Too hot primary ferment

[Lauraliejean]

Hi there, we make apple wine from pressed apple juice and after bringing it up to 23 degrees on plant heating pads and adding the the yeast the primary fermenters we’re left on the heat for 24 hours and the temperature went up to 37! I unplugged and opened the window but that was last night and this morning the mist is now 27 degrees. Did We just ruin two carboys of wine? Is there anything I can do to help it?

 

[Ohio Bob]

Hi there, we make apple wine from pressed apple juice and after bringing it up to 23 degrees on plant heating pads and adding the the yeast the primary fermenters we’re left on the heat for 24 hours and the temperature went up to 37! I unplugged and opened the window but that was last night and this morning the mist is now 27 degrees. Did We just ruin two carboys of wine? Is there anything I can do to help it?

If you are extremely lucky, you may be alright. A good piece of insurance would be to make another yeast starter and get it into the wine as soon as possible. The heat may have stressed the yeast, so be on the look out for H2S smells. If you detect any, rack the wine, dose with Kmeta and watch. If it persists dose with some Reduless.

 

[Lauraliejean]

If you are extremely lucky, you may be alright. A good piece of insurance would be to make another yeast starter and get it into the wine as soon as possible. The heat may have stressed the yeast, so be on the look out for H2S smells. If you detect any, rack the wine, dose with Kmeta and watch. If it persists dose with some Reduless.

Thank you Bob, I will get some more yeast and do that today. I have not heard of either of the products you mention to use if it smells (like sulphur?) can you explain them a bit please?

 

[Ohio Bob]

Potassium metabisulfite (aka Kmeta) is used to knock down bacteria and prevent oxidation. It is usually added at crushing to ward off detritus that comes in with the raw fruit. After the wine has fermented, it’s used to prevent oxidation and is added at every racking.

Reduless is a copper containing product that is used to combat H2S (a rotten egg smell). It must be used exactly as the directions state since copper in wine is toxic. This product works because it also requires you add fining agents afterwards to precipitate out the copper.

Have you been checking the SG? If it’s still dropping, then your fermentation is still active. A good stir 3x per day will introduce oxygen, which the yeast needs. You should also smell the H2S if it exists.

 

[Lauraliejean]

Potassium metabisulfite (aka Kmeta) is used to knock down bacteria and prevent oxidation. It is usually added at crushing to ward off detritus that comes in with the raw fruit. After the wine has fermented, it’s used to prevent oxidation and is added at every racking.

Reduless is a copper containing product that is used to combat H2S (a rotten egg smell). It must be used exactly as the directions state since copper in wine is toxic. This product works because it also requires you add fining agents afterwards to precipitate out the copper.

Have you been checking the SG? If it’s still dropping, then your fermentation is still active. A good stir 3x per day will introduce oxygen, which the yeast needs. You should also smell the H2S if it exists.

Hi Bob, we do add sulphite at the time of juicing. I just wasn’t familiar with that term. We try to keep it low and don’t use it at racking. I haven’t checked the sg but I will do that today as well. If it is still dropping do I still have to add more yeast?

 

[Ohio Bob]

Your wine might not have a good shelf life without using Kmeta at every racking. If the SG keeps dropping and you don’t smell rotten eggs I would say you dodged the bullet.

 

[Lauraliejean]

Your wine might not have a good shelf life without using Kmeta at every racking. If the SG keeps dropping and you don’t smell rotten eggs I would say you dodged the bullet.

Potassium metabisulfite (aka Kmeta) is used to knock down bacteria and prevent oxidation. It is usually added at crushing to ward off detritus that comes in with the raw fruit. After the wine has fermented, it’s used to prevent oxidation and is added at every racking.

Reduless is a copper containing product that is used to combat H2S (a rotten egg smell). It must be used exactly as the directions state since copper in wine is toxic. This product works because it also requires you add fining agents afterwards to precipitate out the copper.

Have you been checking the SG? If it’s still dropping, then your fermentation is still active. A good stir 3x per day will introduce oxygen, which the yeast needs. You should also smell the H2S if it exists.

Hi Bob, if I check again now, how long do I wait before I recheck to see if it’s dropping? And should I add more yeast right away or wait to see what’s going on with the sg?

 

[winemaker81]

if I check again now, how long do I wait before I recheck to see if it’s dropping? And should I add more yeast right away or wait to see what’s going on with the sg?

Do a check 6 to 12 hours after the last check. As Bob said, if the SG is dropping, the wine is fermenting.

Note -- most wine yeast are happy with temperatures up to 38 C, and some above that. I expect your yeast is happy with the hotter temperature and fermentation is proceeding. Your next SG check will confirm that.

However, the wine doesn't do well at temperatures that high, so it's possible to have off flavors and aromas introduced. That said, you caught it at 24 hours, so I'd expect your wine to do ok.

I agree with Bob regarding K-meta. Sulfite is an antioxidant and a antimicrobial, and its presence extends freshness and shelf life.

 

[Lauraliejean]

Do a check 6 to 12 hours after the last check. As Bob said, if the SG is dropping, the wine is fermenting.

Note -- most wine yeast are happy with temperatures up to 38 C, and some above that. I expect your yeast is happy with the hotter temperature and fermentation is proceeding. Your next SG check will confirm that.

However, the wine doesn't do well at temperatures that high, so it's possible to have off flavors and aromas introduced. That said, you caught it at 24 hours, so I'd expect your wine to do ok.

I agree with Bob regarding K-meta. Sulfite is an antioxidant and a antimicrobial, and its presence extends freshness and shelf life.

Thanks! I just checked the sg, it’s around 60 after 48 hours. The temp is now down to 25. I gave them a good stir and I will check again before bed.

 

[Ohio Bob]

Thanks! I just checked the sg, it’s around 60 after 48 hours.

60 is not a valid possibility. Did you mean 1.060? If so then you are doing ok.

Accuracy matters, spelling does too! For example, sulphites = beneficial, sulphates = toxic.

 

[Lauraliejean]

60 is not a valid possibility. Did you mean 1.060? If so then you are doing ok.

Accuracy matters, spelling does too! For example, sulphites = beneficial, sulphates = toxic.

Yes. I did mean 1.060! Thanks.

 

[Lauraliejean]

60 is not a valid possibility. Did you mean 1.060? If so then you are doing ok.

Accuracy matters, spelling does too! For example, sulphites = beneficial, sulphates = toxic.

D

60 is not a valid possibility. Did you mean 1.060? If so then you are doing ok.

Accuracy matters, spelling does too! For example, sulphites = beneficial, sulphates = toxic.

Do you think that what has happened with this batch of wine would increase the need to add suphite at racking time?

 

[winemaker81]

Do you think that what has happened with this batch of wine would increase the need to add suphite at racking time?

No. K-meta is an antioxidant and antimicrobial. A hot ferment will blow off aromatics and some volatile flavoring, and K-meta has no effect upon that.

Right now you have THE most difficult job. Waiting.

As I said above, your wine is likely to come out fine. Relax. Open a bottle of wine and enjoy a glass.

 

[Ohio Bob]

Do you think that what has happened with this batch of wine would increase the need to add suphite at racking time?

Increase the need, no. The need is there regardless of what has gone on before. One of the things Kmeta does is scavenge oxygen, so it’s really beneficial when racking, since the wine is unavoidably being oxygenated.

 

[Lauraliejean]

No. K-meta is an antioxidant and antimicrobial. A hot ferment will blow off aromatics and some volatile flavoring, and K-meta has no effect upon that.

Right now you have THE most difficult job. Waiting.

As I said above, your wine is likely to come out fine. Relax. Open a bottle of wine and enjoy a glass.

 

[winemaker81]

 

[Lauraliejean]

So today is day 6. The SG is still at 1.040. My partner says rack it tomorrow even thought we usually do it at 1.020. The recipe we have been following for years says it should be about 6 days. Just confirming that this is the right thing to do. I have left this mostly all to my partner for the last 7 years because I could no longer drink the wine, he was on his own. Now his away for work and I am out of practice! Thanks for all the guidance!

 

[ChuckD]

The recipe we have been following for years says it should be about 6 days.

Yeast don’t read recipes! Seriously, every ferment is different. As long as the SG is dropping, even if slowly, I would leave it until closer to 1.020.

 

[Lauraliejean]

Yeast don’t read recipes! Seriously, every ferment is different. As long as the SG is dropping, even if slowly, I would leave it until closer to 1.020.

Ok, thanks!

 

[Lauraliejean]

Yeast don’t read recipes! Seriously, every ferment is different. As long as the SG is dropping, even if slowly, I would leave it until closer to 1.020.

Ok, I hate to be a pain but can you explain why for me? My partner thinks
“I think it’s good to put the wine in a clean and calm environment sooner rather than later. And separated from the chunks and sediment”