I pitched my yeast and got no action. Next day I pitched it again with warm sugar water and it started working. But after a couple of days almost no action. My starting specific gravity 1.110. Now it is only 1.080. Can I pitch the yeast again? Or did I do something else wrong?
Yeast issue
- Thread starter Kcuret
- Start date
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We really need more information to be able to help you. What exactly are you trying to ferment? What yeast are you using?
We really need more information to be able to help you. What exactly are you trying to ferment? What yeast are you using?
What type of wine is it and do you have means of checking the ph?
Also, what is the temperature of the wine?
Also, what is the temperature of the wine?
I'm making blueberry country wine. I'm using Red Star wine yeast.
Just blueberry country wine. I has no means of checking the PH yet. From about 68 to 73 degrees
First I would try warming it up to about 75°.
It would also be very beneficial to buy yourself a ph meter. You can get a decent one on Amazon for $25 to $65. Blueberries are very acidic. They can be at times as low as 3.2 ph.
The range that you should be in is 3.4 to 3.6 ph.
How much blueberry wine are you making and how many pounds of berries did you use per gallon?
It would also be very beneficial to buy yourself a ph meter. You can get a decent one on Amazon for $25 to $65. Blueberries are very acidic. They can be at times as low as 3.2 ph.
The range that you should be in is 3.4 to 3.6 ph.
How much blueberry wine are you making and how many pounds of berries did you use per gallon?
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About 4 gallons and I used about 3lbs/ gallon.
How will adding yeast effect the wine?
BernardSmith
Senior Member
But here's the thing: if there is a problem with the must (and now the wine) and not the yeast then simply pitching more yeast is not going to solve the problem. Best to always flip the process if and when a wine stalls and by that I mean:
1. create a starter with the fresh pack of yeast
2. Add the same volume of wine to the starter once the starter is very active
3. Watch that the added wine is now actively fermenting and add the same total amount of wine to the starter as is now in the starter - You are doubling the volume each time you add to it.
4 Repeat until all the wine has been transferred from the problem container to the starter.
This process dilutes the problem wine with actively fermenting wine.
How will adding this new yeast "affect" the wine? It won't. You can (sadly) often underpitch yeast. You cannot overpitch. (You can, but that is like adding a brick of yeast to a pint of must - as a home wine maker who buys yeast in 8 gram packs you cannot overpitch).
Good luck
1. create a starter with the fresh pack of yeast
2. Add the same volume of wine to the starter once the starter is very active
3. Watch that the added wine is now actively fermenting and add the same total amount of wine to the starter as is now in the starter - You are doubling the volume each time you add to it.
4 Repeat until all the wine has been transferred from the problem container to the starter.
This process dilutes the problem wine with actively fermenting wine.
How will adding this new yeast "affect" the wine? It won't. You can (sadly) often underpitch yeast. You cannot overpitch. (You can, but that is like adding a brick of yeast to a pint of must - as a home wine maker who buys yeast in 8 gram packs you cannot overpitch).
Good luck
As BernardSmith said, more yeast will not affect the batch. I suspect that since you only added 3 lbs of berries per gallon then the ph might not be your problem. Most of us here that make blueberry wine use 6 to 8 lbs of blueberries per gallon. I would warm the batch up to about 75°. This can be done by either moving it to a warmer area or by wrapping it in a seed starter heating pad. I say a seed starter heating pad because you can adjust the temperature of it.
I would try another yeast starter as @BernardSmith described. Also did you add any yeast nutrients to the must?
I would also get yourself a ph meter in the mean time. It is a valuable tool for the wine maker.
I would try another yeast starter as @BernardSmith described. Also did you add any yeast nutrients to the must?
I would also get yourself a ph meter in the mean time. It is a valuable tool for the wine maker.
Thanks so much for the information.
Yes, I did add yeast nutrients. And I will add another yeast started tonight. It's been six days so I'm sure I need to remove the fruit pulp. Should I add more yeast nutrient? And Thanks so much for the info. This is all very helpful.
No more yeast nutrient is needed. What you added already has not been used up.
Start off with warm water in a glass. Add your yeast and let it hydrate. Then add a cup of your must and let it sit for 30 mins. If the yeast are actively working, then add another cup and let it sit for 30 mins. You will need a big glass or you can use a bowl.
Keep adding additional 1 to 2 cups at a time until you reach close to a gallon of fermenting wine. Then you can add this to the rest of the batch.
Hope this does it. Keep us posted on your results.
And welcome to the forum!
Start off with warm water in a glass. Add your yeast and let it hydrate. Then add a cup of your must and let it sit for 30 mins. If the yeast are actively working, then add another cup and let it sit for 30 mins. You will need a big glass or you can use a bowl.
Keep adding additional 1 to 2 cups at a time until you reach close to a gallon of fermenting wine. Then you can add this to the rest of the batch.
Hope this does it. Keep us posted on your results.
And welcome to the forum!
And I forgot to mention, once you start adding your must to the starter, keep it covered with a towel to keep out any nasties. Also your primary fermenter should be covered with a towel and not under an airlock until the specific gravity gets down under 1.020 to 1.010. Then you can rack off of the blueberry skins and place it under an airlock.
I did use an air lock
Thanks again
It helps a lot and I will post results
There was no reason to run it through the blender. All that needed to be done was to smash it with a potato smasher or your hands thus breaking open the skins, placing it in a nylon brew bag and then into the primary fermenter. I remove my blueberry skins once my sg is below 1.020.
By blending it you also chopped up the seeds, which are bitter and can give the wine an off flavor.
By blending it you also chopped up the seeds, which are bitter and can give the wine an off flavor.
You should also add pectic enzyme to the must when fermenting on the skins. It helps extract and break down the fuirt from the skins and also helps in clearing the wine once fermentation is complete.
When adding pectic enzyme, you would add it to the must 12 to 24 hours prior to pitching the yeast.
When adding pectic enzyme, you would add it to the must 12 to 24 hours prior to pitching the yeast.
