Is my fermentation busted??

[Mixer]

I have a williamsbrewing.com kit for muscat, and as it comes in two cans I have the ability to make 1/2 the kit at a time. So I put the juice, and water, and yeast for 3 gallons into a 3.5 gallon bucket with airlock and sealed her up.

I have a thermometer stuck on and it has fluctated a bit between 76 and 78 degrees, but now on day 4 still no bubbles in the airlock.

On day 3 with no bubbles I opened the bucket and there were slight bubbles on top (wouldn't call it foam), and it smelled like it was fermenting slightly.

So how worried about this should I be? The directions say that it will be in this primary for 14 days, is it just slow?

Mixer

 

[Runningwolf]

What was the sg reading when you started and what is it now?

 

[AlFulchino]

additionally i am wondering why it is under air lock? the yeast needs oxygen

 

[Mixer]

SG at start was 1.082, SG is now at .994 , and it tastes like wine. But WOW!! that is even faster than my 1 gallon of welch's, it took 8 days, and its only been 3 for this batch of muscat.

Seems like something is wrong to me, of course I don't know what. The directions say to leave it in the primary for 14 days, then rack to carboy for another 8 weeks to finish ferment and to mature some.

Im a little dumbfounded to be honest.

 

[Wade E]

Go by sg and not airlock activity as sometimes there are leaks. I ferment under airlock all the time for many years and have no problem but I also stir it daily to give it air as like Al said yeast need air. Check the sg and let us now what it is and also tell us what it was in the beginning.

 

[grapeman]

It is fine mixer- just a fast fermentation. That is a bit low for beginning SG, but is fine for a low alcohol wine. The 0.994 means it is probably done fermenting, but give it a few more days to be sure. I would then rack it and add the k-meta, etc.

 

[Mixer]

yeah fasttttt!!!!! fermentation. Wow!! I did go ahead and stir it while I had it open, so I guess any yeast still left will like that. I did want a low alcohol wine, so it sounds like it is what I was shooting for. I will let sit for a few more days then on Saturday rack to carboy, metabisulfite, sorbate, degas a bit, and then let it sit for awhile to age and clear, will probably rack and degas a few times over the next month to aid in the clearing.

thanks for all the help.

 

[Mixer]

Well I was shooting for about 11% ABV, and as it stands right now it looks like 12.8% ABV.

SG 1.082 is 10.9 potential
FG .994 is- (-1.9)
= 12.8

I didn't want to add more water than I did. The original reading put the potential at 15% and I didn't want it that strong so I added water to bring it to a potential of 12% and went with that. So pretty close.

 

[Mixer]

So Appleman - is a fast fermentation a good thing, a bad thing, or a neutral thing?

I don't believe it was a temperature issue because it never got above 78 degrees and was mostly at 76 degrees.

 

[grapeman]

So Appleman - is a fast fermentation a good thing, a bad thing, or a neutral thing?

YES


Take your pick, it depends on the wine and style you are making as well as the yeast, etc.


It will be fine.

 

[Wade E]

OH man id I blow that one, I missed that you had that .994 sg in there, yep, shes done and most likely just giving up C02 now.