First batch taking too long?

[eightysixCJ]

Hello all,

I am doing two batches from Chilean grapes. Four crates each of Merlot and Cab. The grapes looked great (from what I've read and heard). I crushed them on the afternoon of Sunday May 24th into two 10-gal buckets (7.5 gal Merlot and 6.5 gal Cab.) mixed in 2.3gm potassium metabisulfite (mbs) to the Merlot and 1.9gm mbs to the Cab. and let rest about 24 hours.

I started the yeast (Pasteur Red) with Goferm (poured on top on Monday 5-25), mixed in Tuesday morning, punched cap morning and evening each day after. By Tuesday evening both had nice caps formed, not rolling bubbles but light foaming and faint crackling. Added Fermaid 2gm/gal. on day Thursday 5-28, and Fermaid 2gm/gal. on Sunday 5-31.

Brix started about 25 for both, on Thursday it was 19 and 15, Saturday it was 12.5 and 10, Monday June 1st it was 9 and 7.

Temps started at 74, stayed around 80 a few days so I wrapped them in a blanket and both rose up to 86 by Saturday and on Monday June 1st the room temp was 75* and the wine was down to 83*. Both caps had fallen a bit and were looser.

Tuesday June 1st the Brix was 8 and 7. I detected a faint sulfur smell in the Merlot, it dissipated after punching down. I mixed in another 2gm/gal Fermaid in both and added a heating pad.

This morning, June 3rd, there was noticeably more activity, the caps had firmed up and the temps were at 87 (near 100 against the side of the bucket where the heating pad is). Still a faint smell of sulfur in the Merlot that again dissipated on punching down.

Edit: I moved the heating pad from the side to underneath both buckets, 3/4" space between the pad and the buckets and still wrapped in a blanket.

Also, pH started at 3.38 and 3.74, now is 3.78 and 3.68.

I expected both would have been ready to press by now. Any comments and advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Tom

 

[salcoco]

if you are using a refractometer to measure brix the ferment is complete. alcohol screws up the refractometer readings. use a hydrometer and see if you are near 1.000-1.010. is so go ahead and press. it will complete fermentation in secondary.
the ph readings are not valid at this point since CO2 is present some in the form of carbonic acid. wait until wine clears to develop numbers or other tests.

 

[richmke]

If your starting Brix was 25, your ending Brix will be around 9 (ending SG of 0.993)

http://www.northernbrewer.com/learn/resources/refractometer-calculator/

 

[Buehler91]

If your starting Brix was 25, your ending Brix will be around 9 (ending SG of 0.993)

http://www.northernbrewer.com/learn/resources/refractometer-calculator/

Don't you mean 0 brix?

 

[sour_grapes]

He was talking about "Brix as measured on a refractometer."

 

[eightysixCJ]

if you are using a refractometer to measure brix the ferment is complete. alcohol screws up the refractometer readings. use a hydrometer and see if you are near 1.000-1.010. is so go ahead and press. it will complete fermentation in secondary.
the ph readings are not valid at this point since CO2 is present some in the form of carbonic acid. wait until wine clears to develop numbers or other tests.

That's it!

I had been using a refractometer, today's Brix with that was 7 in each. I took out two hydrometers to compare and they showed -1 and -2 for the merlot and 0 and -1 for the Cab.

The sulfur smell was faint, like burnt match and a bit of rotten egg.

I'm unplugging the heating pad and removing the blanket. I guess I'm ready to press?

Any tips on how to use a refractometer/other correction for the alcohol? I took juice from the bucket and added it to the prism of a calibrated refractometer and held to the light and adjusted for temp.

Is it normal for two hydrometers to be off by 1?

Thanks all,

Tom

 

[richmke]

Any tips on how to use a refractometer/other correction for the alcohol?

Is it normal for two hydrometers to be off by 1?

The alcohol affects the refractometer reading. It is calibrated for no alcohol. There is no way to know current True Brix without knowing the alcohol level.

You can use the calculator here to determine Current SG from Original and Current Measured Brix.
http://www.northernbrewer.com/learn/resources/refractometer-calculator/

 

[sour_grapes]

Any tips on how to use a refractometer/other correction for the alcohol? I took juice from the bucket and added it to the prism of a calibrated refractometer and held to the light and adjusted for temp.

There is a calculator on the page from Northern Brewer that Richmke referenced above. Here is a nice page with explanations and a spreadsheet: http://valleyvintner.com/Refrac_Hydro/Refract_Hydro.htm

Is it normal for two hydrometers to be off by 1?

Were they calibrated at the same temperature? Some are calibrated at 60F, others at 68F.

 

[eightysixCJ]

Were they calibrated at the same temperature? Some are calibrated at 60F, others at 68F.

Yes, both at 60, different manufactures. Is +-1 significant for this?

Thank you all very much.

Tom

 

[richmke]

Is +-1 significant for this?

When you pay $5 for something, highly accurate does not come to mind.

IMHO +/1 is noise.

Also, the absolute reading is less important than the change. Seems like they are much more accurate at reading change.

 

[eightysixCJ]

When you pay $5 for something, highly accurate does not come to mind.

That was kinda my thought with the refractometer, now with some education..

Thank you,

Tom

 

[eightysixCJ]

I pressed and added to the carboys with potassium metabisulfite and malolactic culture (Viniflora oenos). The wine looks, smells, and tastes fine. No bubbles.

I'm thinking I should have skipped the sulfite but I read to add it in the first carboy.

Tom