Since 2010 I have been making cranberry wine every year. So, this year, not being an exception, I crushed about 16 lbs of fresh cranberries that made up around 8 gallons of must in total volume (water added). Although some recipes state that I should crush 3 or 4 lbs per gallon of must, I think it is excessive, considering how acidic cranberry is. At this point, it has been about 24 hours since I pitched the yeast (Red Star Cote des Blancs), but there is no trace of bubbles forming on the surface. I am getting worried about it. As usual, I added yeast nutrient and energizer and the must is sitting at 21.5 Brix (S.G. 1.090).
When I tested pH, it is approximately 3.0, and TA is (somewhat surprisingly) 1.2-1.3 g/L. Is it because cranberry has citric acid that dissociates differently from tartaric, as in grapes, and therefore it makes the TA so low? I will certainly not add any acid to the must, because last time when I was making cranberry wine, I found myself having to add calcium carbonate to save it from heading into a stuck fermentation.
Have you any ideas how to make it start bubble? One hypothesis I have is that I rushed pitching the yeast. I may have stressed it with all the acidity, temperature jump, and sugar, such that it didn't have a chance to assimilate to the environment. By the way, room tamperature is 72*F.
Thanks.
When I tested pH, it is approximately 3.0, and TA is (somewhat surprisingly) 1.2-1.3 g/L. Is it because cranberry has citric acid that dissociates differently from tartaric, as in grapes, and therefore it makes the TA so low? I will certainly not add any acid to the must, because last time when I was making cranberry wine, I found myself having to add calcium carbonate to save it from heading into a stuck fermentation.
Have you any ideas how to make it start bubble? One hypothesis I have is that I rushed pitching the yeast. I may have stressed it with all the acidity, temperature jump, and sugar, such that it didn't have a chance to assimilate to the environment. By the way, room tamperature is 72*F.
Thanks.