Fizzy Blackberry Wine

[KBwine]

I am making a batch of blackberry wine and I am experiencing a lot of fizz. At first I thought it was trapped CO2 or something to that effect. I have stirred the batch several times over the past weeks but it's still very fizzy. It has actually foamed over the top of my 30 gal fermenter once. I used a test kit and PH strips and determined the PH was too high and added Acid Blend. It helped some but it is still very effervescent. I am at a point where I don't know where to turn. Any suggestions?

Thanks

 

[BobF]

Please post your recipe and other details like how long it's been going, any SG reading you've done along the way, etc.

What you've described sounds pretty normal to me.

 

[Ken914]

I am making a batch of blackberry wine and I am experiencing a lot of fizz. At first I thought it was trapped CO2 or something to that effect. I have stirred the batch several times over the past weeks but it's still very fizzy. It has actually foamed over the top of my 30 gal fermenter once. I used a test kit and PH strips and determined the PH was too high and added Acid Blend. It helped some but it is still very effervescent. I am at a point where I don't know where to turn. Any suggestions?

Thanks

30 gallon fermenter?

Dude, I'm so jealous.

 

[countrygirl]

def. need s.g. readings, to make sure it is not still fermenting?
maybe it needs a thorough degassing?

 

[KBwine]

35 gals fresh Blackberries
10 gals water
Sugar to reach 1.075 sg or 10% ABV
48 hour cold maceration
Pitched yeast (5 pkgs Lalvin EC-1118)
6 days later sg 1.020- Removed fruit and racked wine from 55gal-30gal fermenter
5 days later wine rested at .995sg
Racked to 15 gal fermenters.
10 days later wine was very clear and racked again to 15 gal fermenters and added 1 campden tab per gallon.
30 days later racked wine again. wine was very clear. Stabilized using campden tabs and potassium sulfite.
Back sweetened wine to 1% residual sugar using the balling method on my hydrometer.

 

[KBwine]

I have used a degasser on the wine several times. Once it even foamed over the top and made a nice sticky mess.

 

[countrygirl]

has it been fizzy all along, or suddenly became fizzy?

 

[KBwine]

It suddenly became fizzy. The first few bottle we had of it was really good and no fizz. The next bottle was spewing like a hot Coke. The foam that surfaces when the wine is stirred reminds me of a soft drink with a lot of carbonation. I have never seen this before.
The TA is apprx .70

 

[countrygirl]

It suddenly became fizzy. The first few bottle we had of it was really good and no fizz. The next bottle was spewing like a hot Coke. The foam that surfaces when the wine is stirred reminds me of a soft drink with a lot of carbonation. I have never seen this before.
The TA is apprx .70

ok, i'm too new for this one...
blackberry champagne anyone?
is the taste the same as before it became fizzy?

 

[Wade E]

I think you have started fermnting agin and would seriouysly think about opening all bottles before they open themselves!!!!!!! Did you take an sg reading after you sweetened it cause im betting its lower now! This could be a result of sorbate that didnt take or a malo lactic fermentation that started even in the presence of sulfite. How much sulfite did you use and how much sorbate did you use and how long after adding both these chemicals was it before you sweetened and how long after sweetening is it that you bottled? Big question I know, sorry!

 

[mmadmikes1]

didn not mention SG at end before stablizing, I am with Wade. Bet your black berry wine has more kick now

 

[KBwine]

I used 1 campden tab per gallon and 5 grams of sorbate per gallon. The SG after sweetening was 1.040 and it did drop to 1.020 which leads me to think there was some fermentation restart. I sweetened the wine one week after stabilizing and bottled one week after that. The wine cleared incredibly fast. Should I add more sulfite and sorbate now? I did open the bottles I had bottled and they are in a vessel now.
Thanks for your help Wade.

 

[Wade E]

I have never weighed out sorbate so cant say what that 5 grams is equal to, it should be 1/2 tsp per gallon though. When you added the sorbate and ulfite did you give it time to work in or did you sweeten right then and there? You should give it a few days to work in and then sweeten and then give it a few more days of monitoring to make sure it doesnt start fermenting. You will have to add more sorbate but while adding taste it as you are approaching the recommended dosage as I know too much will give your wine a vegetal flavor.

 

[mmadmikes1]

If you didnt check SG before stabalizing then it could have still been fermenting. Sulfites and sorbate would not have stopped it. So when you added sweeting you just gave the yeasties a snack. I would not add more sorbate because to much you can taste and it doesn't taste good. You can add more sulfite but make sure it is done as in same SG 3 days in a row. BTW the sorbate you added is still there. It will work when yeast is either dead from alcohal poisioning or it is finished and sulfite and sorbate prevent it from restarting

 

[Ankita]

Hi,

You should try this recipe:

1: 6 lb blackberries
2: 2-1/2 lb granulated sugar
3: 1/2 tsp pectic enzyme
4: 7 pts water
5: wine yeast and nutrient.

Thanks.