Yeast and other problems for newbie!

[Trigham]

Still no action or bubbling in the topper. I hope it will break out of its teenage rebelious stage

 

[Sacalait]

What kind of yeast did you start with and what was the starting SG?

If by tomorrow you haven't seen any activity in the air lock it may be time for trying to start a stuck ferment.

Stuck ferment...prepare a yeast starter with an alcohol tolerent yeast (Lalvin 1118 is likely the best). Empty pkt. in a warm (90F) 1/2 glass of water. After yeast has started to work add a tsp of sugar to give it a boost, wait an hour or two and vigorous action should be evident. After you're satisfied the yeast is working add 1/2 cup of the wine from the stuck stuff. Once this has started to work (ferment) add an additional cup of juice. Keep doubling up until you've got 2 gals going. If a decrease in action is observed along the way you can try freezing a "ripe" banana, thawing it out, mushing it up then add it to the mix (yeast loves bananas). If all of this is working for you and you've got 2gals going then add the contents to the rest of your wine and this should be enough of a jump start to get it going again.

If all of this hasn't worked maybe someone will step in with other suggestions. Good luck.

 

[Trigham]

What kind of yeast did you start with and what was the starting SG?

If by tomorrow you haven't seen any activity in the air lock it may be time for trying to start a stuck ferment.

Stuck ferment...prepare a yeast starter with an alcohol tolerent yeast (Lalvin 1118 is likely the best). Empty pkt. in a warm (90F) 1/2 glass of water. After yeast has started to work add a tsp of sugar to give it a boost, wait an hour or two and vigorous action should be evident. After you're satisfied the yeast is working add 1/2 cup of the wine from the stuck stuff. Once this has started to work (ferment) add an additional cup of juice. Keep doubling up until you've got 2 gals going. If a decrease in action is observed along the way you can try freezing a "ripe" banana, thawing it out, mushing it up then add it to the mix (yeast loves bananas). If all of this is working for you and you've got 2gals going then add the contents to the rest of your wine and this should be enough of a jump start to get it going again.

If all of this hasn't worked maybe someone will step in with other suggestions. Good luck.

I feel bad for having to make u go threw this torture on my behalf, I hope someday I can repay you for your patience and time!!

The starting SG, I lost the paper I wrote it on (confusion because the first yeat didnt take if you remember earlier on) but after the second yeasting worked for 5 or 6 days and seemed to stop after I mixed the must everyday to keep the fruit wet.The first yeast was Lalvin EC-1118 and the second that finally took was Lalvin K1-V1116, (the second which my wine store guy recommended for fresh berries)
The next step was to rack to glass carboys and after I did that the SG was 1.010. I mentioned earlier in this thread that the SG was low at 1.010, I thought it should have been 1030 at that time. so anyway I think u said I wouldnt have to wait to long cause it was this low already at racking , so anyway now the SG is still about the same 1.010 and both carboys are approx 75 degrees and the air locks are not moving. after three and half days and even after I heated the carboys to 80 degrees ( one a little higher than 80) they still have not bubbled into the air locks, I am concerned now for sure.
OMG that means i have to rerack the must from carboys to buckets again untill it starts again isnt that right? Or do i just do half of it out of the carboys. wow .

On a good note I reracked my original concordes tonight into a new carboy and wow do they look great and smell wonderful and the taste is out of this world I love it and can drink it now , but alas I will wait a little longer and it ages better in time and if they taste this good after only 6 months wooohooo what will they be like in another month or two or even three lol

 

[Sacalait]

It shouldn't be necessary to move into a bucket, just siphon some out or poor which ever is easiest and proceed from there. A turkey baster may be all you need at first to get out what you need. Remember you start off with small quantities and build from there.

 

[Trigham]

It shouldn't be necessary to move into a bucket, just siphon some out or poor which ever is easiest and proceed from there. A turkey baster may be all you need at first to get out what you need. Remember you start off with small quantities and build from there.

Musc, I was away for a couple of days fishing( open season) I didnt have a chance to get at the must , am I too late to try and restart it now after letting it stand a few extra days?

 

[Sacalait]

Oh no never too late. Just proceed on.

Catch anything?

 

[Trigham]

Oh no never too late. Just proceed on.

Catch anything?

great will get on it in the morning, thank you for your time again.

I did get three trout (all about 14 inches, nice eating trout) There were a ton of nice trout caught all around me, i wasnt the lucky one opening day but it will come. I had to bow out of the last two days due to an a major toothache, I am afraid I need to get a root canal (sp) and im on the pennicilin and tylonol #3, have to wait until may 9th to get in to the surgeon due to a complicated root shape(oh brother leave it to me) anyway maybe teh wine will keep my mind of the pain and the thought of losing 1200$

 

[Trigham]

Muscadine, If the yeast starter doesnt work what happens lol. I made two yeast staters last night in gallon pickle jars and and this morning when i awoke they were frothy (for loss of words) I added about a cup of the stuck must to each and tonight when I checked its flat( loss of words again) Will this take time to activate or did I do something wrong?

 

[Sacalait]

The only thing I can think of is that you may have overpowered the starter by adding a cup. If you try again go slowly on adding the wine. Remember that you've already got maybe a 10%alc wine (since you don't know what your starting SG was the alc could be even higher) so it will take more coaxing to get it going again. Once the starter is frothing add a "little" wine and if it's still going in an hour or so add more and build onto that. Also you may try adding a "little" (it's a guess, maybe 1/4tsp) yeast energizer to the starter to help it along. If these things don't work then I'm at a loss as to what to do. I know you wanted a dry wine but with an SG of 1.010 you may have to settle for it being sweeter than you wanted.

 

[Trigham]

The only thing I can think of is that you may have overpowered the starter by adding a cup. If you try again go slowly on adding the wine. Remember that you've already got maybe a 10%alc wine (since you don't know what your starting SG was the alc could be even higher) so it will take more coaxing to get it going again. Once the starter is frothing add a "little" wine and if it's still going in an hour or so add more and build onto that. Also you may try adding a "little" (it's a guess, maybe 1/4tsp) yeast energizer to the starter to help it along. If these things don't work then I'm at a loss as to what to do. I know you wanted a dry wine but with an SG of 1.010 you may have to settle for it being sweeter than you wanted.

I dont mind the sweet wine , I just need to save it lol, Ill try another couple of yeast packages or two new starters and only add a 1/4 cup to start this time. ,but u suggest trying the energizer first so ill try that this afternoon. Will it start right away with the energizer or will it take time to get going , what should I be looking for?

 

[Sacalait]

Go easy, a 1/4 cup may be too much, just ease into it you don't want to shock it. Once you've got 2~ cups going then you start doubling up.

I'd add a little energizer to the yeast starter, you want a vigorous start. Once you've got everything going add a tsp to the entire batch.

What do you mean by "you just want to save it"? Nothing is lost so if you're satisfied with the way it tastes now you can add K-meta and sorbate and call it quits. Sorbate (1/2tsp/gal of wine) to prevent it from starting again.

 

[Trigham]

Go easy, a 1/4 cup may be too much, just ease into it you don't want to shock it. Once you've got 2~ cups going then you start doubling up.

I'd add a little energizer to the yeast starter, you want a vigorous start. Once you've got everything going add a tsp to the entire batch.

What do you mean by "you just want to save it"? Nothing is lost so if you're satisfied with the way it tastes now you can add K-meta and sorbate and call it quits. Sorbate (1/2tsp/gal of wine) to prevent it from starting again.

I meant I just dont want to have to throw it out, It cant be ready to drink yet I just put it into the carboys a couple of weeks ago after the original yeasting with the berries in it. Is it possible to be ready now? remember I made this from frozen berries. I shoud be at least 6 months before it could be ready, so im told ...jeeesh im starting to be confused more and more lol.

 

[Sacalait]

Yeah, you're right. I thought you were going to throw it out. Just wait it out, It'll get much better in 6mos.

 

[lockwood1956]

see also here


http://www.winesathome.co.uk/downloads/stuckferments.pdf

 

[lockwood1956]

see here also

http://www.winesathome.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=911

 

[Trigham]

Very good info indeed, will read it again more thoroughly, Thanks

 

[Trigham]

Muscadine, The second restart didnt work either, I did the yeast starter as the forum said and after the first night it was working and I added about a tablespoon of the must and it just stopped working. I mean after a tablespoon do I not have a stubborn baby or what lol. I was wondering should i try the starter without orange juice and just put the warm water and sugar and the yeast and energizer and nutrient this time alone without the OJ. I am at a loss now oh boy!

 

[Sacalait]

Can't help you, I've exhausted the remedies that I know. Maybe someone else on the forum has better suggestions.

 

[shahzadmasih]

Hi, this post is very informative; however I would like some specific information. If someone can help me then please send me a private message. Best Regards,