Beginning to get sulfer smell

[billyPre]

So this is my second ever attempt at wine. My first, dragons Blood, turned out great.

On 4/18 I hydrated a single packet of Ec-1118 and threw it into my bucket with everything else.

It took a full week, stirring every day, before I saw signs of fermentation on 4/25. It has been fermenting, slowly, every day since stirring twice a day.

On 5/10 my SG was down to 1.008 so I stopped stirring and added a lid with bubbler to my bucket.

Just checked it this morning and my SG is now 1.000 and its beginning to get a sulfur smell. I am worried this smell will get worse.

Should I rack it and add my sorbate and Kmeta, call it good?

Or, should I ride it out until it reaches .993 and risk an even worse sulfur smell?

 

[sour_grapes]

First, please tell us what kind of wine this is? Is it a kit, or fruit, or another Dragon Blood?

A key question will be to figure out how deficient your must was in nitrogen-bearing nutrients.

Edit: I see this is in the Skeeter Pee subforum. Did you add any nutrients?

 

[billyPre]

Yes, 6 gallon batch of Skeeter Pee

I added nutrients just as the directions state, 3.5 tsp, in the beginning then another 3.5 once SG gets to 1.05. I also added another half a teaspoon several days ago because it has been fermenting so slowly.

 

[billyPre]

I took another reading today, 5/14, and the SG is still dropping. On 5/12 I has a SG of 1.000, Today it is .98 so I is going down very slowly.

The rotten egg smell is still there but I wouldn't call it overpowering and it hasn't gotten any worse, which is what I was worried about.

I am thinking I will rack it to a carboy on the 17th and proceed as normal. If I still have the sulfur smell after a week or two in the carboy I will give it a stir with copper.

This fermentation process has lasted almost a month and I am running out of wine. When I make Skeeter Pee again I am going to treat those lil yeasties like royalty. They're going to think its spa day, lit candles, soft music and a warm compress.

 

[sour_grapes]

I did not respond, because I am honestly not sure and hoped someone more experienced would chime in. I believe that if you have a slight odor, detectable but not overpowering, that you should just ride it out, stir frequently to dissipate the H2S, and hope for the best. After completing fermentation, splash rack it a couple of times.

I would be careful not to overdo it if you use copper. I think skeeter pee will be quite acidic, which greatly increases the rate of copper dissolution.

 

[JohnT]

If you are getting that rotten egg smell, Splash Rack it and add a little yeast nutrient. During your racking, try and get as much of the sediment out.

 

[billyPre]

you should just ride it out, stir frequently to dissipate the H2S, and hope for the best.

Thanks, I am just going to ride it out. I added a little more nutrients as John T mentioned, couldn't hurt.

I will update this thread with my results.

 

[billyPre]

add a little yeast nutrient

I believe this advice helped, thanks JohnT. I haven't yet racked it to the secondary because the SG is still dropping, .994 yesterday and .993 today. The good news is the smell is for the most part gone after adding a 1/2 tsp of nutrients!! It should be just a couple more days in the primary till its completely done fermenting. I might just rack it tonight and let it finish in a carboy.

 

[richmke]

It took a full week, stirring every day, before I saw signs of fermentation on 4/25. It has been fermenting, slowly, every day since stirring twice a day.

Next time, if you don't see anything after 48 hours, you might want to pitch new yeast. A full week is a long time.

 

[JohnT]

I believe this advice helped, thanks JohnT. I haven't yet racked it to the secondary because the SG is still dropping, .994 yesterday and .993 today. The good news is the smell is for the most part gone after adding a 1/2 tsp of nutrients!! It should be just a couple more days in the primary till its completely done fermenting. I might just rack it tonight and let it finish in a carboy.

That's great... Glad I could help!

The important thing here is that you caught it early. The longer you wait in H2S problems, the harder it is to fix.

 

[billyPre]

This batch turned out ok. There is still the faintest sulpher smell; so faint that I question if its my imagination. We are going to bottle it today, it turned out crystal clear, and just before I will try to splash rack a couple times.

I don't think we will be making Skeeter Pee again. I know why people add kool-aid and other stuff to Skeeter Pee, because by itself the wine is a bit bland.

 

[Julie]

not sure how you made it, if you used a slurry and not a yeast started, then there is some flavor. I think it is just nice with a slice of lemon and crushed ice. for those hot summer nights. To be honest, I really do not look at it as wine. And you can always make a wine-a-rita!!!! How much sulpher did you add?

 

[billyPre]

not sure how you made it, if you used a slurry and not a yeast started, then there is some flavor. I think it is just nice with a slice of lemon and crushed ice. for those hot summer nights. To be honest, I really do not look at it as wine. And you can always make a wine-a-rita!!!! How much sulpher did you add?

Only added 3/4 tsp Kmeta as per instructions and an extra 2 tsp of nutrients towards the end of fermentation to try and eliminate the sulfer smell. I did end up hitting it twice with the sparkolliod at the end because it was taking a while to clear. I'm still new at wine making so I don't deviate from the recipe.

I used EC-1118 yeast, no slurry.

The final result isn't bad, It just leaves me thinking about what I can add to give it some flavor. Whereas, for a few extra bucks I can make Daves Dragons Blood which tastes amazing.

 

[Julie]

Using a slurry gives you that hint of whatever wine the slurry was made from and then a lemon flavor. Skeeter Pee is more like Mike's hard lemonade and not everyone likes that lemony flavor. Also, recommended dose of k-meta should be 1/4 tsp.

 

[billyPre]

Using a slurry gives you that hint of whatever wine the slurry was made from and then a lemon flavor. Skeeter Pee is more like Mike's hard lemonade and not everyone likes that lemony flavor. Also, recommended dose of k-meta should be 1/4 tsp.

Thanks Julie for your replies. I am still new to making wine so the few wines iv made get fermented down to ~.993 to keep things simple so I don't have any slurry remaining.

On the Skeeter Pee website it says 1/2 tsp. per 5gallon; I made a 6 gallon batch so I just guessed at 3/4 tsp. What are the effects of adding too much K-meta?