Cork Pop... any solution?

[foursons]

So I have made Green Apple Gewürztraminer from RJS kit.

I have followed the instruction carefully and it tasted alright before bottling.

After bottling, I put them in my basement. After a week or so, the floor was all wet. The cork popped out and created the mess. Some has leaked out... ahhhhhhhhh!!!

When I got one and took out the cork, it made a pop sound and fog like gas came out of the bottle. When I tasted it, it was fizzy with not the greatest taste. On the bottom of the bottle, there were little bit of sediment. What could have gone wrong?

Help me, you guys are my only hope!

Thanks

 

[peaches9324]

You got bottle fermentation. Did you take a sg reading?

 

[cpfan]

Did you omit the sorbate that came with the kit?

Steve

 

[Julie]

Since you followed the instructions, I am assuming that you fermented to dry? Did you degass, if you did not degass this will cause bottle bombs. You need to pull the corks on all the bottles, degass, and take a reading and watch that for a few days to ensure that you do not have a fermentation going on.

 

[foursons]

I see, peaches, if there was a fermentation in the bottle how does the sg suppose to change? Does it go up or down? thanks~~

Steve, yes i added them thanks

Julie, yup I degassed it~ but can you tell me what 'fermented to dry' means? and how do i know when that occurs?

 

[JohnT]

The SG reading would tell you if you have any remaining sugar in your wine. If you omitted the sorbate and then back-sweetened the wine prior to bottling, this is exactly what one would expect. especially if the corked wine is kept at 60 degrees or warmer.

If you have ANY residual sugar, you need to apply a dose of sorbate to help prevent the live yeast that is still in your wine from fermenting.

 

[peaches9324]

I see, peaches, if there was a fermentation in the bottle how does the sg suppose to change? Does it go up or down? thanks~~

Steve, yes i added them thanks

Julie, yup I degassed it~ but can you tell me what 'fermented to dry' means? and how do i know when that occurs?

ferment to dry means an sg reading of .998 or lower for three days in a row. And if you did have a bottle fermentation it would be less of an sg reading then you bottled at if it was me I would open all the bottles and put back in carboy until you get an sg of .998 or less for 3 days in a row that is. Its a pain I know but its better then Having to loose all that wine!

 

[foursons]

thanks alot everyone, ill be busy for a while...

 

[Nono]

I have the same problem with fermentation in the bottle. I think. Wine was perfectly clear. Sg 1.000 for weeks but I didn't sorbate. Just k-meta. Now wine has sediment and is fizzy. No popped corks yet. But looks like a little yeast Lees on bottom of bottles. After I open bottles do I sorbate and k-meta again and then degas? Shouldn't I be concerned about oxidation? Anyone?

 

[grapeman]

Nono you did not mention the type of wine. Is it a red or a white? From grapes, juice or kit? What did you add to it? Did you sweeten it after going to 1.000? There are just too many factors here to make a wild guess of what to suggest.

 

[DoctorCAD]

1. Green Apple Gewürztraminer sounds like a "mist" type kit.
2. There is enough sorbate to choke a horse in the F-packs. Assuming you followed the directions (as you stated you did) there is no fermentation in your bottles.
3. Dissolved CO2 from not enough degassing will not cause bottle bombs, it is no worse than an almost flat Coke. Good corks will hold that tiny amount of pressure for years. Did you allow the corks to dry out with the bottles standing up for 2 days prior to laying the bottles down? Thats an important step.
4. The sediment is from the kit instructions rushing you to bottle. A 90 day rest would have solved that problem.
5. You could dump, degas and re-bottle, its a drastic step, but it would eliminate the fizzyness associated with dissolved CO2. Also, those "mist" kits make a sticky mess, be sure to keep everything clean and sterilized.

 

[foursons]

Doctor CAD, thank you, its confusing why they would tell me to bottle so early... well ill try that thanks!

 

[Floandgary]

When I ferment to "dry" sg. will typically be @.992-.994. I do mostly reds but have had my whites that low as well. Degassing has been a bane for me too. I've had several feel fizzy after bottling. Needless to say I go through a lot of corks!!!! But as Julie and others have said,, pop em', degass thoroughly, and check for a steady sg. for 3 days or so at a moderate temperature 68-75F

 

[Nono]

Grapeman, the wine is Semillon from grapes. No I didn't backsweeten. It stopped at 1.000 cold stabilized in garage for four weeks. Was totally clear. Brought in rack with 1/4 tsp. K-meta waited another month then bottled. Was delish and beautiful. Very disappointed