Gooseberry wine HELP PLEASE

[kat777]

I have a secondary of gooseberry wine and it has white chunks floating around in it. What is this and can I fix this mess or do I have to dump it?

 

[Racer]

Can you please provide more information about the wine? What was the recipe you followed,starting sg.,how long in primary,how long has it been in secondary...etc...etc.

 

[cpfan]

kat777:

Just to give you an analogy, so far you have said, "my car won't start, should I junk it?" We need more info to help you.

Steve

 

[kat777]

The recipe I used came on the can of gooseberry fruit that I ordered. It was in the primary for 7 days. It was very slow to start and it took 7 days for it to reach the right SG.

 

[kat777]

I made a 3 gal recipe. After the 7 days I racked it to the secondary. It was there one day when I started to notice the white chunks.

 

[Racer]

It sounds like your wine is still trying to finish fermenting.At this stage it is possible to have small bits still in the wine that will float around while the co2 still is being produced by the active yeast.Heck you could be seeing yeast getting kicked up from the bottom of the carboy too.What is your sg. at right now?

 

[Wade E]

Did you recently add campden and did you crush it well and disslove it in water or wine before adding back to your wine? Did you add a fining agent? Have you degassed? Is your sh stable?

 

[kat777]

Hi wade,
I added a campden tablet last night. I think it helped. I did not add anything else.

 

[kat777]

My SG is 1.040

 

[Racer]

How is your wine doing now? Is it still at 1.040?

 

[Wade E]

I did not tell you to add campden, was just wondering if you did in the beginning cause lots of times if using campden tablets they dont dissolve well and people get floaties. Im guessing that it is still fermenting and those chunks are just small pcs of fruit from what you added even if you put them in a bag as little pces always seem to escape. Only add campden(sulfites) before fermentation to kill off wild yeast and bacteria and then after fermentation is completely done to protect your wine from 02.

 

[kat777]

I did not tell you to add campden, was just wondering if you did in the beginning cause lots of times if using campden tablets they dont dissolve well and people get floaties. Im guessing that it is still fermenting and those chunks are just small pcs of fruit from what you added even if you put them in a bag as little pces always seem to escape. Only add campden(sulfites) before fermentation to kill off wild yeast and bacteria and then after fermentation is completely done to protect your wine from 02.

Why did I bother to ask?

 

[Conquistadude]

because it was a question that you didn't know the answer to, and the member here are great and helpful. It could also be "foam" masses that have formed at the top do to it still fermenting, I had the same question when I started, but I just asked my uncle lol, it was before I joined this great place.

 

[arcticsid]

Racer, she said she added one last night and you asked it was the same now. Would it change that quick? And if so why? If anything, it seems like sulphites would inhibit, even a little the SG to come down right away.
Please Advise
Troy

 

[arcticsid]

Kat these members are top rate, we will all help in your questions. They know more than you and I put together, give everyone a chance to help.
Troy

 

[Racer]

Your right I was trying to see if the fermentation was still going or if it got stopped by the sulphite addition.With a wine at 1.040 it still has a way to go to ferment dry.Just trying to help see this one thru to completion if at all possible.

 

[Wade E]

No worries as its almost impossible to stop a fermentation in progress so that campden tablet is null and void at this point so no harm done. Kat, Im sorry if you misinterpreted what I said but there is no problem so dont worry. I am just trying to figure out what this is but like I said I most certainly think its a pce of fruit from fermentation as this process will work like a Lava lamp bringing up stuff from the bottom and then if its heavy enough it falls right back down.

 

[arcticsid]

good advice Wade! Hope Kat sticks with! I want Kat to enjoy the successes of wine making you have all taught and shared not only with me, but al the rest of the mebers who have asked for advice.
Troy

 

[Boozehag]

While we are on the subject my so called simple apple wine receipe didnt say anything about moving to a secondary which is when you would remove the sultanas in the receipe normally wouldnt you?
So should I remove the sultanas now as in 1 week later? And is it ok to top up with a shop brought wine at that stage? I think water would ruin it?

I found this thread while looknig for bits floating in the scondary so thought it is the same subject.

 

[Wade E]

I would remove and squeeze them out now.