds, but are they all spoiled?
Time to dump? Moldy?
- Thread starter kyle6367
- Start date
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First, remove the organisms. You might be able to get them with a damp paper towel, or rack from the bottom of the carboy, leaving whatever wine you have to that ensures the organisms remain behind.
Then taste the wines. If the wines smell and taste good, they are recoverable. I'd add a double dose of K-meta.
From your description, I see a few problems:
Then taste the wines. If the wines smell and taste good, they are recoverable. I'd add a double dose of K-meta.
From your description, I see a few problems:
- Headspace -- the wines all have too much headspace, which provides an opportunity for oxidation and hostile micro-organisms to grow.
- Racking -- while I was originally taught to rack on a schedule, racking a wine that has no need for it is a waste of effort, a waste of wine, and an opportunity for oxidation and hostile micro-organisms.
- Too long in the carboy -- wine is safer in the bottle than in the carboy, as the bottles are sealed. Some will disagree with me strongly, but once a wine has bulk aged 6 to 12 months (depending on wine type), it's better to get it in bottle. Wines that are barrel aged, where the container has a direct effect upon the wine, are a completely different situation.
Wine is a food product. If it tastes bad dump it.
From a food point of view, once you get above 5% ABV with pH 3.5 or less you will not grow food poisoning organisms.
From a food point of view, once you get above 5% ABV with pH 3.5 or less you will not grow food poisoning organisms.
It's always been my understanding spoilage starts from the top, especially VA, and works its down. That is why Bryan recommended racking from the bottom of the carboy. Lately though I've been using my AIO and suck the wine off the top when I see signs of infection.
Good idea. Take off the top 3", including the organisms, then test the remainder.
I use a 3 stage testing method:
Look. If it's an ugly brown, has chunks floating in it, etc., stop.
Sniff. If it smells nasty, it is nasty. Stop.
Taste. If a wine passes the sniff test, it's probably ok, but tasting confirms it. The nose is the best indicator.
2 years for secondary fermentation? I. think you mean aging, I've never seen fermentation last that long.
6 months and racking is ok. but really 1 year don't need to rack unless it's really needed. but every few months dosing kmeta helps a little. check your bugs more regularly, did you not sanitize your car boys well enough.
most of these things can be prevented.
as others have said. if it's salvageable rack it off get it in a sanitized carboy add kmeta, top it up, wait a month check again if it's flavor is ok, and no off smells, bottle it.
hope you don't lose it all
6 months and racking is ok. but really 1 year don't need to rack unless it's really needed. but every few months dosing kmeta helps a little. check your bugs more regularly, did you not sanitize your car boys well enough.
most of these things can be prevented.
as others have said. if it's salvageable rack it off get it in a sanitized carboy add kmeta, top it up, wait a month check again if it's flavor is ok, and no off smells, bottle it.
hope you don't lose it all
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