What's going on here? Guidance please.

[BigDaveK]

Started making wine last fall for the first time. Over the course of 2 months I started 13 1-gallon jugs and fermentation took off like gangbusters. Most of them have stopped and are crystal clear.
Except one.
I started 2 blueberry on 11/4 and one of them is still bubbling! It was never as active as the others. It never stopped, just annoyingly slow. Taste isn't bad! Actually, it's kind of good! SG about 1.001, pH about 3.4 (strips, no meter yet), and will bubble through the twin bubble airlock about once every 5 minutes. Oh, and I used 71B.

I learned a couple weeks into this adventure that I need to take better notes, especially at the very beginning. I'm certainly open to "user error", forgetting an ingredient or just plain doing something wrong.

Do super slow ferments happen? Or is something else going on? Should I let it go on it's merry way or add "something"?

 

[Denden5136]

Your nose and mouth are great indicators of anything going wrong. If the taste isn't bad, just let it go on its merry way. A slow fermentation isn't necessarily a bad fermentation as long as it continues to completion. The pH is good (below 3.5) so you shouldn't have microbial issues as long as you keep things clean.

I have done very little fruit wine, so maybe others can chime in, but a slow ferment isn't bad as long as it doesn't end up as a stuck fermentation. keep the temp above about 65 (18C) and let the yeast do their thing.

... and yes, keepeing notes is a very good thing. It also makes it more fun

 

[winemaker81]

Your nose and mouth are great indicators of anything going wrong. If the taste isn't bad, just let it go on its merry way. A slow fermentation isn't necessarily a bad fermentation as long as it continues to completion.

I agree -- while this seems like an abnormally slow ferment, if it smells/tastes good and the SG is (slowly) dropping, it's ok.

How much nutrient did you add? Another quarter dose might help, especially if you didn't add any.

When a ferment is sticking, I put the fermenter where the temperature is above 70 F, with 75 F being better. I ferment cold in my cellar in the fall/winter, but if the ferment is lagging along, a higher temperature may help.

 

[Raptor99]

If the SG is 1.001 then the fermentation is nearly finished. Sometimes fermentation is slow for a variety of reasons, especially the temperature. The yeast probably don't need any more nutrients at this point because they don't need to reproduce. Some of the bubbles that you see might be CO2 naturally degassing. As long as there is little sediment, I would let it bulk age for a few more months.

 

[BigDaveK]

Your nose and mouth are great indicators of anything going wrong. If the taste isn't bad, just let it go on its merry way. A slow fermentation isn't necessarily a bad fermentation as long as it continues to completion. The pH is good (below 3.5) so you shouldn't have microbial issues as long as you keep things clean.

I have done very little fruit wine, so maybe others can chime in, but a slow ferment isn't bad as long as it doesn't end up as a stuck fermentation. keep the temp above about 65 (18C) and let the yeast do their thing.

... and yes, keepeing notes is a very good thing. It also makes it more fun

My rule of thumb is smell first, smell second, taste third.
Thanks for your input. It bothers me that it's so different than 12 others. I'll never know for sure (at least this time) if it's something that happens now and then or if I screwed up. Yes, better notes in the future will help.

 

[BigDaveK]

I agree -- while this seems like an abnormally slow ferment, if it smells/tastes good and the SG is (slowly) dropping, it's ok.

How much nutrient did you add? Another quarter dose might help, especially if you didn't add any.

When a ferment is sticking, I put the fermenter where the temperature is above 70 F, with 75 F being better. I ferment cold in my cellar in the fall/winter, but if the ferment is lagging along, a higher temperature may help.

Many years ago I had a bad batch of cortido - a South American VERY spicy fermented sauerkraut - and I very stupidly tasted before smelling. It was in and out of my mouth in a fraction of a second. Lesson learned. Smell, smell, taste.

It baffles me that out of 2 batches of blueberry, started the same day, same ingredients, one of them decides to play by different rules. My note taking on day one amounted to reading the recipe. Yeah, I know... Lesson learned. As far as nutrient goes, there's always the possibility that as I was about to add it (or something else) that I had an "Oooh, a shiny penny!" moment. I'll never know.

For now I moved it to the room with my SP and DB, meaning it went from mid 60 temps to almost mid 70 temps. I'll keep an eye on it.
Thanks!

 

[winemaker81]

My rule of thumb is smell first, smell second, taste third.
Thanks for your input. It bothers me that it's so different than 12 others. I'll never know for sure (at least this time) if it's something that happens now and then or if I screwed up. Yes, better notes in the future will help.

Wine is a result of numerous natural processes, only one of which is fermentation. While most batches follow a common route, others veer off for no known reason. Don't sweat it -- you probably did nothing wrong; the difference is due to the way things lined up.

 

[BigDaveK]

If the SG is 1.001 then the fermentation is nearly finished. Sometimes fermentation is slow for a variety of reasons, especially the temperature. The yeast probably don't need any more nutrients at this point because they don't need to reproduce. Some of the bubbles that you see might be CO2 naturally degassing. As long as there is little sediment, I would let it bulk age for a few more months.

You sound optimistic so that's good. I was worried that maybe I was somehow making locane. (Princess Bride reference for movie buffs.)

For now I moved it to warmer quarters, low 70's, and will monitor.
Thanks!

 

[BigDaveK]

Wine is a result of numerous natural processes, only one of which is fermentation. While most batches follow a common route, others veer off for no known reason. Don't sweat it -- you probably did nothing wrong; the difference is due to the way things lined up.

The way things lined up?! Are you saying that with the hour or 2 difference in the batches that the planets were in a different position? Swell, something else figure in.
Yeah, Mother Nature can be strange, cruel, funny, and generous and She always gets her way. I'll just have to see where we go and add it to my still small but growing database of wine making knowledge.
Thanks.

 

[winemaker81]

The way things lined up?! Are you saying that with the hour or 2 difference in the batches that the planets were in a different position?

Absolutely! This is on page 7 of the home winemakers guide, section 12, paragraph A.iv...X123

If you're going to make wine, RTFM!!!



Two identical batches can be made side-by-side, 99 times of 100 they are the same. Roll 00 on the dice and one turns out different. Not necessarily bad, but different.

A handy tip -- ALWAYS drink wine while working on wines, so Dionysus will know you are serious!

 

[Denden5136]

The way things lined up?! Are you saying that with the hour or 2 difference in the batches that the planets were in a different position? Swell, something else figure in.

Funny enough, sometimes, yes! In the winery, a crush from a single vineyard can go into stainless and ferment then be divided into barrels after primary. Each barrel will have different flavors and characteristics. Science? My classes at UC Davis taught me that it is partly science, partly art. I believe that. even going from stainless to stainless you will see differences from the same wine over time. I think that is the fun, the beauty and sometimes the heartbreak of winemaking. What a great adventure it is.

 

[Denden5136]

A handy tip -- ALWAYS drink wine while working on wines, so Dionysus will know you are serious!

Yup, absolutely.

 

[sour_grapes]

A handy tip -- ALWAYS drink wine while working on wines, so Dionysus will know you are serious!

When I am bottling, a portion of it will sometimes make it into the bottles!

 

[ChuckD]

A handy tip -- ALWAYS drink wine while working on wines, so Dionysus will know you are serious!

All losses are attributed to evaporation. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

 

[BigDaveK]

Absolutely! This is on page 7 of the home winemakers guide, section 12, paragraph A.iv...X123

If you're going to make wine, RTFM!!!



Two identical batches can be made side-by-side, 99 times of 100 they are the same. Roll 00 on the dice and one turns out different. Not necessarily bad, but different.

A handy tip -- ALWAYS drink wine while working on wines, so Dionysus will know you are serious!

Oh my God, I love this site. Brings back so many memories! I haven't heard RTFM for ages!

I'm working on having enough wine to drink while working on wine. I've seen recipes for coffee wine (even some old threads here) and I might try that later. Maybe I could skip my regular morning brew? "Wine, part of a well balanced breakfast." I don't think the caffeine level can compete with my Death Wish coffee but...it's wine, so who cares?

 

[BigDaveK]

Funny enough, sometimes, yes! In the winery, a crush from a single vineyard can go into stainless and ferment then be divided into barrels after primary. Each barrel will have different flavors and characteristics. Science? My classes at UC Davis taught me that it is partly science, partly art. I believe that. even going from stainless to stainless you will see differences from the same wine over time. I think that is the fun, the beauty and sometimes the heartbreak of winemaking. What a great adventure it is.

That's really interesting. Now I'm wondering if there's also a metaphysical element at play. Does our mood affect the wine? I'm only half joking - there's a boatload of weird phenomena we don't understand. And maybe I should start talking to my wine. I already talk to my plants and remain un-institutionalized so what the heck.

 

[BigDaveK]

UPDATE
Yesterday afternoon I moved my jug to warmer quarters. Airlock activity has gone from every 5 minutes to every 2 minutes or a little less.
Thanks!!

 

[winemaker81]

Oh my God, I love this site. Brings back so many memories! I haven't heard RTFM for ages!

There's a fair number of IT, engineers, and other tech types among our membership, so "RTFM" pops up from time to time ...

Now I'm wondering if there's also a metaphysical element at play. Does our mood affect the wine?

I've experienced a few things for which I have no rational explanation, so while I'm not a Fox Mulder, I also don't dismiss everything completely. The idea that our moods and maybe just presence affect wine is interesting -- totally unprovable, but interesting.


For those not familiar, Fox Mulder was a character in the 90's American TV show X-Files -- he & his partner investigated weird stuff, he was a believer, and in the show, the cause was always something paranormal or weird.

 

[BigDaveK]

For those not familiar, Fox Mulder was a character in the 90's American TV show X-Files -- he & his partner investigated weird stuff, he was a believer, and in the show, the cause was always something paranormal or weird.

Oh, my.....there probably ARE members here not old enough to remember X-Files....sigh.....

 

[winemaker81]

Oh, my.....there probably ARE members here not old enough to remember X-Files....sigh.....

Additionally, our membership is world wide, so many may not recognize a 20+ yo American TV reference.

I had 3 Indian ladies on a project team. I'd say something and get 3 blank looks. So I'd mentally rewind, consider the literal meaning of what I said, and explain. It took a year, but all three became fluent in American slang of that period!

Slang is tough for all non-native speakers.