A Sting Taste? Orange color? From apple peach juice?

Hi, I sanitized everything really really good, I used crushed campden tablets in water to sanitize the stirring stick every time, and would leave it in a bucket of dissolved campden tablet water all day and night, making sure it stays sanitized.

I used one campden tab per gallon for the bucket of juice, I did let the campden solution sit in a liter of water for 24 hours before adding it to the bucket of juice.

I've used a variety of 100% peach apple juice, mango peach juice and white grape peach juice, no more than 2 liters of water into a 5 gal plastic bucket, and a cloth for the lid sealed with a rubber band, and primary fermentation was at 79 degrees steady for 4 days, stirring 2-3 times a day.

I used K1-V1116 Lalvin wine yeast, one packet for the 5 gal bucket, and correct dosages of Fermax yeast nutrient and tannin powder.

I used and dissolved 5 cups of sugar in warm water, since the fruit juice contains approx. 26 grams of sugar per serving, as shown on the bottles.

But as I transferred the primary (4 days primary fermenting) into the 7- 3 liter carboys, I took a sample and it has like a sting to it, something like a carbonated taste and feel (fountain soda without the soda itself?) maybe somewhat like sparking champagne?

And it turned orange on the 4th day, it was at first a dark amber color (apple juice color) but now straight to a cloudy orange.

What did I do wrong if anything? And it also has a slight tiny sulfur smell as well. Thank you for any help I can get on this.

First off, welcome to the forum. Next, get a hydrometer. They are only a few bucks (less than $10) and with the hydrometer you can measure the density of your wine. This will tell you how much sugar is in the solution and will let you know how your ferment is coming along. The sting you are getting is probably just co2. The yeast eats the sugar and gives off co2 and alcohol. Don't believe you have done much of anything wrong. You might have to add a bit more nutrient as the sulfur smell is probably coming from the yeast being stressed. Color changes happen as ferments progress. On light wines you tend to notice the color changes, on dark ones not so much. Think you are well on the way to having wine. Next thing is add a big helping of patience. Wine takes time. Good luck with it, Arne.

Did you take any hydrometer readings?

Welcome to the forum. I cannot add to the excellent comments of Arne. Yes, the carbonation is a natural byproduct of fermentation.

I think the stinging is coming from the CO2, it is carbonated at the moment....give it more time...a lot more time. Time will also change the color more as solids settle out....right now the CO2 is helping keep all sorts of stuff floating around and that has an effect on the color.

Let it sit, settle, and clear...rack off and repeat as required until perfectly clear...that can take months, not days. Give time and racking, most of the CO2 will go away. A simple CO2 test is to put a cup or so in a small bottle, cap it with your thumb, and shake the snot outta of it....when you release you thumb and piffft's like a soda, it still has CO2 you need to get rid of before you bottle.

Thank you all so much! HYDROMETER ON THE LIST! And an alcohol content tester? I did a shake test Mismost, and its like soda hissing out. I was pulling my hair out last night thinking "what the heck could I have done wrong this time?"

I heard those prison stories about them making wine (hooch) within 2 days, so I was "aiming" for that for just a bottle last night, and wow that is challenging to try and drink that crap, and I did tried!

Thank you all, less worries now. Hydrometer and alcohol tester on list for this week.

PS: I tried making wine from fresh fruits 6 months ago, and didnt know anything about campden tabs, yeast nutrients, etc and 4 bottles came out like bottles of fart juice and I dumped out one of them. I let the others sit for 4 months and tried it with some friends, they loved it, but I didnt think much of it. And i was using a crockpot and 3 lit carboy for prime and 2nd ferm, crock works great with real fruits, but small carboy sucked, the fruits kept being pushed into the cloth lids (rubber banded).

Now Im at a 5 gal bucket.

joeleroy said:

Thank you all so much! HYDROMETER ON THE LIST! And an alcohol content tester? I did a shake test Mismost, and its like soda hissing out. I was pulling my hair out last night thinking "what the heck could I have done wrong this time?"

I heard those prison stories about them making wine (hooch) within 2 days, so I was "aiming" for that for just a bottle last night, and wow that is challenging to try and drink that crap, and I did tried!

Thank you all, less worries now. Hydrometer and alcohol tester on list for this week.

Click to expand...

Your hydrometer is your alcohol tester. Measure your specific gravity (SG) before fermentation, during, and after. To calculate alcohol, take the difference between your starting SG and your final SG, then multiply by 131 (some say to use 133 instead). That's your ABV %.

For example: Starting SG = 1.098, and Final SG at 0.996.

ABV = (1.098-0.996) * 131
= 0.102 * 131
= 13.36%