First batch, smells weird!

[mtbryda203]

Bottled my first batch of pino grio. It's selection international. I had people taste and smell the wine. Some people say the smell is like a burnt vacuum belt! They say the taste is good! dont know if they are being nice or not but, Don't know what I did wrong!! Any one have any pointers?

 

[jimmyjames23]

Bottled my first batch of pino grio. It's selection international. I had people taste and smell the wine. Some people say the smell is like a burnt vacuum belt! They say the taste is good! dont know if they are being nice or not but, Don't know what I did wrong!! Any one have any pointers?

Look up Mercaptans. That's what you got there.

 

[jimmyjames23]

You will need ascorbic acid and Possibly lysozyme. Can you take it to a local brew shop and have the so2 content measured?

 

[mtbryda203]

You will need ascorbic acid and Possibly lysozyme. Can you take it to a local brew shop and have the so2 content measured?

What do u mean by so2?

 

[robie]

Yep, I would suspect mercaptans. Did the wine ever smell like rotten eggs?
Did you stabilize the wine with Kmeta right after fermentation ended?

Some say it can be cured. other say dump the wine. However, I would find out exactly what it is before you go any further.

Look up mercaptans on the internet. I did read where a firm is selling a packet that is supposed to take care of it.

 

[mtbryda203]

Yep, I would suspect mercaptans. Did the wine ever smell like rotten eggs?
Did you stabilize the wine with Kmeta right after fermentation ended?

Some say it can be cured. other say dump the wine. However, I would find out exactly what it is before you go any further.

Look up mercaptans on the internet. I did read where a firm is selling a packet that is supposed to take care of it.

The wine nvr smelt like rotten eggs that I remember ! I don't know off the top of my head but I believe that it said to rack after fermentation for about a week before adding any chems?

 

[robie]

The wine nvr smelt like rotten eggs that I remember ! I don't know off the top of my head but I believe that it said to rack after fermentation for about a week before adding any chems?

Stabilization chemicals are to be added as soon as fermentation is completed.
Did you add the stabilizing chemicals, even if it was a week later?

 

[mtbryda203]

Stabilization chemicals are to be added as soon as fermentation is completed.
Did you add the stabilizing chemicals, even if it was a week later?

Yea a week after the fermentation. When it call out to rack it into the Carboy for the second time I add all the chems the kit gave me

 

[robie]

That week must have been a week for secondary fermentation, which is just fine.

Well, I don't know why you would get mercaptans but that is what it sounds like, at least from your description. Definitely something wrong, though.

After you added the stabilizers, did you top off the carboy?
How long after stabilizing did you bottle?
Do you have sediment in your bottles?

 

[mtbryda203]

That week must have been a week for secondary fermentation, which is just fine.

Well, I don't know why you would get mercaptans but that is what it sounds like, at least from your description. Definitely something wrong, though.

After you added the stabilizers, did you top off the carboy?
How long after stabilizing did you bottle?
Do you have sediment in your bottles?

Topping Carboy- yea with spring water
Stabilizing- 3 weeks/ directions said "2"
Sediment- Yesss

 

[jimmyjames23]

You wouldn't be the first to go to all the trouble of botteling only to find out you had a wine fault. But don't fear...your wine is very salvageable.
The first thing you will have to do is have the S02 ( That's the Sulphur Dioxide. ) measured along with the PH level. Sulfur dioxide occurs naturally and wine but what some people do not understand is that there is still a lot of chemistry going on in the wine even after bottling. By adding ascorbic acid you will chemically create di-Mercaptans. Once the ascorbic acid has been added your di-mercaptans will form mono Mercaptans which will easily break down with copper sulfate.
You must be very careful using copper sulfate it is extremely toxic and will impart a horrible taste if done wrong. Is highly advised that you have your wine tested for pH and TA as well as free SO2.
The almost final step is to deodorize the wine with De-odorizing Carbon (sold as Norit D-10)

If you can't find any of this stuff at your local brew shop call tel:818-884-8586 and they will sell you the complete kit for $13.00

 

[robie]

OK.

The sediment could have come as a result of bottling so soon. Most of us have never figured out why these kit manufacturers are in such a hurry to bottle unless they are afraid the wine may oxidize. The wine needs 2 to 6 months bulk aging before it will stop dropping sediment.

The other reason for sediment might be if the wine started fermenting again in the bottle. If that happened, you would have gotten a huge pop when you opened a bottle, like with champagne, like a blow-the-cork-off pop.

You might try decanting for an hour before drinking; that might help. You are going to have to weigh the idea of drinking a wine that smells so bad, compared to just dumping it and starting a new kit. Problem is, unless you know what the problem really is and what caused it, you may end up with a similar problem the next time.

Wish I could help you more.

 

[robie]

You wouldn't be the first to go to all the trouble of botteling only to find out you had a wine fault. But don't fear...your wine is very salvageable.
The first thing you will have to do is have the S02 ( That's the Sulphur Dioxide. ) measured along with the PH level. Sulfur dioxide occurs naturally and wine but what some people do not understand is that there is still a lot of chemistry going on in the wine even after bottling. By adding ascorbic acid you will chemically create di-Mercaptans. Once the ascorbic acid has been added your di-mercaptans will form mono Mercaptans which will easily break down with copper sulfate.
You must be very careful using copper sulfate it is extremely toxic and will impart a horrible taste if done wrong. Is highly advised that you have your wine tested for pH and TA as well as free SO2.
The almost final step is to deodorize the wine with De-odorizing Carbon (sold as Norit D-10)

If you can't find any of this stuff at your local brew shop call tel:818-884-8586 and they will sell you the complete kit for $13.00

All that is a possibility... more so for an experienced wine maker, though.

Copper sulfate is also very poisonous to humans. I believe I know of the kit to which you are referring. They are one of only a few who would not simply recommend dumping the wine. Nothing ventured, nothing gained I guess...

He might be better off first contacting the kit manufacturer and convincing them he did everything by the book. In that case, they just might replace the kit free of charge. Every kit is guaranteed if instructions are followed to a tee.

At least he has heard some of the options and that's why we are all here.

 

[mtbryda203]

OK.

The sediment could have come as a result of bottling so soon. Most of us have never figured out why these kit manufacturers are in such a hurry to bottle unless they are afraid the wine may oxidize. The wine needs 2 to 6 months bulk aging before it will stop dropping sediment.

The other reason for sediment might be if the wine started fermenting again in the bottle. If that happened, you would have gotten a huge pop when you opened a bottle, like with champagne, like a blow-the-cork-off pop.

You might try decanting for an hour before drinking; that might help. You are going to have to weigh the idea of drinking a wine that smells so bad, compared to just dumping it and starting a new kit. Problem is, unless you know what the problem really is and what caused it, you may end up with a similar problem the next time.

Wish I could help you more.

Thanks so much for your help!!! The sediment is from trying to bottle from the first time. I had my girl help me and rushing the project. I had to keep my cool lol. The wine is to give away for our wedding so The and second batches are a give away. So hopefully the 3rd is way better. Thanks for you help

 

[robie]

Thanks so much for your help!!! The sediment is from trying to bottle from the first time. I had my girl help me and rushing the project. I had to keep my cool lol. The wine is to give away for our wedding so The and second batches are a give away. So hopefully the 3rd is way better. Thanks for you help

If you rack the wine just before you bottle, you won't have any sediment in the bottom of the carboy to have to deal with. That is a rule I like to follow.

Good luck!

 

[jimmyjames23]

If you want to run a poor mans test for mercaptans do this.
Open a bottle
Add one pinch of ascorbic acid
Cover with airlock or balloon/finger of rubber glove with pin holes in it. Allowing gases to escape and preventing oxygen/critters getting in
Let sit 3 days.
Day 3 bend a penny so that it will fit in a bottle. Put penny in bottle.
Wait 3 more days.
Day 6... Pour wine through a Britta filter twice.
Smell/drink wine.
Cost of experiment 99 cents for ascorbic acid.

 

[mtbryda203]

Thanks JJ deff going to give the poor man test tonight

 

[jimmyjames23]

If you find yourself unable to get ascorbic acid from a wine shoppe on a Monday (most are closed Monday) know that ascorbic acid is the active ingredient in vitamin c tablets.
1/4 tablet crushed might do it.

 

[jimmyjames23]

I mentioned the Brita filter as a means of exposing the wine to activated charcoal to remove odor.
It does work but the "whole house" filter is cheaper and much better in the long run.
Like 200% cheaper/better.

 

[mtbryda203]

I mentioned the Brita filter as a means of exposing the wine to activated charcoal to remove odor.
It does work but the "whole house" filter is cheaper and much better in the long run.
Like 200% cheaper/better.

Where can I find it/ blue prints to make it