expired wine kit ?

[Rice_Guy]

We need enough O2 for yeast to reproduce, alcohol production is anaerobic. Therefore as a country wine maker I will routinely put it in glass at 1.020. ,,,, I haven’t done the math on it but our theory is that CO2 is released as yeast respires which makes the must primarily anerobic, surface oxygen doesn’t dissolve fast enough to saturate and reverse the anaerobic tendency.

Wine yeast tend to be fairly low foam producers so it isn’t too messy, yes it is worth while keeping two or three inches head space. Yes if you use other yeast as ale yeast they foam a lot and your airlock gets messed up/ tossed, , No the foam is hydrated so it is easy to clean off a glass carboy.

I know lowering your temp will slow fermentation, but I wouldn’t think you have that much control over the O2 in a typical fermentation vessel, and I’m sure primary fermentation in a carboy would be messy.

 

[GaDawg]

GaDawg, I suspect I'm missing something in your comment because I think you know everything I'm about to say, but here goes.

It wasn’t you that missed something, it was me. I miss read
your original post...sorry.

 

[robvan]

Its day 20, SG is .9940 and has been since earlier this week. mixed in my pot. sorbate and metabisulfite , did my first degassing and racked back into clean carboy.
The wine does not smell bad but it tastes a bit tart. I realize its young but have a feeling its not going to taste any bettor in a week when they say its ready to drink. Should I try to tweak it?

 

[TonyP]

What you're tasting as tart may actually be acidity, which is natural in wines. Red wine ph is typically 3.5-4.0 which is between coffee and lemonade, pretty tart. There are ways to improve ph but I'm not certain you have an issue. My suggestion at this stage is to finish the process.

But I'm wondering about your steps. Did you actually take steps in the order you described or did you rack first, degas, then added sorbate and sulfite?

 

[robvan]

Racked then added sorbate and sulfite then degas. those were the directions. the ph was 3.4.

 

[robvan]

What you're tasting as tart may actually be acidity, which is natural in wines. Red wine ph is typically 3.5-4.0 which is between coffee and lemonade, pretty tart. There are ways to improve ph but I'm not certain you have an issue. My suggestion at this stage is to finish the process.

But I'm wondering about your steps. Did you actually take steps in the order you described or did you rack first, degas, then added sorbate and sulfite?

Took your advice and let it finish. Tasted today and its pretty good.(wife agrees) racked into carboy and will let it age for at least a few months.