Long Ferment Time

[AMEugene]

I am an avid beer maker and trying my first wine with a kit. The reason I mention my beer experience is because when I make an ale my primary fermentation is usually over in 4 -7 days. Well when I put my wine in the fermentation bucket the air lock took off in less that 24 hours. OK that was a good sign. I like it. Well it has been almost two weeks and it is still going strong. Is this normal? How long should the primary fermentation be done? Making beer I would not even think about checking the gravity while so much Co2 is being produced as that is an indicator that fermentation is still going on. I want to rack this weekend but of course will not do it with so much activity. Is this normal? Oh 67F is where it is at.

 

[Johnd]

I am an avid beer maker and trying my first wine with a kit. The reason I mention my beer experience is because when I make an ale my primary fermentation is usually over in 4 -7 days. Well when I put my wine in the fermentation bucket the air lock took off in less that 24 hours. OK that was a good sign. I like it. Well it has been almost two weeks and it is still going strong. Is this normal? How long should the primary fermentation be done? Making beer I would not even think about checking the gravity while so much Co2 is being produced as that is an indicator that fermentation is still going on. I want to rack this weekend but of course will not do it with so much activity. Is this normal? Oh 67F is where it is at.

Your airlock is an indicator that somethings going on, but your hydrometer must be your guide. What's your hydrometer reading right now? If it's 1.010 or less, you'll be racking soon, depending on your kit instructions.

 

[fabrictodyefor]

I think we need more information. Do you have the lid locked down tight on the ferment bucket? I usually just cover with a towel or cloth, not a locked down lid like in beer making. Did you take an sg reading before you began? This is the "marker" I go by. My sg may have started around 1.085 - 1.092, then when it gets down to about 1.000 or so I'll rack it to a car boy from the ferment bucket.

 

[AMEugene]

I have not taken a gravity reading yet. I just figured that with that much action in the air lock then it must not be down to 1.01 yet. I will take a reading tonight and see where it is.

 

[AMEugene]

I think we need more information. Do you have the lid locked down tight on the ferment bucket? I usually just cover with a towel or cloth, not a locked down lid like in beer making. Did you take an sg reading before you began? This is the "marker" I go by. My sg may have started around 1.085 - 1.092, then when it gets down to about 1.000 or so I'll rack it to a car boy from the ferment bucket.

Fab,
I do have a lid locked down on my bucket. I did take an sg as well. MY OG was 1.095. I will check my sg tonight. I guess as long as it is around the 1.00 then I will rack into the carboy for secondary.

 

[richmke]

Well it has been almost two weeks and it is still going strong. Is this normal?

I pitched yeast on Jan 18, and racked to carboy on Jan 24 at SG 1.006. It is now 3 days later, and the airlock is still bubbling at one bubble every few seconds. By the weekend, I anticipate the wine will be around 0.996 (finished fermenting), and still bubble for a while.

It take a while for the CO2 to come out. Long after it is done fermenting.

Wine has twice, or more, alcohol than beer. So, it throws off a lot more CO2.

 

[AMEugene]

I pitched yeast on Jan 18, and racked to carboy on Jan 24 at SG 1.006. It is now 3 days later, and the airlock is still bubbling at one bubble every few seconds. By the weekend, I anticipate the wine will be around 0.996 (finished fermenting), and still bubble for a while.

It take a while for the CO2 to come out. Long after it is done fermenting.

Wine has twice, or more, alcohol than beer. So, it throws off a lot more CO2.

Thank you. So it is normal to continue to produce cO2 even after fermentation is complete. I will take my sg and rack into secondary this weekend.

 

[richmke]

So it is normal to continue to produce cO2 even after fermentation is complete.

"release CO2", not "produce CO2". The CO2 is produced during fermentation (first 2 weeks), and can take months to be released (if nothing is done to force a release).

 

[AMEugene]

"release CO2", not "produce CO2". The CO2 is produced during fermentation (first 2 weeks), and can take months to be released (if nothing is done to force a release).

Thank you for the clarification. The directions that came with the kit say to aerate the wine to release the CO2. I will follow the directions and see how it comes out. Thank you again.

 

[Floandgary]

At 67 degrees, Fermentation can slow down quite a bit (especially reds) but still produce CO2. As Johnd said "trust your hydrometer". It will tell you more about what's going on than your eyes can!! And as for "aerating" the wine to get rid of CO2,,,,,,,,, I think "agitating" vigorously without infusing O2 will serve you better.

 

[AMEugene]

At 67 degrees, Fermentation can slow down quite a bit (especially reds) but still produce CO2. As Johnd said "trust your hydrometer". It will tell you more about what's going on than your eyes can!! And as for "aerating" the wine to get rid of CO2,,,,,,,,, I think "agitating" vigorously without infusing O2 will serve you better.

I like to be on the low side of the ferment temp. It is OK to take a little bit longer. Shoot I am making lagers this winter and that is how low can you go. ferments at 50F.
I may have gotten the terminology incorrect. I plan on using a wine whisk on the end of a drill. Any recommendations on just how long I will do that?

I mean I would NEVER do that to a beer so this is all new to me. Hence me posting in the noob section

 

[Floandgary]

Most have done the whisk routine for degassing. Works well to agitate dissolved CO2 out. But on the other hand it proves all too easy to form a vortex and pull in O2 which will bubble up and make you think you're dispersing CO2 forever. Vigorous, not violent!! I used to do it for a minute or so maybe a couple of times a day, but these days it's sooooo much easier to splash-rack every 3 months and allow at least a year for CO2 to leave naturally!!

 

[AMEugene]

Most have done the whisk routine for degassing. Works well to agitate dissolved CO2 out. But on the other hand it proves all too easy to form a vortex and pull in O2 which will bubble up and make you think you're dispersing CO2 forever. Vigorous, not violent!! I used to do it for a minute or so maybe a couple of times a day, but these days it's sooooo much easier to splash-rack every 3 months and allow at least a year for CO2 to leave naturally!!

Please clue me into what a splash rack is. I assume that you mean that when you rack to a different carboy that you just let it splash when you transfer it? I also must assume that you bulk age for a year and then bottle? Is that for whites and reds?

 

[Floandgary]

Yes on the "splash" ,, and yes to the bulk aging. However let me say that I do mostly reds which benefit more-so from longer aging. A few whites are known to benefit from an aging process but in general they can be bottled and consumed at around a 6 month time. Just to be clear, let it be known that the babbling on my posts are My Humble Opinions,,, not to be confused with the Bible(s) of Winemaking!! Do enough research and reading, and you too will be able to babble In the end, enjoy what you make!