Fermenting smell.

[Will]

I'm about halfway through the primary fermentation (about 3 days in). I'm a little worried because the must doesn't smell very pleasant. In fact it smells a little rotten. Is that the way it supposed to smell?

 

[Wade E]

First of all what are we fermenting and if its not a kit what are the
ingredients. What is the temp? Was everything properly sanitized and I
mean everything?


Edited by: wade

 

[Will]

It's a WE White Merlot kit. I'm sure I sanitized everything. As far as the temperature goes, I'm unsure. It's got to be room temperature though, so I imagine it's in the low to mid 70's. It's not really rotten smelling, just not very pleasant. When it first starting fermenting, it almost smelled like bread. I have an airlock on the bucket, and it's bubbling every couple seconds, but I was under the impression that when it's fermenting it would foam up on the top and it's not doing that either.

 

[Will]

I read at another forum that sometimes if the yeast doesn't get enough oxygen then it produces Hydrogen Sulfide (H2s), and that can result in a somewhat foul smell. They suggested stirring the must a little to introduce some more oxygen into the mix. I went ahead and did that, so I guess time will tell if this helped or not.

 

[grapeman]

If you get foam or not is dependant on a lot of factors- yeast type and strain probably has the most influence. Some are heavy foamers and others just kind of boil away. You are right about the smell, it could be from lack of oxygen. If you cover it tight with an airlock you will almost certainly have to stir vigorously daily. That is why a lot of folks just like to cover with a towel or lay the cover on loosely and cover the little hole. The smell should go away shortly, and certainly after you rack it to secondary.
Good luck.

 

[Wade E]

Everything sounds good for what you did and are doing. Smelling like
bread isnt to far from normal as it is a yeast youre using. Not all
wines foam up. Is this the 1st wine youve ever made. What is the date
of this kit. It is enbedded on the sticker on the box.

 

[Will]

wade,
Yes this is my first kit. I'm not sure about the date, but the sticker says: WHT MERLOT 0531806 0230. I stirred it earlier this afternoon, and it doesn't smell as quite as bad as it did.

 

[Wade E]

The kit is not quite a year old and should be fine. Ive never had this
problem with not enough air but getting enough oxygen for the 1st few
times is the best thing as yeast needs alot of oxygen but soon it will
be the worst thing for it. Glad your smell is going away.

 

[Joseph1]

Will, everything is fine. Fermentation smells, some find it to be very pleasant others find it foul. I enjoy the smell and believe that it tells me something about the health of the fermentation. If you thoroughly mixed the kit when it was reconstituted and your specific gravity was within the range indicated by the instructions, you probably have enough oxygen and don’t need to stir any more. Hydrogen Sulfide is a serious problem and needs to be treated quickly. You will know it if you have it because the must will have an unmistakable smell of rotten eggs.

 

[PolishWineP]

Some of our wines never really foam, they just sparkle. Be sure you're giving it plenty of oxygen and don't worry about foam. Don't you just love that bread smell it gives off?!

I do.

 

[PeterZ]

Will,

Smell and taste are not only very subjective, they are also genetic. SWMBO (She Who Must Be Obeyed - my wife, Virginia) hates the smell of fermenting wine. I love it. Both of these attitudes are on a subjective level, not based on the anticipation of what is to come.

I love broccoli. To her it smells like "dirty feet" Many people love cilantro. To me it tastes like soap. All of these subjective love it / hate it relationships have been traced to genetics.

The happy info is that even if you hate the smell of fermenting wine, it will have no influence on your enjoyment of the finished wine. You are reacting to a minor by-product of the yeast that leaves the wine as a gas and will not be present in the finsihed wine.

 

[PolishWineP]

Will,

Smell and taste are not only very subjective, they are also genetic. SWMBO (She Who Must Be Obeyed - my wife, Virginia) hates the smell of fermenting wine.

I thought that SWMBO carried the moniker of Hilda.

I know, thoroughly off topic, but I just couldn't help myself!

 

[rgecaprock]

I'm sitting here on the computer right next to my primary....can't think of a more pleasant aroma than fermentation yeast.....I know what is to come!!!!


Ramona

 

[OilnH2O]

I'm with YOU Ramona! And, along with that wonderful aroma I love the sound of that "blip...blip...blip...blip...." of the airlock! I think of it as "multi-tasking!"

 

[Carwen]

Good question and I am glad you asked, now I know the answer. I thought the same thing with my current batch, I don't remember the first two smelling bad. But being a newbie and not knowing about this forum until today, I kept going. I racked today and it smells much better, because of your post, it helped confirm I did the right thingby not dumping it down the drain

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