Have you had success restarting a fermentation?

[Pauly2275]

Just wondering what everyone's experiences have been attempting a restart on fermentation. I tried a starter yeast for my Zinfandel that got stuck around 1.001 and currently has an alcohol content of around 14.0%. The starter seemed promising last night, but as I've been adding more of the initial wine into it action seems to be almost nothing at all.

The reason why the fermentation stuck in the first place is that the juice supplier provided me with the wrong yeast which has a tolerance of only 14% and the initial brix rating was 25. Me being a rookie winemaker I never questioned the yeast that was supplied and only figured out the problem once fermentation stuck.

I'm looking for a glimmer of hope that I can finish this wine off to a specific gravity less than 1.000. What are your stories regarding stuck fermentations?

Paul

 

[robie]

Once a wine gets below about 1.003, it is very, very hard to restart fermentation and just nearly, but not literally impossible. Even if you warm it up, stir it, and add a really good yeast for stuck fermentations.

At 1.001, it is doubtful it will still taste sweet, so it should be fine. If the acid is also high, even a dry wine at 14% can still taste sweet from the high-alcohol/high-acid combo.

Give it a taste and determine if it is OK. If OK, just move onto the next step as usual. You might want to add some sorbate, just in case it changes its mind in the bottle.

 

[Pauly2275]

Once a wine gets below about 1.003, it is very, very hard to restart fermentation and just nearly, but not literally impossible. Even if you warm it up, stir it, and add a really good yeast for stuck fermentations.

At 1.001, it is doubtful it will still taste sweet, so it should be fine. If the acid is also high, even a dry wine at 14% can still taste sweet from the high-alcohol/high-acid combo.

Give it a taste and determine if it is OK. If OK, just move onto the next step as usual.

So you're suggesting that it's a combo of the acids and high alcohol that could be making it taste sweet? that gives me some hope How would I reduce the acids then, mlf?

 

[robie]

So you're suggesting that it's a combo of the acids and high alcohol that could be making it taste sweet? that gives me some hope How would I reduce the acids then, mlf?

Actually, a wine can finish at .992 and still taste sweet if the acid and alcohol are high enough. If you dilute alcohol with water, until the alcohol level gets high enough to burn, it will taste sweet.

The answer to your question is yes. If you take plain vodka and dilute it 50% with water, it will taste sweet.

I'm betting it won't taste sweet at 1.001 and 14% alcohol... unless the acid is really high.

MLF will definitely reduce the acid from .1 to .4. Each MLF bacteria has its own alcohol limit, so watch that.

If you do an MLF, DO NOT ADD SORBATE!!!

 

[mmadmikes1]

For the most part I would consider this wine done fermenting. If it is to sweet for your liking, give it away as gifts. Not every batch you make will turn out to your liking. It is just because this is not an exact science. At 14% any higher ABV will start to taste less than desirable as well. If you decide you just have to have it going again Turbo yeast would be your best bet, but I don't/can't stand the off tastes it produces