I identified the wax-like infection from Jack Keller's website as "Flower's
of Wine". The description said this infection primarily consumes alcohol.
I believe this is bad. (grin) The description on Jack's website
(http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/problems.asp) doesn't mention a smell.



> wrote in message
ups.com...
> Joe,
>
> It depends what the "waxy" stuff looked like. If I was a betting man,
> and I am, I bet he had a clear waxy film which I don't think was
> anything bad. I've had it before, especially on new wines, and it was
> nothing. It went away with racking. We need to know what the wine
> smelled like. I think new winemakers have a tendency to panic, at least
> I did, on every little thing and I have a feeling he just over-sulfited
> perfectly good wine. Bottom line, trust your nose, follow the basic
> guidlines and don't panic.
>
> Bob
>
>
>
> Joe Sallustio wrote:
>> How much wine are you talking about? If this is a gallon, I don't
>> think you can use hydrogen peroxide to deal with this, it sound like
>> you would have over 200 PPM free and hydrogen peroxide is usually used
>> to removes 10's of Pm's.
>>
>> If this is 5 gallons you can try peroxide but just rack it at least
>> once before anything else. That will probably drop it by at least 10
>> PPM if you dangle the hose and it's less drastic.
>>
>> Let us know what you have to start with and maybe we can give you the
>> least drastic option.
>>
>> I can tell you that sounded like mycoderma and the solution that works
>> best on any film forming infection is to do the following:
>>
>> * Insert something in the carboy to overflow it, a plugged wine thief
>> works great. Just wrap a paper towel around the neck and let the
>> infection roll over the side.
>>
>> * Wipe the open inner surface of the carboy clean, then wet a paper
>> towel with sulfite solution (I keep a bottle of 1% and citric around)
>> and re wipe.
>>
>> * Make sure your sulfite level is correct for the pH of the wine, if
>> you don't have a way to measure pH use 50 PPM as a ballpark.
>>
>> *Don't stir in the sulfite, pour the liquid in slowly to let it
>> overdose the top of the wine, it may lighten the color but don't worry.
>> If you missed any mycoderma this will probably kill it.
>>
>> Exposure to air and low sulfite usually bring this on, see if you can
>> determine how it happened.
>>
>> Joe
>