Why did the fruit wine become carbonated ..

[sirden1959]

A friend of mine made some wine last year. He use a frozen fruit combo concentrate, the frozen type you make for kids to drink. His recipe was your basic formula, (I am not really sure ) he did his racking, degassing, etc.

But over the Easter holiday he opened it for all of us to enjoy. And once opened, the wine acted as if it was carbonated. It fizzled just like champagne. The wine had a slightly smell of vinegar to it, and was slightly cloudy.

What was the cause of this carbonation, which was not the intent. I am just wondering, as were some of the other guest were.

 

[Malkore]

Lots of possible reasons:

1. didn't degas well
2. fermentation wasn't over
3. wasn't stabilized/sorbated
4. infection

#4 is possible since it 'smelled vinegary' and became cloudy.
#1 usually is a tickle on the tongue, not carbonated like champagne.

Friend needs to be careful as corks will pop out on their own or the bottle could explode if there is too much trapped CO2. Champagne bottles are thicker and the corks get caged.

 

[djrockinsteve]

He most likely didn't degass enough. I had an apple wine a while back that had a slight fizz to it. It was really good.

Having too much will cause your bottles to crack. I never had that thank goodness.

Like Malkore said it could be a number or combination of reasons.

 

[sirden1959]

thanks

Fairly new to wine making, and was wondering why... thanks for the answers

 

[Runningwolf]

If he's not drinking it shortly he ought to store the bottles in cardboard boxes some where so if they did blow he can minimize the mess.

 

[sirden1959]

lol

lol good idea I will forward it to him

 

[Olaf]

Ask your friend how much head space he had when the wine was clearing. Exposure to O2 can sometimes allow the bad stuff to grow. Especially if the alcohol content is low. Never had it happen, but this is what I have been told.

Olaf

 

[skiboarder72]

I had a similar situation when I sucked up a little yeast while bottling

 

[Wade E]

Did this person sweeten the wine and if yes did they add sorbate to prevent refermenation?

 

[sirden1959]

really basic

No he did not add any sugar, nor subert...... He backly open a can dumped it in and add the chemicals, and yeast the second day... then waited then racked and then bottled.....

 

[Leanne]

Yeah, he has made bottle bombs in waiting then. Making wine is a long slow process. Get him to join up here and we'll guide him through his next lot.