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[Val-the-Brew-Gal]

My Mojito Skeeto smells a little off...

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Found the thread for Mojito Skeeter and started a 3 gallon batch last Thursday (May 29th) following the recipe exactly except used grape concentate instead of apple. In the last couple days, I noticed that it smelled just a bit like rotten eggs...not terrible but definitely a little off. I have read that Skeeter Pee can do this and it seems my lime version is falling victim.

I think one of the things I did wrong is put the batch straight into a 3 gallon carboy after the must had started fermenting and I was just giving it a few shakes once a day instead of a good stir. So yesterday I splash racked it into a bucket, added the last bottle of limeade and nutrients (it was at 13 brix) and have stirred the heck out of it several times.

The mixture is fizzing like crazy so I assume it's fermenting well. The smell hasn't gotten worse, but I don't know if it's gotten better yet. Is there anything else I should do to make sure that my Mojito Skeeter turns out okay?

 

[Lornahdune]

My airlock fell out! Oh what to do?

I just found the airlock on my nearly-ready-to-bottle apple wine was on the floor near the 5 gal carboy. (The bung with the hole was still attached to the carboy) Some one must have knocked it off in the last week or less. The wine still looks clear, and I was prepping to rack it with my all in one pump to another carboy today, when I found the airlock missing.

But now, I'm not sure what I should do. My uneducated newbie guess is that I should treat it with campden tablets (one per gallon?) and let it sit a few days before I bottle it? But can an expert weigh in on this for me please? I'd hate the idea that I now have 5 gals of vinegar to give away instead of wine. arggg

 

[willie]

Well I'm no expert but I would certainly take a small sample and give it the smell and taste test. As far as the tablets go I also would like to see what someone has to say about that.

Will

 

[user 31015]

What does young wine taste like? I am hoping the alcohol is front and the fruit there-but-at-the-back. That is what I have with some feijoa wine right now and I just want to know it hasn't started terrible.

 

[Lornahdune]

Well I'm no expert but I would certainly take a small sample and give it the smell and taste test. As far as the tablets go I also would like to see what someone has to say about that.

Will

Thanks Willie, on that. I haven't sampled it yet but did put a new airlock on. I'm still waiting to hear about using tablets or whatever to counteract any exposure. It may only have been a day or as long as a week with the airlock off.
-l

 

[user 31015]

How do you test the pH on red wine with strips? My blackcurrant just dyed the strip :/

 

[sour_grapes]

I believe the answer is pretty much: "You don't, for exactly the reason you cite."

 

[user 31015]

I believe the answer is pretty much: "You don't, for exactly the reason you cite."

Googled instructions suggest watering down one part wine to ten parts water. The test is for the strength of the acid, not how much there is in the wine, after all, right?

That being said, the wine tested at about 3.9/4.0 - which should be a not to tart drink. However, the wine was tart, and arguably improved with a pinch of calc. carb. Hmmm.

 

[NoobVinter]

I think I might have a stuck fermentation on my first DB. It's been 24 hours and nothing is happening.

OG: 1.068
Waited 24 hrs

Pitched EC 1118 after hydrating
Must was 79 F

? What happened......Hydrometer shows no change...any thoughts?


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[sour_grapes]

It would be very unusual to see a change in SG after 24 hours. There is the so-called "lag phase" while the yeast are ramping up. Google "yeast lag phase" to see all the details.

 

[NoobVinter]

Thanks Sourgrapes: I will read that. Didn't know about lag phase.....so many things are going through my brain....(too little sugar, sorbate from the fresh blueberries, bacteria, sanitation, bentonite, needed to rack then pitch again with a starter) This is my first real problem....and my second batch ever, first DB. Kind of discouraged, but not giving up yet. Thanks for the information and direction SourGrapes. Will def look that up today.


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[NoobVinter]

@Sourgrapes: I read about yeast. I wish my yeast was in lag phase. I did some things tonight after getting another unchanged reading for three days.

1) Racked primary off lees into clean and sanitized carboy
2) Racked back into cleaned and sanitized primary
3) Whipped in 3 cups sugar: 1.075
4) Pitched new hydrated EC-1118
5) Brew belt......78-80F

Did I do anything wrong or miss something? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Have a great night take care.







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[Butch]

Got kit for Fathers day. Today my wife and I got brave to try making it. After putting the yeast in. I put on the lid and my wife went to insert the airlock filled with water and pushed to hard and the rubber that holds the airlock with water in it went into the bucket. So now not know if we should disturb the yeast to fish it out. We put tape over the hole and inserted the airlock in a tiny hole. It seems sealed. Any suggestions? Should we just leave it alone or hunt for it. It is a 6 week kit and today is first day.

 

[olusteebus]

What I would do is leave it alone unless it was not sanitized. If sanitized I would wash my hand and arm thoroughly and get it out. I would not put the bucket top on at this stage. I would drape a cloth or towel over the bucket. The juice needds oxygen at this point.

You would put the airlock on the carboy after you complete the first phase of fermentation

 

[sour_grapes]

The exact same thing happened to me the first time I made wine. I was able to fish it out using the stirring paddle that I had. However, knowing what I know now, I would just ignore it. As Olusteebus points out, you don't really need to use the airlock during this part of the fermentation.

 

[Enologo]

Same thing happened to me the first time out. I went to a harware store and picked up a couple of spares and waited till I racked to the carboy then retrieved the lost grommet.

 

[NoobVinter]

What I would do is leave it alone unless it was not sanitized. If sanitized I would wash my hand and arm thoroughly and get it out. I would not put the bucket top on at this stage. I would drape a cloth or towel over the bucket. The juice needds oxygen at this point.



You would put the airlock on the carboy after you complete the first phase of fermentation

I have really hairy arms and work at a hospital. I am exposed to radiologic, chemical, and nasty biological hazard all day. I got concerned about contaminating my wine so I bought these. I saw them on Breaking Bad lol I haven't had any problems with them yet.


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[silvettann]

I have never made wine. But, I do have an over abundance of blackberries, huge blackberrys. I pick six gallons every other days all through June and half of July. I have to start doing something with them other than freezing, canning and fruit leather.
I'm less than a newbie, I'm lost. PLEASE someone tell me exactly what to do with these beautiful berries. Right now I've been juicing them out and freezing bags of juice. I had to buy yet another freezer this year. This next year the raspberries and blueberries will be over taking me. Please someone help with a recipe I can follow blindly.

 

[sour_grapes]

I have never made wine. But, I do have an over abundance of blackberries, huge blackberrys. I pick six gallons every other days all through June and half of July. I have to start doing something with them other than freezing, canning and fruit leather.
I'm less than a newbie, I'm lost. PLEASE someone tell me exactly what to do with these beautiful berries. Right now I've been juicing them out and freezing bags of juice. I had to buy yet another freezer this year. This next year the raspberries and blueberries will be over taking me. Please someone help with a recipe I can follow blindly.

Here is a start: http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/blackbr2.asp

Most people on this site say to use more blackberries and less water.

 

[wildwilk21]

New to wine makin I have no idea what to tell anyone I just grab a bucket with a lid put an air lock on it crushed a few pounds of blueberries added some water annoy 5 cups of sugar an 1 tbs 1 tsp of turbo brewers yeast I waited a week and sampled it and it taste like rotten trash water. I would like to make some watermelon could anybody give me some pointers or let me know what I did wrong please?