Other Lingering ferment smell...

[saylor]

Hi I have a batch of cab that is in the final clearing stage. It's a chateau kit from amazon. I did nothing to the kit but scale it to just over 5 gal and added 60 oz of raisins. The SG is right where is should be and the batch is clearing nicely but it has a lingering smell/taste like when it was in the primary ferment bucket. Will this clear with time.? Any ideas?

 

[wineh]

I did nothing to the kit but scale it to just over 5 gal and added 60 oz of raisins.

If by that you mean you made a 6 gallon kit to 5 gallons, your wine is likely to be out of balance forever. Sorry about that.

 

[robie]

I assume the raisins have been removed.

Is the smell of rotten eggs? If so, that is likely H2S, caused by some sort of stress on the yeast. Tell us more.

 

[saylor]

No I actually looked into some of the issues with the rotten egg thing but it doesn't smell anything like that. And the wine may very well be off balance however from research I've done that won't cause a fermenting smell. The smell is exactly the same as if you just start a fresh batch of wine from actual fruit on about the fourth day after it has been fermenting. The smell has been there since the fourth day and has been there ever since. It has considerably improved but still lingers. And yes I made a 6 gallon kit to 5 gallons as have HUNDREDS of other people belonging to this forum have suggested. O and I'm sorry yes the rasins have been removed right before racking to secondary

 

[djrockinsteve]

Maybe just needs degassed, sulfited and aged. I have a wine that smelled odd but tasted great. It turned out great.

 

[roger80465]

I have made Amazon kits in the past (although not Chateau) and have found them to have a musty taste for several months after fermentation. Eventually, it faded but it was rather disconcerting for several months. I say just give it time.

 

[saylor]

Ok thanks guys. Musty is pretty accurate actually ! It's just such a shame because you can taste the great flavor behind that unpleasant one. I guess I'll wait a while longer before I bottle then let it sit with my fingers crossed. Thanks again guys!

 

[saylor]

Well I'm happy to update that the funky must taste/smell is almost not even noticeable in just four days after bottling. Any chance it had something to do with the lees in the secondary and once it got off that it's getting better??. I can't wait to taste this stuff in 6 mths