Stuck fermentation at 1:018

I have a WineXpert Ruby port (dessert wine) which hasn't moved below 1:018 (which is also the point the instructions say to rack to secondary). It's been at the same gravity for 12 days at a constant temperature of 22C / 72F.

What should I do? I accept it as is, or try to re-start? I have couple of wine kits just finishing in primary with the same EC-1118 yeast so I could try adding some of the lees into the port.

Any thoughts?

I would rack it personally, im guessing but, it sounds like its done from what you say especially as the sg has remained unchanged for 12 days.

I would also, be tempted to have a sly glass while your racking to confirm, flavour wise how it is progressing, personally I wouldn't restart and I wouldn't add a different yeast, because the yeast that came with the kit was very likely chosen to leave some residual sugar, to produce a desert type drink.

If you have any doubts, keep it in a container with an airlock on for a while, just in case it restarts or has some fermentation left to go, after you rack.

I've found that racking can often give the fermentation a kick in the pants. I'd try that.

Did you chaptalize (add sugar during fermentation)?
Is there an F-pack?
What is your implied ABV?

If you are close to 18% ABV, the yeast may have given up.
If there is still an f-pack left, then be careful adding it so you don't get too sweet. SG 1.020 is where I like port.

FYI: I would skip the Sorbate when it comes time to add that. Especially if you are bulk aging (might ferment a little more, and the gas will come out during bulk aging).

Starting SG was 1.132, chaptalised at 1.020 raising gravity to 1.030 as per instructions, racked to secondary at 1.018 as per instructions but no further fermentation since then (12 days ago).

It does come with an f-pack but instructions say it should go below 1.010 before stablising and adding. I've just spent half an hour with the drill to de-gas it so see if that helps. I've never had a stuck fermentation and although I've read you can kick-start it again with the lees of an almost finished wine (same yeast) I don't want to ruin it and end up with a yucky tasting port!

Your ABV is 17 to 19% depending upon which calculator you use (the higher estimate is with the formula that is supposed to be better with higher SG). Which probably means the Yeast have called it a day.

Racking and raising the temp to 80 degrees might help to coax the last little bit.

If you are supposed to add the F-pack at 1.010, then I would start with 1/3 of the f-pack, and go from there (stir, taste, add more, repeat - when a little dry for your taste, wait a week, taste, and then decide if you want to add more).

Is this a kit where you add water to it or is it already at the correct amount? If you added water, did you add US gallons or UK gallons? That starting SG just seems really, way high and then you added more sugar to it. I think the yeast gave up, but if you didn't have enough volume? This is really just a shot in the dark, but I see you are in UK, so that is why it even occurred to me.

My dragon's blood wine was fermenting extremely slowly. I gave it a good vigorous stirring so it would get oxygen mixed in good and the next day it was fermenting much faster than the previous two days.

Thanks for all the replies everyone.

The only added water was 500ml at the beginning to mix the bentonite and then a further 350ml to make the chaptalisation syrup.

Indeed, the instructions give a starting gravity of 1.128 - 1.133 so I think my 1.132 plus another 0.010 at chaptalisation was just too much for the yeast. I ended up adding some of the f-pack to reach a final gravity of 1.030 but this should fall back some when I add 1.5 litres of brandy after clearing

So, what do you suggest I do with the remaining f-pack? There's about half a liter left over!

britwinemaker said:

So, what do you suggest I do with the remaining f-pack? There's about half a liter left over!

Click to expand...

Have you racked yet? If not:

Rack the wine to carboy, like you always do. Add the f-pack to the lees, and let that ferment as far as it will go. If it ferments most of the way, add that to the wine.

If you already dumped the lees, do you have another red wine you are making soon? Use the lees from that wine. Taste it before you add the fermented f-pack to the rest. It should taste ok.

Note: There is sorbate in the f-pack, which inhibits yeast from multiplying, but it does not stop all the yeast in the lees from chowing down on the f-pack. The sugar content in the f-pack could inhibit the yeast. If so, then dump it out.