RJ Spagnols White Chocolate Port - Stuck Fermentation?

[DageonYar]

Picked up a Cru Select White Chocolate Port. Started as per the directions with a reading of 1.126 SG. It fermented nice and strong after 1 day. Racked to secondary on day 14. However, the reading was still 1.012. It's been in the secondary for 2 days now, and still reading 1.012. I have had the brew-belt on it since day one, and the temp has been steady at 26degC.

Is my fermentation stuck at this point? I don't want to go onto the next step which involves adding flavour pack, degass, and clearing as I think the SG is still not right. Instructions say at day 10-14 SG should read <1.000.

Any tips greatly appreciated.

 

[djrockinsteve]

1.126 is really high. You may have exceeded the range for your yeast. I don't have a hydrometer in front of me to know what % alcohol that is.

 

[DageonYar]

Well, the kit said starting SG should be in the 1.110-1.125 range, so I was just outside the high range. I chalked it up to margin of error in my eyesight.

1.125 should yield 17%. Is that not normal for a Port?

At this point, how do I rescue it? If I continue on with the instructions, will I just end up with a higher sugar in the end, and a lower alcohol? Or should I consider trying to kick start it again with a different yeast?

 

[greyday]

Since it's a kit I can't really say, but 1.01-1.03 is the range that you would fortify (i.e., stop fermentation) when making a port from fruit so that the original fruit must is still sweetening the wine. I don't know how port kits work, but if you ARE supposed to fortify, I'd say you're right where you're supposed to be. If you're not, I'd still guess you're around where you're supposed to be. How does it taste?

 

[DageonYar]

The taste is sweet, and you can tell it's a little stronger than my average wine of 12-13%. Still a strong CO2 taste, but I'm thinking that's to be expected.

Guess I'm worried if I dump the flavour pack in now, and start the rest of the process (stabilize/degass/clearing) do I risk fermentation starting again in bottle? I don't mind losing a bit of the expected alcohol rating so long as I won't end up ruining the batch.

 

[ibglowin]

I made the La Bodega port last Fall. It came with 2 packages of yeast and you were supposed to add both. The SG was high but not that high. It fermented to dry (0.996) and ended up at ~15.2% ABV. I take it you were not supposed to add water to this and didn't? If so, then you can't blame the high starting SG on a mixing error if there was no mixing involved. I think the yeast got to their max ABV and pooped out. I calculate your ABV to be ~15.2%. If it doesn't move from their in another day I would proceed as per the directions to the next step.

 

[robie]

Many times the WineXpert port kits stop at around 1.010. That's not a big problem, or unusual, so it won't be a big problem for your kit, either. The little extra sweetness is not much of a factor, since the port is going to be very sweet, anyway.

You can warm up the wine to the mid 70's F and give the secondary a good stir for several days in a row. It might start up again.

If it doesn't start again after four days of extra heat and stirring, it is not going to start. In that case, just go onto the next step.

I don't know if that particular kit wants you to fortify with brandy, but if it stops at 1.012, I would add a single bottle of plain, non-flavored brandy to it to boost the alcohol a little and make up for it stopping a little too soon.

 

[DageonYar]

Kit doesn't call for any fortify. I'll give it a good stir and leave it a couple more days. Temp is steady at 26, or about 78degF with the brew-belt on.

What's the benefit of putting a bottle of brandy in? Just to bump the alc content?

 

[robie]

Kit doesn't call for any fortify. I'll give it a good stir and leave it a couple more days. Temp is steady at 26, or about 78degF with the brew-belt on.

What's the benefit of putting a bottle of brandy in? Just to bump the alc content?

Mine didn't call for brandy, either, but I added it. If you use enough of it, brandy will raise the alcohol level up closer to the true port alcohol level, which is much higher than typical wine. However, it could take 5 or 6 bottles to do that. Also, it really smooths out the port and gives it a more creamy texture, IMO.

Since mine quit fermenting at 1.010, its alcohol level was a little low.
Even if mine had not stopped at such a high SG, I would have added the brandy, anyway.

Since yours is likely going to finish at 1.012, but doesn't call for fortification, I would not hesitate to add brandy.

 

[Dugger]

Both times I made this port, it started at 1.120 and fermented to 0.995/6 so yours should have kept going.
One possibility is that when you racked to the carboy, you didn't carry over much sediment and perhaps lost yeast.

 

[robie]

Both times I made this port, it started at 1.120 and fermented to 0.995/6 so yours should have kept going.
One possibility is that when you racked to the carboy, you didn't carry over much sediment and perhaps lost yeast.

If this is the case, given enough time, it should start fermenting again. One yeast cell will turn into 2, which over time will eventually turn into billions. Just give it some time and heat.