Messed up the Yeast!

[BobR]

I pitched a pack of Lalvin EC1118 last night on some strawberry wine. When I seen that nothing was taking place today, I took another look at the EC1118 package and found that I messed up. The instructions call for putting the yeast into warm water and then letting it sit for 15 minutes. After that, stir and then pour into the must. I put the yeast in the warm water, stirred it and then let it sit for 15 minutes. If it does not take off in the next 24 -48 hours, can I add another pack, or how/what can I do to get this juice fermenting?

 

[Rocky]

BobR, give the first yeast a chance to start working. There are two ways to introduce yeast, one by hydrating which is what is described on the package and one by pitching it dry on top and letting it work, which is what you did originally. What is the temperature of the juice? You need to get it into the mid-70 degree F measures. Be patient.

 

[BobR]

Rocky,

I hydrated the yeast, I just messed up on following the steps. Instead of putting the yeast in warm water and letting it sit for 15 minutes before stirring. I put the yeast in the water and immediately stirred the yeast and after stirring, I then let it sit for 15 minutes. Just messed up 4 simple steps. I was thinking about rocket science as my next retirement hobby. Last time that I checked, the juice was right at 70 degrees.

 

[Pumpkinman]

Bob, that isn't a problem, it is probably just in the lag stage, Reproduction is the first priority upon pitching the yeast, and the yeast will not do anything else until it build up its food reserves.
Give it time, you should see some activity very soon.
The biggest lesson I had to learn was patience, wine making has a lot of "hurry up and wait" stages...lol

Tom

 

[BobR]

The biggest lesson I had to learn was patience, wine making has a lot of "hurry up and wait" stages...lol
Tom

I'm beginning to find that out Tom! Before retiring 1 1/2 years ago, I planted a few grapes and I thought that it would be a nice retirement hobby. Hmm, beginning have second thoughts about that. So this year, I thought that I would try making some wine, ha, my wife reminds me that I have no patience. Still don't know anything about growing grapes, but at least I have a little more fun with them than I do with the wine making thing. I guess it all takes time.

 

[Brew and Wine Supply]

No real mess up, just give it some time. If after 48 hrs you still have nothing then use the second pack of yeast. Yeast doubles it size about every hour so starting with 5 grams it takes a while to wake up and get going before you see anything.

 

[cpfan]

BobR...

Did you take a specific gravity reading? Visual signs of fermentation are not reliable.

Steve

 

[BobR]

Doug,

I'll wait and see if anything happens in the next day or two. Would you use the same yeast, or would you try something different?

cpfan,

No I have not gotten a S.G reading since the yeast was added. The recipe called for bringing the sugar level up to 1.090 to 1.095. Before yeast it was at 1.092.

cp fan.....is that short for Canadian Pacific railfan?

Thanks guys!

 

[BobR]

cpfan,

My beginnig S.G. reading on the 24th was around 1.092. This morning the reading was 1.090 with the juice temerature still at 70 degrees.

 

[DoctorCAD]

cpfan,

My beginnig S.G. reading on the 24th was around 1.092. This morning the reading was 1.090 with the juice temerature still at 70 degrees.

Congrats!!! You're making wine.

 

[grapeman]

The yeast will work either way. Just have a bit more patience and you will be OK.

DoctorCad I see your signature says "Just say "No" to sideads!"
You do know that you can turn them off on this site, right?
Just go to "MyAccount"and click on edit options. Scroll down to the last setting - allow sidebar ads and check the NO option. Give it a try.

 

[BobR]

Thanks Rich!

 

[BobR]

Well I'll be darn, went to stir it this morning and it's foaming and bubbling just to beat the band. Ahh, and it smells good too.

 

[Pumpkinman]

Awesome!
Patience is soooooo important, hard, but important!

 

[Tom_S]

I've always just sprinkled the yeast on top of the juice and never had a problem. I've made starters before but never noticed any difference between doing that and sprinkling on top. Fermentation always takes off after a day or so.

 

[Brew and Wine Supply]

Yea!!!!

 

[BobR]

Two days ago, the S.G. reading dropped down to 1.022, so in following the recipe, I tried to strain the juice the best that I could, I then placed it in a one gallon jug. There was so much pulp and sediment that I had to remove the air lock twice to rinse all of the pulp out. It has since slowed and the air lock is working fine. I had the strawberries in a coarse nylon bag. When I strained it, the strawberries had just about disintegrated and the bucket was full of pulp. In the future, would it be better to use a fine nylon bag? Any pro's and con's on nylon bags? Also, with all of the cleaning and sanitizing, is it really worth messing with one gallon. With all the work involved, I would have been better off making 5 or 6 gallons. Right now the juice has a light orange color to it. Once things settle, will this return to more of a red color?

 

[grapeman]

How many pounds of berries did you begin with? Anything less than 6-8 pounds will be light and probably an orange color.
Small batches of strawberry are hard because you can lose so much for so much work. Use as small of mes bag as you can and it will retain more seeds and pulp. It will take a few rackings to get it clear so don't rush.

 

[BobR]

The recipe called for 3 1/2 pounds for one gallon, but I had 5 pounds laying around so I threw them all in. Yeah, it really was not worth messing with a gallon. All the work that went into it all for what....5 or 6 bottles. Next time I'll try for 5 or 6 gallons.

 

[Arne]

The recipe called for 3 1/2 pounds for one gallon, but I had 5 pounds laying around so I threw them all in. Yeah, it really was not worth messing with a gallon. All the work that went into it all for what....5 or 6 bottles. Next time I'll try for 5 or 6 gallons.

The gallons have their place, but they are just about as much work as a 5 gallon batch. Sometimes you mite want to try a new recipe and only make a gallon. When you find it has become one of your favorites, you will wish you had made at least 5 gal. Then you get to use patience to wait til the next batch is finished. Arne.