Wine to Vinegar

[muscadine]

Just wandering if the myth I hear about fruit flies are the cause of wine turning into vinegar is true? I know that unsanitized equipment will cause wine to turn into or at least have the taste and smell somewhat of vinegar.


So members, do fruit flies turn wine into vinegar, just by touching the wine or must?


Thanks,


Muscadine

 

[Waldo]

It is not a myth muscadine and very possible for that to happen as the pesky little varmits carry the vinegar causing bacteria on ther feet and antenna.

 

[MedPretzel]

yeppers, they can. What Waldo said.

 

[muscadine]

Thanks for the quick replies. I was just wandering, I'm trying about everything to keep these pests away from my wine. I've just started another 6 gallon batch of white grape/peach. I try to measure the must with my hydrometer and those suckers arejust waiting as they rest on the towel on top of my primary bucket. I just try to keep them away the best I can. I'm thinking about everytime that I have to take the top off puttinga box fan on the primary so that they can't fly very well, LOL!


Thanks,


Muscadine

 

[paubin]

I use a lid and airlock on my primary so the little buggers aren't as
likely to smell anything they think of as tasty. The bother of haveing
to open the primary up is a small price to pay for keeping them out.

 

[muscadine]

Thanks for the ideas,


I've got a primary with a lid, I'm just worried about the yeast not getting enough air to get the yeast to start multiplying really well. They've seemed to bug off, LOL, once I got the wine into the secondary. I suspect that they'll be back though once I start siphoning. Kind of off topic, but have you guys had any luck with commercial filter pumps or maybe even homemade filter pumps to help leave the sediment behind? The last batch I made, I racked off 2 to three times and I thought that the wine was fairly clear, after I bottled I noticed a small amount of sediment at the bottom of the bottles in some concord. The apple and white grape/peach had a small amount that was barely visible, but the wine was still very clear. I could see a little something that resembled a powder laying on the side of the bottle after the bottle had laid on it's side for a few days. Is this normal with all homemade wines, or does the "Wineries" use a high dollar pump with filter?


Thanks,


Muscadine

 

[pkcook]

Muscadine,


The airspace in a primary with lid and airlock is plenty sufficient for the yeast to reproduce and "be happy." I don't use the lid very often due to the pain of getting it off and on, andI make wine in my basement and have very few bugs to worry about.


Most all commercial wines are filtered. I bottled my last peach/white grape about 8 months ago and I've just noticed a light dusting in them. I purchased a gravity filter and filtered my first wine last week. FVW offers the filter for $43.99 http://www.finevinewines.com/ProdDetA.asp?PartNumber=5292.


Hope this helps