Blackberry wine possible stuck ferment

[lead_fallout]

Hello there,

I have familiarised my self with home wine making and have done alot of research and read books about the process.

Having aquired all equipment i began making blackberry wine (my first ever attempt).

I bought high quality Burgundy yeast along with high quality nutrient and energiser salts. I prepared the must with 4.5 lbs of blackberries added campden tablets, nutrient, enzyme, citric acid and a little grape juice concentrate to add a bit of flavour.

I prepared a starter bottle and added it to the must after 24 hours. After adding the yeast, vigorous fermentation occured, the must was kept warm and the pulp kept gathering on the surface as expected. Everything seemed normal, I stirred and oxygenated the must twice a day following my recipe.

However, about 24 hours after adding the yeast it has ground to a halt. Only a few bubbles on the surface little in the way of fermentation smells. At first the pulp rose to the surface but not anymore.

I tried to restart the stuck ferment by adding a bit of nutrient, salts and fresh yeast, but this had no effect.

I took a hydrometer reading 2 hours ago. It read 1000. The initial reading before adding yeast was 1010.

Please advise.

 

[Tom]

I dont see where you added sugar.
Did you add any?
You need to start gravity @ 1.080. Just adding fruit is not enough.
Please post recipe and everything you did so far.

 

[lead_fallout]

I took the recipe from 'Boots: Home Wine making & Brewing'. A book long since discontinued. The recipe is:

4lbs blackberries
1 tsp citric acid
1/2 tsp tannin
small portion of grape conc (for flavoring)
2 lb sugar


1. Wash drain and crush blackberries, pour on 6 pints of boiling water, when cool add acid, tannin and pectic enzyme, grape conc and yeast (after campden treatment)

2. Ferment for 5 days, then strain and pour into a fermentation jar, stirring in the sugar. Continue fermentation to dryness.



I have done the following so far:

1. I washed, drained and crushed blackberries. Poured on 6 pints of boiling water. When cool I added citric acid, tannin, pectic enzyme, grape conc and nutrient and 2 campden tablets.

2. Waited 24 hours for campden tablets to clear

3. Added a previously prepared yeast starter and stirred.

4. Vigorous fermentation began a few hours later. I stirred the mixture twice daily.

5. 24 hours later, fermentation slowed severely, possibly stopped.

The recipe states that sugar should not be added until after its been fermenting for 5 days in the bucket. I trust this recipe as it is from a legitimate source (Boots pharmacy) yet it isn't working for me.

 

[Wade E]

Are you sure the starting gravity was 1.010 as that would make almost no alc thus making sense why your fermentation is done.

 

[Tom]

LOL a recipe from a Drug Store.
I trust this recipe as it is from a legitimate source (Boots pharmacy) yet it isn't working for me.
Wonder why it no longer in print.
Add enough sugar so gravity is 1.070 now

 

[lead_fallout]

lol this was years ago when Boots used to have a home brew department which sold kit and books everywhere in the UK. The old book I'm using would have been sold widely at one point. Don't think ill be using it again though.

I shall add the sugar now. It has been in the bucket for almost 3 days (2 days of no fermentation), how much longer should I leave it in the bucket considering fermentation stalled.

 

[lead_fallout]

Also, approx how much sugar should I add to a gallon of must to raise SG from 1000 to 1070. Cheers

 

[Tom]

Add the sugar and it will pick up..
Right now the yeast ate all the sugars so nothing will happen except the yeast dying from lack of food (sugar)

 

[lead_fallout]

I've added the sugar and fermentation is picking up. I hope the yeast hasn't started to die as this will affect the taste of the wine. Do you know of a better book or website with recipes so this doesn't happen again.

cheers

 

[Midwest Vintner]

I've added the sugar and fermentation is picking up. I hope the yeast hasn't started to die as this will affect the taste of the wine. Do you know of a better book or website with recipes so this doesn't happen again.

cheers

google jack keller.

then add a few lb/gal of fruit to all the recipes

also, search here and just post the recipe you are wanting to use and we'll help you out with what works, what you can add and how to get the style of that wine you are looking for. wine making is an art and a science, you need the skills to taste and equipment to test. asking questions here will net you better answers and you'll get different insights on how we make wine. everyone has their own ways, just find out what works for you.