Funky Strawberry

[Waldo]

I never started a thread on my Strawberry wine. It was just an "honorable mention" embedded in other threads when I started it. Anyway, I stabalized it this morning and it had a rather oily, lighter fluid odor to it. Any ideas as to what may caue this?

 

[PolishWineP]

That sounds scary, Waldo! Hope it's a temporary thing...

 

[Waldo]

Me too Polish

 

[Hippie]

I never heard of those descriptors in a wine, Waldo. What was the starting SG, and is it completely dry? Does it smell like acetate?

 

[Waldo]

Not sure what the starting SGwas Hippie. I started this wine back in July before I had any knowledge or equipment. I used Jack Kellers Frozen Strawberry recipe though and I stabilied it yesterday at an SG of .090 so she is dry. I honestly do not know what acetate smells like so going to have to find me a sample and sniff it.

 

[jobe05]

Waldo: I too have a frozen Strawberry started (about a month ago) from Jack Kellers recipe. No strange smells last checked about 2 weeks ago. Will check it again tonight when I get home.


Last spring, I did make a rasberry that smelled that way. I just bottled it and am letting it age for about a year. I think we'll have to do the same with the strawberry........... Unfortunately

Someone suggested that you do a batch a month however, so you never run out once it is aged! Ilike tha idea.

 

[Hippie]

I meant acetone. Fingernail polish remover. I remember Jack Keller telling of a condition that can cause the acetone smell and saying to use activated charcoal to get rid of it. You might search his sites.

 

[Hippie]

Oh wait a minute. You say you started this wine in july and just stabilized yesterday? Are you sure it was a primary yeast fermentation the entire time?

 

[Waldo]

Will look for that info on Jack's site Hippie...Thanks


Not really sure Hippie. It just got stuck off in the corner and overshadowed by the Muscadine, Blackberry and Shiraz Edited by: Waldo

 

[Waldo]

Waldo: I too have a frozen Strawberry started (about a month ago) from Jack Kellers recipe. No strange smells last checked about 2 weeks ago. Will check it again tonight when I get home.


Last spring, I did make a rasberry that smelled that way. I just bottled it and am letting it age for about a year. I think we'll have to do the same with the strawberry........... Unfortunately

Someone suggested that you do a batch a month however, so you never run out once it is aged! Ilike tha idea.

I think this one might find itself ageing in the septic tank Jobe

Hmmmmmas much yeast, sediment and all I am pumping inot my septic system it may blow the lid off it about springtime

 

[Hippie]

I remember reading somewhere something Jack wrote about a condition causing an acetone smell.

 

[Waldo]

Here is what I found on Jacks site Hippie..Way above my knowledge though. can you cipher it for me?


Fingernail Polish Remover Smell: The wine is contaminated with ethyl acetate. There are three ways a wine can become thus contaminated. (1) Ethyl alcohol and oxygen can interact to create acetaldehyde, which can react with oxygen to create acetic acid (vinegar), which in turn can react with ethyl alcohol to create ethyl acetate. This pathway can be easily shut down by preventing oxygen exposure with the wine. Since this is impossible, one can at least minimize it to what is absolutely necessary (racking, stirring, testing, bottling). This can be done by topping up adequately, using an inert gas (such as argon -- or even CO2) to sparge the new carboy of oxygen when racking, leaving the bung on the carboy except when absolutely necessary to break the seal, and keeping sulfur dioxide levels sufficiently high that no vacant molecular interstices exist for oxygen to populate. (2) Bacterial contamination of the wine (by acetobacter) can allow the creation of acetic acid, which then combines with ethyl alcohol in the wine to form ethyl acetate. The key to prevention, again, is maintaining an aseptic level of sulfur dioxide to preclude contamination and/or prevent contamination the same way oxygen exposure is prevented. (3) Finally, ethyl acetate contamination can be created by yeast under stress as well as by many bacteria besides acetobacter. In the first instance, maintaining an optimal temperature for the yeast strain employed, using a good mineral water in the must (if water is even used), yeast nutrient for non-grape wines, and a nitrogen source (Yeastex-61 or some other specialized nutrient) for yeast strains requiring ample nitrogen (see Strains of Wine Yeast) will eliminate yeast stress. In the second instance, if you follow the procedures for preventing acetobacter contamination, you will prevent the others as well.


In many cases of ethyl acetate contamination, running a small aquarium pump through an airstone "blows" ethyl acetate away in just a few days. Of course, the wine usually oxidizes during this treatment but can be consumed quickly or converted into a fortified wine in which oxidation is a requirement (such as Sherry or Madeira-type wines). In more severe cases, the ethyl acetate will be blown off only to reveal excessive acetic acid. When this occurs, the wine cannot be saved.

 

[Joseph1]

The following is from the glossary on this website:<?amespace prefix = o ns = "urnchemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" />


Ethyl Acetate
A sweet, vinegary smell that often accompanies acetic acid. It exists to some extent in all wines and in small doses can be a plus. When it is strong and smells like nail polish, it's a defect.
In the following article in WineMaker magazine Acetobacter is the culprit:

http://winemakermag.com/feature/55.html

In the following Mr. Wizard Q&amp;A in WineMaker magazine the culprit is high fermentation temperature:

http://www.winemakermag.com/mrwizard/129.html

In his book “Home Winemaking Chem 101”, Curtis Irion indicates that more ethyl acetate is produced during malolactic fermentation when the pH is greater than 3.5.

In “Home Winemaking Step by Step”, Jon Iverson states there is no cure for ethyl acetate. Seems there are many causes and few solutions.

 

[Hippie]

Waldo hasn't said yet if it smells like acetate or acetone.


We're all ears Waldo!


If it is that strong, I would get paranoid and pour it out.


Just 1 gallon, and eliminates the chance of infecting the other wines with acetobactor.

 

[Waldo]

It is definarely not acetone odor nor acetateand has actually disipated somehat since I racked it Sunday. I had my wife whiff it while ago and she was unsure as to what it smelled like to her. I am going to let it set a while longer and see what happens. Thanks everyone for the information links and I will keep you posted as developments occur

 

[PolishWineP]

Waldo, You are discovering the great saver of many wines, time. I would never toss a wine until I was beyond sure that it was beyond recovery. We put too much into our wines to toss them willy nilly. Keep us posted and we'll keep rooting for the home team!

 

[Hippie]

 

[Waldo]

Waldo, You are discovering the great saver of many wines, time. I would never toss a wine until I was beyond sure that it was beyond recovery. We put too much into our wines to toss them willy nilly. Keep us posted and we'll keep rooting for the home team!

Thanks Polish...I am slowly but surely getting out of that "Patience my ass, I wanna drink something" mode

Edited by: Waldo