saccharomyces
Junior
- Joined
- May 11, 2005
- Messages
- 8
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Hi folks,
Thought I would throw this out there and see if someone has any ideas.
I just started a new batch of wine on Monday, a zinfandel that I am making from sun country concentrate. My s.g. was 1.096, and I am using WL 749 Assmanhausen yeast.I made a yeast starter the day before (Sunday), and the airlock on the starter was off and bubbling for a few hours before I pitched it in the must. The must temp was about 76 in both the must and the starter when it was pitched, and the fermentor was placed in a dark (yet warm, about 70-ish degree) place.
This was Monday evening. It is now almost 72 hours later, and the airlock hasn't budged. I know that this particular yeast strain is a slow fermentor (from what I have read on other message boards), but I figured by using a starter, the lag time shouldbe much less.
Now, the only thing I did do which I am now regretting is using some potassium metabisulphite in the must on Sunday. Basically, the recipe I was following from Alexanders said to mix the concentrate and water, then let it sit over night. This apparently is done to make sure the concentrate is completely reconstituted, and helps you avoid having all of the concentrate sitting at the bottom of the fermentor. Because it has been so warm here, I was worried about letting the must sit overnight with no yeast, so Istirred inabout a 1/4 teaspoon of potassium metabisulphite, dissolved in water, into the must and let it sit over night. I figured since this is what is done when making wine from grapes, it wouldn't hurt the yeast, so long as I waited at least a day before pitching, which I did.
Anyone have any ideas? I have since given the must a good stir again last night, but still this morning, nothing going on in the airlock. I am wondering if anyone has any experience with this particular yeast, if this is normal, any suggestions of what I might try, etc..
Thanks,
Ron
Thought I would throw this out there and see if someone has any ideas.
I just started a new batch of wine on Monday, a zinfandel that I am making from sun country concentrate. My s.g. was 1.096, and I am using WL 749 Assmanhausen yeast.I made a yeast starter the day before (Sunday), and the airlock on the starter was off and bubbling for a few hours before I pitched it in the must. The must temp was about 76 in both the must and the starter when it was pitched, and the fermentor was placed in a dark (yet warm, about 70-ish degree) place.
This was Monday evening. It is now almost 72 hours later, and the airlock hasn't budged. I know that this particular yeast strain is a slow fermentor (from what I have read on other message boards), but I figured by using a starter, the lag time shouldbe much less.
Now, the only thing I did do which I am now regretting is using some potassium metabisulphite in the must on Sunday. Basically, the recipe I was following from Alexanders said to mix the concentrate and water, then let it sit over night. This apparently is done to make sure the concentrate is completely reconstituted, and helps you avoid having all of the concentrate sitting at the bottom of the fermentor. Because it has been so warm here, I was worried about letting the must sit overnight with no yeast, so Istirred inabout a 1/4 teaspoon of potassium metabisulphite, dissolved in water, into the must and let it sit over night. I figured since this is what is done when making wine from grapes, it wouldn't hurt the yeast, so long as I waited at least a day before pitching, which I did.
Anyone have any ideas? I have since given the must a good stir again last night, but still this morning, nothing going on in the airlock. I am wondering if anyone has any experience with this particular yeast, if this is normal, any suggestions of what I might try, etc..
Thanks,
Ron