Still fermenting after a month!!!

[dietz_james]

I am making a lime skeeter pee and the hydrometer reading was stable for several days and the gravity was just a hair above .00

I added the campden and potassium sorbate, sparkolloid and degassed. A couple days later I started seeing tiny bubbles rising and it has been doing this for two weeks!!!! I started this over a month ago, and it has completely cleared.

My assumption is that degassing added more oxygen and jump started the nutrients again. Should I just let it sit until it stops, or should I transfer it to get it away from the sediment and introduce more oxygen to help it along and then add more potassium sorbate and metabisulfate (campden tablets) to it? If so, how much more should I add before bottling?

Any advice would be great. This stuff has been teasing me for over a month and I would hate to wreck it now!

 

[derunner]

Is your SG still going down? It could be bubbles are more C02 coming out. Have you backsweetened?

 

[dessertmaker]

I've gotten mine as low as .996 with premier couvee yeast.

I watch my skeeter ferments closely, as soon as it starts to calm down I start stirring lees off the bottom every day for a week. Not stirring like during degas, just a gentle swirl.

 

[djrockinsteve]

Yes you need to use your hydrometer and see if its really thru fermenting. Adding a Camden tablet would have slowed it down it it wasn't finished.

Wines can get below .990 depending upon many factors.

Bubbles could be from fermentation or it may be degassing itself. If it is above .990 give it a stir and even add a teaspoon of super ferment or nutrient if you don't have any.

If it is at or below .990 its degassing. Degas with a pump or stir briskly back n forth with a large spoon. Don't stir in air. Move the wine in the Carboy not the surface.

Adding sorbate now is okay but will keep yeast from reproducing.

 

[rjb222]

This could also be a case of a spontaneous MLF. Mlf bacteria love high acid environments. If your Campdon was old or it did not totally dissolve air born mlf bacteria could have gotten in during the last additions.

 

[dietz_james]

I haven't back sweetened or done another hydrometer reading yet because I was worried about stirring up the sediment and am unsure if that will affect the clearing (It is clear now). If I don't have to worry about re-suspending the sediment I will take another reading.

Is it possible I stirred in more gas when mixing in the potassium and sparkeloid? And how would I know it there is mlf bacteria?

Thanks for the help.

 

[rjb222]

There are paper tests available. I do not think that is necessary in this particular case I would rack away from the sediment. I would get some fresh K-metta and do a new addition Proper sulphite levels will knock out MLF. In this case I would get this done soon as you have added sorbate as well if this is a mlf the mlf will make a geranium flavor to your brew. This is irreversible if it happens.

 

[Pumpkinman]

The only way to be sure that fermentation has ceased, is to use your hydrometer, anything else is just guessing.
You shouldn't have to stir up the sediment by extracting some of the must for a reading? Take a reading to be sure.

 

[dessertmaker]

Sanitize a turkey baster to get your sample if you're worried about the lees.

 

[dietz_james]

I just took another reading, and the reading is still .00. I transferred it to another carboy and the bubbling stopped. It looks and smells fine (Tastes like lime juice). Hopefully it well stay that way. If so, I will add more potassium sorbate and campden tablets to it and then back sweeten.

 

[dessertmaker]

You only need to sorbate once.

 

[dietz_james]

Thanks for the warning.