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making my first batch
i started my first batch about 36 hours ago and have yet to see any bubbles coming out of my air-lock. i used welch's grape juice and the lalvin yeast. i am fermenting in a 6.9 gallon bucket. i've read that sometimes these can leak air due to a bad seal. i have two questions.
1. is it bad to open the bucket every day to check it with my hydrometer?
2. is it possible that with a good seal, this type of yeast, and cooler temperatures in my house 65 - 72 f that i may not see very many bubbles coming out?
thanks for the help and any other advice! so much to learn...but a dang good time!
First off welcome winewally.
1. I personally like to open anything fermenting as little as possible, but obviously you're gpoing to have to open it on occasion. So here are a couple tips to lessen the chances of getting airborne particles, yeast or bacteria in your must:
a) shut all windows and vents (turn off heater or ac)
b) try to open, transfer, bottle etc. when no one else is home or avoid having people walking around the work area to avoid stirring up dust.
c) make sure your work area is clean and free of debris
2. In my experience wine doesn't seem as active as beer when fermentation starts. Beer seems for the most part to build up quicker and really chug through fermentation fairly rapidly while wine is a little less active and usually takes a bit longer to attenuate. This will usually cause it to show less activity in the airlock. If you're checking your gravity and don't see any signs of fermentation by now then you should probably pitch new yeast. I think your temps are fine though.
thanks for the advice. i will check gravity tonight...hopefully it is just getting started! thanks again!
Did you use any campden tablets prior to adding yeast? if so the campden tablets will kill the yeast if you add it to soon after using the campden tablets. I've had trouble with wine yeasts and just added bread yeast and it went fine after that.
DC
i checked gravity last night...and no change. so, i pitched some new yeast in...did not hydrate it...and within several hours started to see some bubbling. this morning was putting out a bubble every 5 seconds or less. i'm guessing that the new yeast started pretty quick and possibly i should have waited longer after putting in the campden tablets?? i did wait 24 hours...but possibly i should have held off a little longer?
thanks for all the help!
winewally wrote:
i checked gravity last night...and no change. so, i pitched some new yeast in...did not hydrate it...and within several hours started to see some bubbling. this morning was putting out a bubble every 5 seconds or less. i'm guessing that the new yeast started pretty quick and possibly i should have waited longer after putting in the campden tablets?? i did wait 24 hours...but possibly i should have held off a little longer?
thanks for all the help!
I've been told the reccommended one campden tablet per gallon is too much for preferment and it takes longer than 24 hours for it to dissipate. I still use one per gallon but give it a lot of time before adding wine yeast and if I still have problems I use bread yeast as it is less sensitive to the campden tablets. I've made many batches of wine with bread yeasts and results were all excellent.
Glad your wine is bubbling away!
DC
well i have definately learned...time, time, time! next time i wont be so jumpy and anxious and will give the campden time!
another question. what happens to the must if it is let sit for too long before you put yeast in? is this possible?
thanks!
winewally wrote:
well i have definately learned...time, time, time! next time i wont be so jumpy and anxious and will give the campden time!
another question. what happens to the must if it is let sit for too long before you put yeast in? is this possible?
thanks!
The campden tablets wil lkill any wild yeast in the must so as long as the must is in a sanitary container you should be ok but I would add yeast within two days max to be safe.
DC
winewally wrote:
i checked gravity last night...and no change. so, i pitched some new yeast in...did not hydrate it...and within several hours started to see some bubbling. this morning was putting out a bubble every 5 seconds or less. i'm guessing that the new yeast started pretty quick and possibly i should have waited longer after putting in the campden tablets?? i did wait 24 hours...but possibly i should have held off a little longer?
thanks for all the help!
I bet the original yeast has finally taken off, not your new yeast. That goes with your "time time time" comment too.
Doesn't commercial grape juice have preservatives in it??? I bet that was holding back your fermentation a bit too.
I am sure serious wine makers would cringe to think of Welches grape juice as must. Next time order some really wine grape must that is preservative free.
brewchez wrote:
winewally wrote:
i checked gravity last night...and no change. so, i pitched some new yeast in...did not hydrate it...and within several hours started to see some bubbling. this morning was putting out a bubble every 5 seconds or less. i'm guessing that the new yeast started pretty quick and possibly i should have waited longer after putting in the campden tablets?? i did wait 24 hours...but possibly i should have held off a little longer?
thanks for all the help!I bet the original yeast has finally taken off, not your new yeast. That goes with your "time time time" comment too.
Doesn't commercial grape juice have preservatives in it??? I bet that was holding back your fermentation a bit too.
I am sure serious wine makers would cringe to think of Welches grape juice as must. Next time order some really wine grape must that is preservative free.
I've used frozen jusce to make wine and it turned out excellent.
DC
i have been told by several people that regular juice concentrates can work really well. but i'm also sure that same as anything...you get what you pay for!
Concord grapes were used quite a bit in the US for winemaking until we realized and had access to better varietals. Im sure the welch's will be drinkable, however will not hold a candle to a good cab sav or shiraz or even a merlot. With that being said I still grow and make wine using Niagara grapes but typically they are blended with others.
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