Fermentation stopped??

[RichB]

On my second ever attempt of making wine.., the first attempt, banana wine is still looking good., with just the odd bubbles rising in the demi, so close to bottling I think..?

The second one, blackberry wine started very well.., however after the first racking the fermentation has stopped suddenly..
1-is this normal?
2- tastes very sharp, slight vinegar taste (no too obvious though), normal?
3- should I just bottle it, leave for a few months and see what happens?

Advice greatly appreciated..

 

[Julie]

What was your initial hydrometer reading on both and what is your reading now on both? I would wait at least 3 months before bottling any wine. And can you post your recipe and procedures?

 

[RichB]

Thanks for the quick reply..
Bare with me on this , I'm new to wine making.., and new to hydrometer readings (as in I can't grasp how it works)

The blackberry wine;


3lb Black Berries (washed)
3lb sugar
1 Gallon Boiling Water
Campden Tablets
1 tsp Pectolase
1 tsp Yeast
1 tsp Yeast Nutrient

Started at 92 (I think) and the reading now is .990
(Which means absolutely nothing to me)

I stirred the wine half hour ago, seems fermentation has started again.., as there's a bubble exiting the bubble trap every 1 minute..

Reference the slight vinegar taste., it's not that., it's just ridiculously dry (just tasted it., pulled my cheeks in its that dry)

Hope some of this makes some sort of sense?

Thanks

Edit; as it's so dry., can I simply add a sugar solution to sweeten it up a little?

 

[calvin]

The hydrometer measures the density of wine. The denser the wine the more sugar is left to ferment. You can also use it to tell how much alcohol is in your wine. Your blackberry is 13.5% alc. (many calculators online to help figure this out)

Water has a gravity of 0.000. As you add sugar the density increases. Many wines start at an original gravity of 1.080 - 1.110. After you pitch your yeast you can check to see how much sugar is left so you know exactly how your fermentation is progressing. 0.990 is completely dry. Absolutely no ferment able sugars left. I hope I explained this so you understand. If not try watching a YouTube video or something. It's actually a very simple tool to use.

Before you sweeten add potassium metabisulfite and potassium sorbate otherwise the sugars you add will ferment

 

[Tenbears]

If your SG is 0.990 then your wine is defiantly fermented to dryness. Just be sure it is 0.990 and not 1.090 there is a big difference. However since it was actively fermenting. I would suspect the former. Now that it has completed fermentation, rack it off the lees and re attach the air lock, let it sit until it clears, then rack it off any sediment that has accumulated. Do this every month or so until no more sediment falls for a 30 day period. The bubbles you are now seeing after stirring are gas bubbles coming out of solution. time will allow them to come out of the wine, or you can degas the wine by stirring vigorously after the next racking. when the wine is clear and free of sediment add 1/4 tsp Potassium sorbate to each cup of dissolved sugar water. that you put into the wine to sweeten . I use a 2part sugar to 1 part water. Bring the water to a boil, turn off heat, add sugar stir until dissolved. cool add potassium sorbate, add the mix a little at time taste, add more if desired, them bottle. Bulk aging and clearing Is important. cold aging helps reduce or eliminate acid crystals in the finished wine, this process is done by storing the wine in a cold environment (just above freezing) for a week or so few weeks before final racking. This can be done in a refrigerator, or out side in the winter if you live in the northern latitudes.
Hope this helps some.

 

[Arne]

You can draw a glass of your wine and add some sugar to it. Do not add sugar to the batch unless you stabalize it first. If you do add sugar to the batch without stabalizing , it will most likely start to referment. This will probably not hurt it, only raise the alcohol level a bit, but you will have to wait for it to stop fermenting and clear again. Also if you bottle it you will probably get the dreaded bottle bomb. To stabalize you add k-meta (campden tabs) same thing, and pot. sorbate. Add the sorbate and k-meta according to the containers. Now you can add sugar to the whole batch. I usually let it sit for a couple of weeks after sweetening just to be sure it doesn't decide to referment. After sitting it is time to bottle. Arne.

 

[RichB]

Great answers., thanks for taking the time to reply..
I'll order some pot sorb and get to work on it in a few days..

(Yes very dry.., in fact so dry I'm sure my gums receded)

 

[sour_grapes]

Water has a gravity of 0.000. As you add sugar the density increases. Many wines start at an original gravity of 1.080 - 1.110. After you pitch your yeast you can check to see how much sugar is left so you know exactly how your fermentation is progressing. 0.990 is completely dry.

If your SG is .090 then your wine is defiantly fermented to dryness. Just be sure it is .090 and not 1.090 there is a big difference.

Guys, he is a newbie and having trouble. PLEASE let's be careful and not confuse him more.

Calvin meant to say that "Water has a gravity of 1.000."

Tenbears meant to say "If your SG is 0.990 then your wine is definitely fermented to dryness."

 

[calvin]

Yes. Thank you for clarifying

 

[Tenbears]

Thanks Sour Grapes That is in fact what I meant, The funny thing is I read it twice and still made the same mistake twice. Go figure rushing through life again!