blueberry wine

[coopman]

just started 5 gallons blueberry...13lbs frozen berries..sugar..couple oranges and lemons...campden tabe..waited 24 hrs and added lalvin yeast..stirred 6 days with no problem.. tasted and smelled great...turned up heat day before to try to reactivate my 30 gallons of chokecherry...my blueberry started smelling strange yesterday..possibly vinegery...siphoned into 5 gallon jug ..still fermenting well...can i save or is the vineger its doom?

 

[MedPretzel]

We need alittle more to go on.... SG now? Beginning SG? Still fermenting? That sounds positive. Did you taste it?





What's the temp?





I am sure it is savable!

 

[coopman]

temp was close to 80 when problem started ..now at 74...original sg was at 1.40..tasted wierd..a little vinegery...hope i can save it..wife bitched i used her last blueberries..may have infected with vinegar..someone told me it kills fruit flies with soap and water....thanks for the reply

 

[Hippie]

As the ferment dies down, keep the carboy topped up very well. Rack and stabilize after the SG remains the same for a couple weeks. It is paramount that you keep it topped up from here on out.

 

[coopman]

Thanks Hippie, ill give it a try, its really fermenting strong but smells and tastes awful...in your opinion did i overheat it or did it just catch the viniger bug? This batch seemed to change overnight, i stirred twice daily and smelled great until 12 hrs later

 

[Hippie]

I think it is a normal fermentation, but with a healthy hydrogen sulfide production. Allow it to finish and see if it changes. Fruit is a little on the light side, 80*F is not too warm, top up well as the subsiding fermentation allows.

 

[coopman]

Thanks for reply, i will let you know how its doing after ferm.....Can campden tabs be used as stabilizer?.or do you have better suggestion? Coopman

Edited by: coopman

 

[Hippie]

Stabilizing is done with sulphite and sorbate, when the wine is finished. 1 campden tablet per gallon is good for the sulphite part. Use sorbate per package directions. Do not attempt to stabilize a wine that is still fermenting, at least not until you get experienced and have read and studied alot.