What has happened?

[ludders]

Hello, I was making 3 gallons of Barley wine in a plastic bucket. After 7 days I transferred the liquid minus the Barley and sultanas to 3 demijohns. The last DJ needed topping up with water. It is the lighter colour one in the photo. After a slight delay all three started fermenting again, (delay due to temperature drop?) the one with added water has kept going much more than the other two. I mean it bubbles 20 times more than the other two. What should I do?

I suspect the darker two have stalled for some reason.

 

[BigDaveK]

Grain wines sound interesting but not to the point where I would make one....yet.

Did you rack by calendar or SG reading?

I wouldn't be too concerned just yet. That first racking seems to really confuse the yeast. I've had signs of fermentation in 6 hours and 48 hours and everywhere in between.

I would have topped up the smaller DJ. Looks like you used a lot of water but maybe that's deceptive.

 

[ludders]

@Rice_Guy I followed the recipe in terms of date. The liquids have been in the DJ's for 15 days now and although there is an occasional bubble from the darker DJ's the other is going along happy as Larry and bubbling every 20 or so seconds. They are all on the same heating pad at 24 degrees.

 

[BigDaveK]

Most here treat calendar references in recipes as a guideline - and ignore them. Each batch is different. It's really all about the SG reading. If you could sneak a reading that would tell you a lot.

My tomato wine was super fast. Shocked me! I also have a blueberry that's super slow - still bubbling at 4 months. Mother Nature having fun.

I'm also thinking that maybe when you racked you got more yeast in the last DJ. I know from making kambucha that yeast seem to be more prevalent near the lower part of the brew vessel.

 

[ludders]

Most here treat calendar references in recipes as a guideline - and ignore them. Each batch is different. It's really all about the SG reading. If you could sneak a reading that would tell you a lot.

My tomato wine was super fast. Shocked me! I also have a blueberry that's super slow - still bubbling at 4 months. Mother Nature having fun.

I'm also thinking that maybe when you racked you got more yeast in the last DJ. I know from making kambucha that yeast seem to be more prevalent near the lower part of the brew vessel.

I did wonder that this was possible. But whet is the remedy? Add more yeast already going?

 

[VinesnBines]

Possibly you lowered the acid and sugar content in the one with water and the yeast perked up. The others probably were just stirred up more. I suggest leave them alone and let them keep going.

I have a batch (18 gallons) of kit Chardonnay that is stuck - hard stuck after 5 weeks. I had it under airlock at first and it was a slow ferment. Now nothing is working to unstick it, in buckets, more yeast (three times) warmed up, stirred, added nutrients, added water (I shorted the water so took it to the full 6 gallons) added a little more sugar. By Saturday it goes into bulk and the heck with it. I refuse to bother it again after the weekend. I'm going out of town. If it ever restarts, good. If not; I'll worry about it later.

 

[winemaker81]

@ludders, what was the initial SG and what is the SG now? What yeast did you use? Topping up with water is rarely recommended, as it dilutes the wine. @VinesnBines' situation is different as she had shorted the kit.

@VinesnBines -- What is the current SG? IMO your best choice now is to ignore the wine for 3 or 4 months.

 

[VinesnBines]

@VinesnBines -- What is the current SG? IMO your best choice now is to ignore the wine for 3 or 4 months.

1.030. I had it stuck at 1.034, since I had shorted the water at the start, I added 3 gallons of water to get it to the full 18 gallons . That took me to 1.024 (thereabouts).. I added six cups of sugar and popped it back to 1.034. Today, I transferred to a 50 liter keg and a five gallon carboy. The sg was down to 1.030. I'm leaving it alone and see what happens. I planned to use a 15.5 gallon keg but decided to go with a 5 gallon carboy to watch the progress. The rest in the 50 liter keg. I got tired of fooling around with it.

Just for giggles, I had enough to put in two 22 ounce beer bottles. I added one carb tablet to each bottle and put them in my "boom" bucket. The boom bucket is for those bottles of beer or whatever that may go boom. I know it is too young and i may have boom bombs. Biggest loss will be the beer bottles.

 

[winemaker81]

Just for giggles, I had enough to put in two 22 ounce beer bottles. I added one carb tablet to each bottle and put them in my "boom" bucket.

With the SG at 1.030, you didn't need carb tabs. You're certain to have very high pressure.

 

[VinesnBines]

With the SG at 1.030, you didn't need carb tabs. You're certain to have very high pressure.

I’ll keep a close watch on those bottles. I may have to make some adjustments!

As luck would have it; after transfer via pouring into the keg and carboy, it restarted. I thought the heavy splash might help but I was shocked when it restarted in three hours and in cooler temperatures. Talk about frustration. . I’ll give all more time.

 

[winemaker81]

As luck would have it; after transfer via pouring into the keg and carboy, it restarted.

Pour a glass and count your blessings!

 

[VinesnBines]

Pour a glass and count your blessings!

SG this morning at 1.020 in the carboy and 1.022 in the keg. Both will be ignored for the next week while I’m at the vineyard.

I’m just shaking my head. The harder I worked the more stubborn that batch was stuck. I threw up my hands and poured in the keg and carboy and it started re-fermenting before I could clean the buckets.

 

[VinesnBines]

With the SG at 1.030, you didn't need carb tabs. You're certain to have very high pressure.

You were right. One bottle blew. I hated to lose the bottle. I opened the other two (carefully) and added them back to the batch. The taste with the carb tab added was just right (the SG was back to 1.030). In about 3 months, I'll try again with the carb tabs to see if I can bottle carb without bombs.

 

[winemaker81]

You were right. One bottle blew. I hated to lose the bottle. I opened the other two (carefully) and added them back to the batch. The taste with the carb tab added was just right (the SG was back to 1.030). In about 3 months, I'll try again with the carb tabs to see if I can bottle carb without bombs.

If the SG is in the same range, probably not. There's no control over how much additional sugar gets eaten. Carb tabs are designed to carbonate dry wine.

 

[ludders]

I have added extra yeast and nutrient going already three days ago but no fermentation. I checked the SG today and got 1050. So as I understand it there is plenty of sugar but it did not go. I may add some water and try again in a 2 gallon DJ. Unless anyone can suggest a better solution???

 

[VinesnBines]

Do you still have it in the Demijohn? Under airlock? Mine started when I poured from pitchers into a keg and carboy. I had it under airlock then transferred to buckets. When it remained stuck, I gave up and dipped out and poured in through a funnel. That was enough agitation to get it going. Stirring did not introduce enough oxygen.

Don't add water, yet. Get it out of the demijohn and pour it by cups or pitchers full into another demijohn. If you only have one, get the wine into a bucket and then pour it back in the demijohn. I think if you splash it a lot, it may start up.

 

[VinesnBines]

If the SG is in the same range, probably not. There's no control over how much additional sugar gets eaten. Carb tabs are designed to carbonate dry wine.

I'm below 1.00 now so it should get dry soon.

 

[winemaker81]

@ludders, what was your OG and what yeast did you use? These are critical to developing a solution.

Adding more yeast doesn't necessarily do much. Make an overnight starter, which produces a larger initial colony. And as @VinesnBines said, transferring containers may make a difference. IME, having SG 1.050 under airlock will produce a slow ferment.

 

[VinesnBines]

IME, having SG 1.050 under airlock will produce a slow ferment.

Or no ferment.

 

[Chuck E]

@ludders
Have you tried stirring it? What is your temperature in the room?