Potential Primary Fermentation Error?

[Delgar]

Hello,

I decided to make wine and purchased a starter kit and a juice kit. The starter kit came with everything needed including a bucket and cover for primary fermentation.

The cover was a sheet of poly but was shaped like a bag, ie. you could open it. So for the first 3 days of fermentation I had the "bag" over the bucket, and it fit tight enough that little to no air could get in or out.

I now understand I should have used it like a cover and not a bag, so it is sitting loose on the bucket now. It appears fermentation is ongoing (its now day 4 and tiny bubbles cover about 1/4 to 1/3 the surface) but I'm concerned the lack of fresh air may have killed some of the yeast such that fermentation won't complete.

Do I have a concern here? I take it I just continue monitoring SG and if I know fermentation has stalled, add yeast?

 

[rhoffart]

Do I have a concern here?

Nope not at all ... just keep following the directions and watch the SG

Welcome to the forum

 

[Delgar]

Wow that was a fast reply, thank you!

I look forward to learning more about wine making, I've been reading lots of posts and this looks like a great forum.

 

[CowboyPhil]

off topic but Rhoffart I am in Boerne too and I and my brother in law are new to wine making as well, I would love pointers and someone to take a look at my wine. Message me if you would like to help out a newbie.

 

[DasK]

Delgar, if air needed to get out, it would have gotten out. It might not have been pretty, but it would have happened.

Even if you did kill some yeast, there are plenty more reproducing behind it to continue fermentation. The only time it might have caused an issue is if the yeast ran out of oxygen which wouldn't have happened by the third day of adding yeast.

 

[DaDzWinery]

Hello,

I decided to make wine and purchased a starter kit and a juice kit. The starter kit came with everything needed including a bucket and cover for primary fermentation.

The cover was a sheet of poly but was shaped like a bag, ie. you could open it. So for the first 3 days of fermentation I had the "bag" over the bucket, and it fit tight enough that little to no air could get in or out.

I now understand I should have used it like a cover and not a bag, so it is sitting loose on the bucket now. It appears fermentation is ongoing (its now day 4 and tiny bubbles cover about 1/4 to 1/3 the surface) but I'm concerned the lack of fresh air may have killed some of the yeast such that fermentation won't complete.

Do I have a concern here? I take it I just continue monitoring SG and if I know fermentation has stalled, add yeast?

Delgar, I had this happen last week, and what happened to me was I added my yeast too fast, not waiting a full 24 hours, and the camden tablets I addeed initially, killed my newborn yeast, I made another pack of yeast, Hydrated it this time in luke warm water, If you have a thermometer between 100-104 degrees let it sit for around 5-10 minutes and stir lightly and pour into you must.. within 12 hours it was up and running.

 

[robie]

Delgar, I had this happen last week, and what happened to me was I added my yeast too fast, not waiting a full 24 hours, and the camden tablets I addeed initially, killed my newborn yeast, I made another pack of yeast, Hydrated it this time in luke warm water, If you have a thermometer between 100-104 degrees let it sit for around 5-10 minutes and stir lightly and pour into you must.. within 12 hours it was up and running.

DaDzWinery,
The campden (Kmeta) don't kill the yeast, it just stun them. Actually, had you waited a day or so, your originally pitched yeast likely would have gotten over being stunned and would have taken off. Adding more yeast as you did was fine, though; I might have pitched more, also.

 

[DaDzWinery]

DaDzWinery,
The campden (Kmeta) don't kill the yeast, it just stun them. Actually, had you waited a day or so, your originally pitched yeast likely would have gotten over being stunned and would have taken off. Adding more yeast as you did was fine, though; I might have pitched more, also.

....................

 

[Delgar]

Well, I'm sure my yeast is working! In 2 days I've gone from a SG of 1.090 to 1.032, now I'm concerned that's too fast. Its a Pinot Noir kit which has a recommended primary fermentation period of 14 days. Today is day 5. If anyone has any comments I'd be glad to hear them!

 

[Lopez]

Give it a stir once or twice a day to get some Oxygen to the yeast. Also, I've got some juice goign now. 4 of the 5 are at 1.015 or under and the other is sitting at 1.020 as of this morning. I throw a very thin tea towel over mine and tie it off with a piece of yarn or lace to keep it from blowing off. I've got to be out of town from Saturday-Tuesday, so I'm going to throw those suckers into carboys just to be on the safe side. I figure they would produce enough gas in the primary's to keep the Oxygen away, but better safe than sorry. Everyone does it different, but I know I dont wan't to leave my babies to be checked on by my wife while im gone.

 

[robie]

Well, I'm sure my yeast is working! In 2 days I've gone from a SG of 1.090 to 1.032, now I'm concerned that's too fast. Its a Pinot Noir kit which has a recommended primary fermentation period of 14 days. Today is day 5. If anyone has any comments I'd be glad to hear them!

The number of days is just for reference to give you an idea as to how long it can take.

If you drop the must's temperature to the bottom end of the temperature range for the yeast, it will slow some. You might slowly set your fermentor bucket in a tub of cool water to accomplish this. Other than that, don't try to slow it down any other way or you may end up with a stuck fermentation or H2S.

Once the SG gets close to dry, it will slow down quite a bit, anyway.