Blueberry Started Too!

[winefan]

lalvin 71B-1122 5 grams is this the yeast I should use. should I use two for the 6 gals and should I hydrate in warm water like normal

 

[Wade E]

1 is sufficient for 6 gallons and hydrating is a better way to it but a tarter is even better and just as easy. Just get a little OJ or sugar water and a little nutrient, warm it up to around 90 and sprinkle the yeast on that and let sit for a few hours and then gently pour into wine that has been sulfated 24 hours already. This way you know the yeast you are using is good.

 

[winefan]

Wade this sounds like a great way to start yeast. Hey what size strainer bag should i start with and should i put in some berries the squeeze them real good, put some more in do the same and the keep the pulp in the bag and leave it in the fermenting must ? thanks Ron

 

[Wade E]

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Straining Bag, Large Fine


Fine, 18-3/4" X 19"</td></tr></t></table>This is what I use and it holds more then you think. I had 24 lbs. of crab apples stuffed I there. I, like many other people on this forum like to freeze them for a few days to week or more and then put them in a fermenting bag. Put them into your bucket which wold have some water in it and some ascorbic acid and then pour hot water over them. What the freezing does is break up the cell walls of the fruit so that the Pectic enzyme that you add to your batch can do its job and believe me it does its job. Every day you need to squeeze the fruit a little so that you get all the fruit exposed to the pectin enzyme and so that none of the fruit dries up from not being emerged in the primary bucket.

Edited by: wade

 

[winefan]

Can I use Kmeta instead of Campden tablets and if so what is the conversion tablet to teaspoon?

 

[Wade E]

1/4 tsp of k-meta equals 1.5 grams.
Each Campden tablet = .44 grams of k-meta
3.5 campden tablets roughly equals 1/4 tsp of k-meta

 

[winefan]

Perfect, I have 1lb of kmeta and no Campden tabs

 

[fish1onthefly]

So here is my blueberry update
I started the fermentation (with lots of berries 4 gallons),and it went for a couple days and quit..I did this 3 diffrent times and each time it would drop a few marks on the hydometer then quit.
I seemed to have alot (1 gal or so) of sludge..thick pulp in the bottom of the fermenter. I did squeeze asmuch juice as I could out of the strainer bag in the begining.
I transfered to a carboy so I could see it better, then racked back leaving that gallon or so behind.
I had 6 gallons to start and now am down to 5.
Started another yeast starter with nutrent and energizerand now things seem to be going much better.SG dropped 10 points in 3 days. and things are bubbleing much better
Why do you thinkthe must/sludgekept killing the yeast?
Should I rack sonner to get off the old yeasties?
I have not checked the acid content but that is next on my toy list.
Thanks for the help

 

[Wade E]

The problem with making fruit wines without these toys and knowledge of checking TA and PH can sometimes be a crap shoot as too high or low on either of these 2 will hinder a fermentation as will a very high starting SG. It can overwhelm he yeast and cause these problems. Getting these in check to start with will make the difference between a smooth fermentation and none at all or what you are encountering. As with any fruit, the acidity can vary along with the sugar and that it why when making wine you really need to get a fruit that is at its correct ripeness. This is why grape growers have to keep checking the Brix, acidity and PH of their grapes as picking them at the wrong time will cause a severe problem and off wine.

 

[fish1onthefly]

OK Thanks for the input Wade.
Will the slow/stop ferment effect the finished wine? I plan to finish as a dry wine.

 

[Wade E]

It is possible as it could be stressing the yeast out which may cause an off flavor. There is really nothing you can do about so dont stress out and I bet it will be fine.