Hi,

I am making my first batch of wine, from a Kraus kit (concentrated
grape juice, sugar, yeast, water, etc in a 6-gallon container). I
mixed all ingrediants as directed and put the lid on loosely for
"aerobic fermentation". SG at the outset was 1.080. Fine. I let it
ferment like this for (I'm worried that this was probably too long)
two weeks, at which time I racked it. Now the SG was already 0.995,
which I understand indicates a typical terminal alcohol content. I
put the air lock on but there's been no bubbling at all. Temp's always
been between 65-75 F. Was this a proper fermentation, given that I
didn't seal it off anaerobically? Do you think this is on the way to
becoming drinkable wine or did I mess it up by not using the airlock
sooner and need to intervene somehow?

Thanks for any advice from people who understand this process and its
requirements better.

Chris

Hi Chris

Sounds like the fermentation is complete. Yea you probably should have
racked it to a carboy a bit earlier. I would hit it with SO2 at this point
and try to bind up any excess O2. I've had some ferments blow by fast and
have had essentially the same thing happen. I think you'll be ok.

Tom

"Chris Newman" > wrote in message
om...
> Hi,
>
> I am making my first batch of wine, from a Kraus kit (concentrated
> grape juice, sugar, yeast, water, etc in a 6-gallon container). I
> mixed all ingrediants as directed and put the lid on loosely for
> "aerobic fermentation". SG at the outset was 1.080. Fine. I let it
> ferment like this for (I'm worried that this was probably too long)
> two weeks, at which time I racked it. Now the SG was already 0.995,
> which I understand indicates a typical terminal alcohol content. I
> put the air lock on but there's been no bubbling at all. Temp's always
> been between 65-75 F. Was this a proper fermentation, given that I
> didn't seal it off anaerobically? Do you think this is on the way to
> becoming drinkable wine or did I mess it up by not using the airlock
> sooner and need to intervene somehow?
>
> Thanks for any advice from people who understand this process and its
> requirements better.
>
> Chris

(Chris Newman) wrote in message . com>...
> Hi,
>
> I am making my first batch of wine, from a Kraus kit (concentrated
> grape juice, sugar, yeast, water, etc in a 6-gallon container). I
> mixed all ingrediants as directed and put the lid on loosely for
> "aerobic fermentation". SG at the outset was 1.080. Fine. I let it
> ferment like this for (I'm worried that this was probably too long)
> two weeks, at which time I racked it. Now the SG was already 0.995,
> which I understand indicates a typical terminal alcohol content. I
> put the air lock on but there's been no bubbling at all. Temp's always
> been between 65-75 F. Was this a proper fermentation, given that I
> didn't seal it off anaerobically? Do you think this is on the way to
> becoming drinkable wine or did I mess it up by not using the airlock
> sooner and need to intervene somehow?
>
> Thanks for any advice from people who understand this process and its
> requirements better.

Hi Chris, it depend mostly at wich temp the wine was fermenting! If
you let the wine in the primary pail during two weeks because the wine
was still in fermentation then there are no problem with that. Cooler
temp will sometimes takes that time to ferment to dryness and since
the wine is still fermenting and produce CO2 they are well protected.
But, if your wine was in a warm temp room and ferment to dryness in a
few days it is a bit more problematic. Did you take your reading
daily or on a regular basis ? Of course, the wine was anyway well
protect during the first week and this type of kit contains sulfite so
I don't think your wine will much suffer from that but you are the
best judge. Does it smell and taste good ? That is the most
important. Now keep your carboy top off and follow the direction
carefully and let it age for a few months. You will probably be
surprise by the result except if they show bad symptom right now, if
so, tell us as we will try to help you.

Séb
>
> Chris

Thanks to Tom and Séb for the replies. I tasted it and it's actually
not as bad as I thought it would be, reminded me a little of the
bottom-of-the-line Almaden or Gallo supermarket jug wines. No trace
of sourness or anything weird, though, just lacking in richness. I
guess it might turn out OK. I'm a bit confused now, though, Tom
) recommended "hitting it SO2" while Séb (below)
suggested "keeping the carboy top off" (Actually, I'm doing everything
in the one pail, racking using gallon water jugs). Do I now need to
add campden tabs and/or keep the airlock on or ??? I believe my main
concern now is to keep strange bacteria out, or has that danger
passed? Would the malolactic fermentation, if any, still be going?
(It's Cabernet Sauvignon).

Next time I will monitor it better in this early phase.

Thanks a lot

Chris

> >
> > I am making my first batch of wine, from a Kraus kit (concentrated
> > grape juice, sugar, yeast, water, etc in a 6-gallon container). I
> > mixed all ingrediants as directed and put the lid on loosely for
> > "aerobic fermentation". SG at the outset was 1.080. Fine. I let it
> > ferment like this for (I'm worried that this was probably too long)
> > two weeks, at which time I racked it. Now the SG was already 0.995,
> > which I understand indicates a typical terminal alcohol content. I
> > put the air lock on but there's been no bubbling at all. Temp's always
> > been between 65-75 F. Was this a proper fermentation, given that I
> > didn't seal it off anaerobically? Do you think this is on the way to
> > becoming drinkable wine or did I mess it up by not using the airlock
> > sooner and need to intervene somehow?
> >
> > Thanks for any advice from people who understand this process and its
> > requirements better.
>
> Hi Chris, it depend mostly at wich temp the wine was fermenting! If
> you let the wine in the primary pail during two weeks because the wine
> was still in fermentation then there are no problem with that. Cooler
> temp will sometimes takes that time to ferment to dryness and since
> the wine is still fermenting and produce CO2 they are well protected.
> But, if your wine was in a warm temp room and ferment to dryness in a
> few days it is a bit more problematic. Did you take your reading
> daily or on a regular basis ? Of course, the wine was anyway well
> protect during the first week and this type of kit contains sulfite so
> I don't think your wine will much suffer from that but you are the
> best judge. Does it smell and taste good ? That is the most
> important. Now keep your carboy top off and follow the direction
> carefully and let it age for a few months. You will probably be
> surprise by the result except if they show bad symptom right now, if
> so, tell us as we will try to help you.
>
> Séb
> >
> > Chris

I'm a bit confused now, though, Tom
> ) recommended "hitting it SO2" while Séb (below)
> suggested "keeping the carboy top off" (Actually, I'm doing everything
> in the one pail, racking using gallon water jugs). Do I now need to
> add campden tabs and/or keep the airlock on or ???


Hi Chris, what Tom said is ok, we both give you advice that is good
and you have to do both. Adding SO2 will help your wine stay aways of
any spoilage organism since it has been exposed to a lot of air
without any gaz protecting it during the long primary fermentation.
So yes add campden at a rate of one campden tablet for 5 gal, it will
be ok. Topping off mean that you will have to keep your wine level in
the carboy at about 2" of the neck until the end of the process. If
you use little container keep this air space even smaller.


I believe my main
> concern now is to keep strange bacteria out, or has that danger
> passed? Would the malolactic fermentation, if any, still be going?
> (It's Cabernet Sauvignon).

It's a kit so you will not have the natural malolactic fermentation.
Keep you wine always top off and add one campden tablet per 5gal at
each racking ( if you have no test kit ) or 50 ppm if you have a test
kit and you will keep the bacteria out of the way!

Best luck Chris

Séb
>

Ha, now I see why I was confused. I thought you were telling me to
"leave the carboy top off" (i.e. leave it open or uncapped!) Of
course, you were telling me to keep it "topped off" so the wine would
be in contact with less air. Now it all makes sense. It was a
language misunderstanding coming from the unfortunate similarity
between "top off" and "topped off" in English. It probably did not
even occur to you that anyone would be so ignorant about wine as to
interpret what you said like that. But now, everything becomes clear,
I see why narrow-neck carboys are good, and all the advice makes
sense. I will add SO2 and keep the oxygen away. Also, thanks for the
info about ML fermentation, I didn't know that kits generally don't do
that, I thought that was a basic part of the process, that maybe there
were some of those bacteria mixed with the yeast or something. I now
know that there are a lot of issues involved with ML, acidity,
particulate matter etc, ... maybe someday...

But this batch seems to be on track now,

Thanks Again

Chris

(seb) wrote in message . com>...
> I'm a bit confused now, though, Tom
> > ) recommended "hitting it SO2" while Séb (below)
> > suggested "keeping the carboy top off" (Actually, I'm doing everything
> > in the one pail, racking using gallon water jugs). Do I now need to
> > add campden tabs and/or keep the airlock on or ???
>
>
> Hi Chris, what Tom said is ok, we both give you advice that is good
> and you have to do both. Adding SO2 will help your wine stay aways of
> any spoilage organism since it has been exposed to a lot of air
> without any gaz protecting it during the long primary fermentation.
> So yes add campden at a rate of one campden tablet for 5 gal, it will
> be ok. Topping off mean that you will have to keep your wine level in
> the carboy at about 2" of the neck until the end of the process. If
> you use little container keep this air space even smaller.
>
>
> I believe my main
> > concern now is to keep strange bacteria out, or has that danger
> > passed? Would the malolactic fermentation, if any, still be going?
> > (It's Cabernet Sauvignon).
>
> It's a kit so you will not have the natural malolactic fermentation.
> Keep you wine always top off and add one campden tablet per 5gal at
> each racking ( if you have no test kit ) or 50 ppm if you have a test
> kit and you will keep the bacteria out of the way!
>
> Best luck Chris
>
> Séb
> >

> Ha, now I see why I was confused. I thought you were telling me to
> "leave the carboy top off" (i.e. leave it open or uncapped!) Of
> course, you were telling me to keep it "topped off" so the wine would
> be in contact with less air. Now it all makes sense. It was a
> language misunderstanding coming from the unfortunate similarity
> between "top off" and "topped off" in English. It probably did not
> even occur to you that anyone would be so ignorant about wine as to
> interpret what you said like that. But now, everything becomes clear,
> I see why narrow-neck carboys are good, and all the advice makes
> sense. I will add SO2 and keep the oxygen away. Also, thanks for the
> info about ML fermentation, I didn't know that kits generally don't do
> that, I thought that was a basic part of the process, that maybe there
> were some of those bacteria mixed with the yeast or something. I now
> know that there are a lot of issues involved with ML, acidity,
> particulate matter etc, ... maybe someday...
>
> But this batch seems to be on track now,
>
> Thanks Again
>
> Chris
>
>
I'm sorry Chris for the confusion, my poor english was the problem.
You are right, I should say "topped off" not top off ! I will try to
remember that

Séb

Hi Chris,

For the record, I made the same mistake a couple years ago as a newbie
and the wine turn out fine. It's a mistake that increases your risks
of oxidation however. Any good wine tastes "bottom-of-the-line" at
this early stage.

Good luck,

Jim