Watermelon Wine Advice

[Julie]

LAgreeneyes, yes prepare the 1118 like the 1116 and use Lavlin 71B 1122 for your fruit wines.

 

[djrockinsteve]

Here is a link to Lalvins Yeast Guide. You will find that most of the time you will use 1 of 4 or 5 strains of yeast.

http://www.lalvinyeast.com/strains.asp

 

[LAgreeneyes]

Yeast is a BEAST !! LOL

Pic #1 is a pic after adding yeast 24 hours later.

Pic #2 is a pic after stirring after adding yeast 24 hours later. A volcano erupted. Day 1 of stirring.

 

[djrockinsteve]

That's why you stir often to reduce a volcano of CO2. If you believe it's going to rise quickly give it a half stir and wait allowing it to rise and settle.

Glad it's under way now.

 

[LAgreeneyes]

Question................. I just realized that I didn't add the warm water method with the 1118 yeast. Did I mess up? Will the wine still be ok?

 

[djrockinsteve]

No you are fine if the yeast is bubbling along. Stir a few times a day. Check the gravity after 3-4 days. When it gets down to 1.000 you may (but don't have to) add a teaspoon of energizer (per @6 gallons) to the must.

Stir real well then snap on a lid but either add an airlock to the lid or in crack the lid just a hair to let excess CO2 out. Beyond that 2-3 days it should be thru fermenting then its time to rack.

Do you need help with the next step? Let us know. Happy to help.

 

[LAgreeneyes]

No you are fine if the yeast is bubbling along. Stir a few times a day. Check the gravity after 3-4 days. When it gets down to 1.000 you may (but don't have to) add a teaspoon of energizer (per @6 gallons) to the must.

Stir real well then snap on a lid but either add an airlock to the lid or in crack the lid just a hair to let excess CO2 out. Beyond that 2-3 days it should be thru fermenting then its time to rack.

Do you need help with the next step? Let us know. Happy to help.

Ok great! Yes, it is bubbling along just fine. WHEW! I'm still new, so I don't have anything to check the gravity with but will get my "tools" today from the local wine store. What is energizer?

And I'm sure I will need help with the next step. LOL. Thank you for asking and offering. I hope that I don't get on everyone's nerves with questions. I appreciate your help.

 

[Julie]

Energizer is like an energy drink.

I have had people ask me what is the difference between yeast nutrient and yeast energizer and I like to tell them, the difference is the nutrients are like the vitamins we take and the energizer is like the energy drinks we drink.

 

[vernsgal]

Energizer is like an energy drink.

I have had people ask me what is the difference between yeast nutrient and yeast energizer and I like to tell them, the difference is the nutrients are like the vitamins we take and the energizer is like the energy drinks we drink.

love it! what an easy way to help you remember.

 

[djrockinsteve]

When you ferment anything there are nutrients in the juice/skins that in addition the yeast feed upon. Some juices contain different or different quantities of these nutrients. Just like us yeast need these to work at an optimum level. Without them they can still function but will struggle in the process. aka longer fermenting time.

We add "Yeast Nutrients" to aide in the process. Typically 1 teaspoon per gallon of juice. You may add all at once or half at the beginning and half partway thru fermentation.

When the specific gravity reaches @ 1.000 the environment the yeast are in is becoming toxic to the yeast. The alcohol is increasing, this hampers fermentation. Lack of nutrients, lack of sugar (food), etc.

By adding 1 teaspoon of "Yeast Energizer" per 6 gallons of must, you are helping the yeast finish fermenting the juice. Since the fermentation is slowly coming to an end the amount of CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) coming off of the yeast is diminishing. The CO2 will act like a blanket of a protective layer over the wine helping to keep O2 (Oxygen) off.

O2 is needed by the yeast but will start to oxidize the wine if allowed to be in contact too long. This is why I and some others will once the must has reached @ 1.000, add yeast energizer, then stir the must well then immediately snap on a lid with an airlock. Some will rack the entire contents to a carboy as opposed to a bucket w/airlock.

Either way will give the yeast a little O2, energizer and food to finish the fermentation while limiting the amount of O2 to come in contact with the must. With an airlock on the CO2 coming off of the must will remain on top of the brew.

2-3 days later the must has officially become wine, fermentation is complete. The gravity is .990 or lower and you may move on to the next phase...clearing and stabilizing the wine.

You do need a hydrometer in order to tell where the must is fermentation wise and when fermentation is complete. A wine will sometimes still give off bubbles causing someone to believe fermentation is still underway when in fact it is self gassing. Giving off excess CO2

 

[djrockinsteve]

Your next stage will be to clear the wine and protect it from oxidizing. For this you will need either Sparkolloid or Bentonite. There are others available but I prefer Sparkolloid myself. Very versatile and has never altered the color of my wine.

You will also need Potassium Metabisulfite and if you plan on back sweetening later on, Potassium Sorbate. Small quantities of each are all you need.

Extreme care should be taken with the sulfite, also referred to as K-Meta. Never breath in the fumes as it will burn your nasel passages and recovering from that is slim to none. You can take a slight smell away from the bucket or carboy and you will be fine.

Keep all of these in a cool, dry area away from sunlight. Sorbate lasts up to a year with care, sulfite longer and sparkolloid or bentonite probably forever.

Let us know what you get and what your plans or intentions are and we can assist you. It's much easier to do than explain and is fun.

 

[LAgreeneyes]

Energizer is like an energy drink.

I have had people ask me what is the difference between yeast nutrient and yeast energizer and I like to tell them, the difference is the nutrients are like the vitamins we take and the energizer is like the energy drinks we drink.

Ok, so I have the nutrients but I don't have the energizer. Back to the store. LOL

 

[LAgreeneyes]

When you ferment anything there are nutrients in the juice/skins that in addition the yeast feed upon. Some juices contain different or different quantities of these nutrients. Just like us yeast need these to work at an optimum level. Without them they can still function but will struggle in the process. aka longer fermenting time.

We add "Yeast Nutrients" to aide in the process. Typically 1 teaspoon per gallon of juice. You may add all at once or half at the beginning and half partway thru fermentation.

When the specific gravity reaches @ 1.000 the environment the yeast are in is becoming toxic to the yeast. The alcohol is increasing, this hampers fermentation. Lack of nutrients, lack of sugar (food), etc.

By adding 1 teaspoon of "Yeast Energizer" per 6 gallons of must, you are helping the yeast finish fermenting the juice. Since the fermentation is slowly coming to an end the amount of CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) coming off of the yeast is diminishing. The CO2 will act like a blanket of a protective layer over the wine helping to keep O2 (Oxygen) off.

O2 is needed by the yeast but will start to oxidize the wine if allowed to be in contact too long. This is why I and some others will once the must has reached @ 1.000, add yeast energizer, then stir the must well then immediately snap on a lid with an airlock. Some will rack the entire contents to a carboy as opposed to a bucket w/airlock.

Either way will give the yeast a little O2, energizer and food to finish the fermentation while limiting the amount of O2 to come in contact with the must. With an airlock on the CO2 coming off of the must will remain on top of the brew.

2-3 days later the must has officially become wine, fermentation is complete. The gravity is .990 or lower and you may move on to the next phase...clearing and stabilizing the wine.

You do need a hydrometer in order to tell where the must is fermentation wise and when fermentation is complete. A wine will sometimes still give off bubbles causing someone to believe fermentation is still underway when in fact it is self gassing. Giving off excess CO2

Perfect. So 1 teaspoon of energizer. These people will get tired of seeing me in the wine store. LOL.

Thanks

 

[LAgreeneyes]

Your next stage will be to clear the wine and protect it from oxidizing. For this you will need either Sparkolloid or Bentonite. There are others available but I prefer Sparkolloid myself. Very versatile and has never altered the color of my wine.

You will also need Potassium Metabisulfite and if you plan on back sweetening later on, Potassium Sorbate. Small quantities of each are all you need.

Extreme care should be taken with the sulfite, also referred to as K-Meta. Never breath in the fumes as it will burn your nasel passages and recovering from that is slim to none. You can take a slight smell away from the bucket or carboy and you will be fine.

Keep all of these in a cool, dry area away from sunlight. Sorbate lasts up to a year with care, sulfite longer and sparkolloid or bentonite probably forever.

Let us know what you get and what your plans or intentions are and we can assist you. It's much easier to do than explain and is fun.

Ok, I'm copying and pasting everything you all are saying to get. Back to the store I go. LOL LOL LOL

 

[PandemoniumWines]

For anyone else wanting to foray into watermelon, this thread has been the most help to me. It's a bit more work to do a cold ferment (at least for me, no basement here) but it's fun to try new things. I'm in Day 3 of a Watermelon Peach with no added water, it smells divine. Tastes pretty decent too!

 

[robert81650]

Don't bother with watermelon wine. I made 5 gallons last year from fresh melons and the taste was disappointing, did not have a true watermelon taste. Did not have any problems with the fermentation process, but taste was lacking.