Fermentation stopped (noob)

[Lynnelt]

Making 1st batch ever, pinot grigio. It was perking good the first week. Husband took reading two days ago, thought it was still too high and put lid back on. Now, nothing is happening.

Questions....

1) Is 65-68 too cold for the room? It *was bubbling all week at that temp, although the temp was maybe a little higher at first. However, it stopped after the reading. So does he have to wait until it restarts?

2) How long should we wait to check it again? Or wait to move it to the carboy? I know what the directions say. But now we're past the first week of the directions. So I don't know what applies.

Thanks -

 

[acorn]

Hi Lynnelt, and welcome.

As for your questions, a week seems to be plenty of time for the primary fermentation to finish, which is why you don't see any activity. Your room temperature is okay, by the way. During the primary fermentation it is a good practice to take readings every day and closely monitor the process. If you check now, and the Specific Gravity is below 1.000 (< 0* Brix), then your fermentation has definitely completed and you can rack into your carboy.

However, in an unlikely case that you still have high residual sugar (ex. specific gravity is 1.010 or more), then yes, your fermentation is stuck and you need to diagnose the problem and re-inoculate the yeast. So, check the reading with a hydrometer and let us know how it goes.

 

[deRicardo]

Were was the actual S.G. reading your husband got from the wine?
If the SG is above 1.000, give the wine a good stir, then check again in 3 days.

 

[loumik]

Making 1st batch ever, pinot grigio. It was perking good the first week. Husband took reading two days ago, thought it was still too high and put lid back on. Now, nothing is happening.

Questions....

1) Is 65-68 too cold for the room? It *was bubbling all week at that temp, although the temp was maybe a little higher at first. However, it stopped after the reading. So does he have to wait until it restarts?

2) How long should we wait to check it again? Or wait to move it to the carboy? I know what the directions say. But now we're past the first week of the directions. So I don't know what applies.

Thanks -

Lynnelt
First of all, welcome to WMT. Before you get to concerned with the responses that you have received so far I would suggest that you go back to the start page of beginners wine making forum and read the sticky: GETTING THE INFORMATION YOU WANT FAST.... by Wade E. After reading this sticky provide all the information you can as Wade suggests. The more info that you provide the better the chances that you will get useful info back. There are a lot of people on this forum who will be more than happy to provide you with all the help you need, but we need more info than you have provided so far.
Good Luck and waiting to hear from you soon.
LOUMIK

 

[Lynnelt]

Thank you for your answers - We were not aware we could check it every day. He will check it in the morning, and I'll let you know what we find.

The wine is WineExpert Pinot Grigio. Using the Vintner's Best. My husband did not write the readings down. However, we have the readings for what it's supposed to be and approximately when. And he said it still wasn't down.

How do you re-inoculate the yeast?

 

[acorn]

Thank you for your answers - We were not aware we could check it every day.

You should always check the juice before even pitching the yeast in the beginning, and then every day (or, at least, every other day) during the first week until the fermentation is complete. Some yeasts will ferment much faster than the other ones. As such primary fermentation can last anywhere from 3 days to up to 2 weeks. Yeast strain selection process it therefore important.

How do you re-inoculate the yeast?

Again, you may not need to do it now, but should you ever find yourself with a stuck fermentation, you can first fix the problem that caused it (e.g. acidity adjustment, or diluting high alcohol for your yeast to survive, etc.), rehydrate your dry yeast either in a small amount of warm water and add it into the must, or, if you have liquid culture, you can just take some wine out and dissolve the yeast in that amout before mixing it with the rest of the batch. That way the yeast will have easier way to assimilate to the environment.

 

[Lynnelt]

Do you mean buy additional yeast? The yeast in the wine is already....wet or gone.... The only stuff we had was what came in the kit.

 

[sour_grapes]

Yes, he means with a new package of dried yeast. Again, it may not come to that, but if your fermentation is truly stuck, that is your best bet. Yeast is available at any local home brew store (which we on this forum refer to as: LHBS).

 

[Lynnelt]

That's what I thought, but I figured I'd ask. Just to not screw things up! Thanks ~~

 

[deRicardo]

If the fermentation is close to being done, getting a stuck fermentation to restart with additional yeast is a tricky thing to try. The high alcohol in the wine will easily kill the newly introduced yeast.

In most cases, that is not really necessary.

Again, check the S.G. and get back to us. For a very slow fermentation, temperature can many times be the problem. If it is really not finished, give the wine a really good stir, make sure the temperature is above 70F, and let it ferment another few days and check S.G. again. I have done this many times for a very slow fermentation.

WineXpert has you leave the wine in secondary an extra long time anyway, even if the S.G. shows it's already done, so there is no particular hurry with such kit.

 

[Lynnelt]

Well, we tested it again today and it was at 1.0. I guess it just needed a couple of extra days.

So he siphoned it into the carboy and it's on its way - of course, there was another saga because the siphon didn't quite work the way it was supposed to.... We have a nice local homebrew store not too far, they were helpful.

Thanks, everyone!

 

[beano]

Sg Readings are an important part of wine making... but temps will slow the fermenting. Just today I moved a primary bucket to the kitchen sink as our overnight tempratures have fallen. The in house temps have fallen to about 65 degrees. Bucket in the sink and a hot water fill around it and the fermentation doubled. Woke it up if you will. A brew belt or a heating pad can be to you advantage if you temps are falling. A hydrometer is a must if your going to make wine more than once. You can check yor SG as often as you like. I pay to much attenion to my wines. Constantly stirring and just farting around with them, if you will. Hopefully the more experienced folks can give you some better advice.

Beano Joe