We started last year making our own wine out of different fruits
(apples, clementines, rosehips, ....)
Fermentation in the primary bucket is very aggressive, foaming a lot
when stiring a couple times a day (left it there 14 days). But after we
racked to the carboy it stopped fermenting. It's doing nothing now for
more than two month (racking once again didn't help either). Is that
normal or should we do something to get it started fermenting again, if
so, what would it be?

Thanks for advice

Werner

Werner wrote:
> We started last year making our own wine out of different fruits
> (apples, clementines, rosehips, ....)
> Fermentation in the primary bucket is very aggressive, foaming a lot
> when stiring a couple times a day (left it there 14 days). But after we
> racked to the carboy it stopped fermenting. It's doing nothing now for
> more than two month (racking once again didn't help either). Is that
> normal or should we do something to get it started fermenting again, if
> so, what would it be?
>
> Thanks for advice
>
> Werner


No that is perfectly normal. Secondary in winmaking is better known as
bulk aging. You are letting 3 tings happen. All the sugar is getting
fermented out, the last few gravity points can take a long time to drop
out. You are letting all the yeast, and colliodal sediment dorp out
and letting the CO2 escape. And finally you are letting the flavors
mature. If you bottled early assuming 1 and 2 are complete, you can
have differences in the aging from bottle to bottle (although that is
fairly minor)

Werner wrote:
> We started last year making our own wine out of different fruits
> (apples, clementines, rosehips, ....)
> Fermentation in the primary bucket is very aggressive, foaming a lot
> when stiring a couple times a day (left it there 14 days). But after we
> racked to the carboy it stopped fermenting. It's doing nothing now for
> more than two month (racking once again didn't help either). Is that
> normal or should we do something to get it started fermenting again, if
> so, what would it be?
>
> Thanks for advice
>
> Werner


No that is perfectly normal. Secondary in winmaking is better known as
bulk aging. You are letting 3 tings happen. All the sugar is getting
fermented out, the last few gravity points can take a long time to drop
out. You are letting all the yeast, and colliodal sediment dorp out
and letting the CO2 escape. And finally you are letting the flavors
mature. If you bottled early assuming 1 and 2 are complete, you can
have differences in the aging from bottle to bottle (although that is
fairly minor)

Werner,
Do you have a hydrometer? It would help you to figure out when your primary
fermentation is done. For example, I started a batch a few days ago with
Montrachet yeast. Before I added the yeast, I used my hydrometer to see what
my starting SG was, about 1.100. For the past few days, I've been stirring
the batch and it has been bubbling and foamy. Today, I'm going to test the
batch - if the SG has dropped to about 1.000 or below, I will transfer to my
secondary and let it finish. If the SG is higher, then I'll let the batch
sit another day or so before racking. The time the wine spends in the
secondary is part of the clarifying and aging process. I will rack the
batch 2-4 times over the next 8 months or so depending on how much yeast and
debris collects on the bottom of the carboy. If the wine is clear, then I'll
bottle at about 8 months and allow the wine to age in the bottles. Your
wine sounds like it is fine, but using a hydrometer would help you to know
for sure where you are in the process.
Darlene

"Werner" > wrote in message
m...
> We started last year making our own wine out of different fruits (apples,
> clementines, rosehips, ....)
> Fermentation in the primary bucket is very aggressive, foaming a lot when
> stiring a couple times a day (left it there 14 days). But after we racked
> to the carboy it stopped fermenting. It's doing nothing now for more than
> two month (racking once again didn't help either). Is that normal or
> should we do something to get it started fermenting again, if so, what
> would it be?
>
> Thanks for advice
>
> Werner

Darlene,
Thanks for your answer.
It looks like the wine is fine, we racked today and checked with the
hydrometer (was about 1.000).
Next batch will be banana wine tomorrow, and then we will start using
the hydrometer right away.

Werner



Dar V wrote:
> Werner,
> Do you have a hydrometer? It would help you to figure out when your primary
> fermentation is done. For example, I started a batch a few days ago with
> Montrachet yeast. Before I added the yeast, I used my hydrometer to see what
> my starting SG was, about 1.100. For the past few days, I've been stirring
> the batch and it has been bubbling and foamy. Today, I'm going to test the
> batch - if the SG has dropped to about 1.000 or below, I will transfer to my
> secondary and let it finish. If the SG is higher, then I'll let the batch
> sit another day or so before racking. The time the wine spends in the
> secondary is part of the clarifying and aging process. I will rack the
> batch 2-4 times over the next 8 months or so depending on how much yeast and
> debris collects on the bottom of the carboy. If the wine is clear, then I'll
> bottle at about 8 months and allow the wine to age in the bottles. Your
> wine sounds like it is fine, but using a hydrometer would help you to know
> for sure where you are in the process.
> Darlene
>
> "Werner" > wrote in message
> m...
>> We started last year making our own wine out of different fruits (apples,
>> clementines, rosehips, ....)
>> Fermentation in the primary bucket is very aggressive, foaming a lot when
>> stiring a couple times a day (left it there 14 days). But after we racked
>> to the carboy it stopped fermenting. It's doing nothing now for more than
>> two month (racking once again didn't help either). Is that normal or
>> should we do something to get it started fermenting again, if so, what
>> would it be?
>>
>> Thanks for advice
>>
>> Werner
>
>