I started a blueberry wine a few days ago and shortly thereafter my central heating system failed. I have been able to keep the temperature in the lower to mid 60's but fermentation has ceased in the blueberry well before completion. I have placed a heating pad under the primary but still no action. I cannot imagine that the yeast died. Any suggestions on how to get things up and moving again other than adding heat as I have done?Edited by: Smokegrub
Blueberry Problem
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What size batch is this? What was the starting SG and what is it now?
If warm enough now, mix up a yeast starter and put in it along with a bit of yeast nutrient. That should get it going again if it needs to. It could just be finished fermenting (but knowing blueberry-not likely). That is why I ask the current SG.
If warm enough now, mix up a yeast starter and put in it along with a bit of yeast nutrient. That should get it going again if it needs to. It could just be finished fermenting (but knowing blueberry-not likely). That is why I ask the current SG.
The batch size is 6 gallons. The starting SG was 1.085; it is now 1.06. What makes no sense from a biological perspective is, if the fermentation stopped because of low temperature, why will it not restart at an optimal temperature? Surely the yeast only went dormant under those conditions. Nevertheless, I will add additional nutrient and prepare a starter.Edited by: Smokegrub
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Blueberry is one of the most finicky fermenters out there. The starter should get it going again if it is still warm enough. Good luck
I have had this problem before and just adding the nutrient did it for me. did you add any energizer to this batch at all cause if not it could use some of that too. Doing as appleman said will certainly get it started but Ive never had to go that far. Ive made 2 batches of Blueberry melomel and those seem to be the most troublesome, keep it warm and add some nutrient and get some 02 in there and I bet it will get going good.
I raised the temperature of the must with a heating pad plus I added a new acclimated starter and additional yeast nutrient just to be safe. I think it likely that the increased temperature did the trick.
By the way, when I am doing a wine that is reported difficult to ferment, I acclimate my yeast in the typical manner except that I had half of a mashed banana. The resulting mixture is very active plus the mashed banana bits float on the must and become immediate locations where the yeast chows down.
By the way, when I am doing a wine that is reported difficult to ferment, I acclimate my yeast in the typical manner except that I had half of a mashed banana. The resulting mixture is very active plus the mashed banana bits float on the must and become immediate locations where the yeast chows down.
Does the banana thing really work? How low an SG will it work at. I've been making blueberry every year for about 6 years now and about 7 out of 10 times I need to re-start the fermentation.Sometimes twice to get it down to an SG .999 to 1.01. Do you use a whole banana? Just throw it in or mash it up?
I have never tried it but have seen so many folks use this method and swear by it that if I ever have a problem and I usually dont cause I use both nutrient and energizer and step the nutrient in stages with plenty of 02. I would use a very ripe banana and mash it a little.
