WineXpert HELP!!! Pinot Grigio

[pizz65]

I went down to rack my Italian Pinot Grigio and the SG was only at 1.036 and it started at 1.080 6 days ago. Should be at 1.010 or less for the first racking my temp started at 74 degrees and was about 70 tonight. Any ideas on what to do next???

 

[Wade E]

Relax, white wines usually take longer to ferment then red wines do. Just follow the directions by using your hydrometer and rack when SG is right. The times given are just a guide and give you some type of reference. Had this been a red wine you would have probably had to rack it already as red wines just seem to ferment faster.

 

[pizz65]

Thanks, now I can go to sleep.....

 

[Dean]

Sounds like you have temperature flux. If the temps are going down to 70 when you check, I'll bet dollars to donuts that it goes down to 66 or less late at night. That will always slow down a fermentation quite a bit. Relax, wait a couple of weeks, and keep checking every 2 days until you hit 1.010. At 1.036 you could even rack to glass now provided you leave at least 4" of headspace from the stopper.

 

[pizz65]

No the temp does not flux that much. it is in the basement temp is constant it was a little high because I had the brew belt on thinking I needed it but forgot its not winter anymore it was a consistent 70 after the first 24 hours

 

[Dean]

You're measuring the liquid temp and not ambient temp right? Liquid temp is usually 2-3 degrees below ambient due to evaporation, etc.

 

[Milwood]

I agree with Wade. Rack when the SG readings are where they are supposed to be. The number of days is definitely just a guide and you should trust your hydrometer. By the way, the WV Italian Pinot Grigio was my first white wine and it has been my best wine to date. It turned out a very light Pinot Grigio but while many of the lower end red kits are thin and disappointing, this one turned out very good. I will be making this one again after I try the WV California Trinity White. Good Luck and I think you will be pleasantly surprised by this wine.

 

[tigerthekid]

Wow! I got online JUST to post this exact same question! I went to rack my WE Pinot Grigio and it started at 1.080 and at day 6 it was at 1.036 when it was supposed to be 1.010 or less. So I started to freak thinking the 75 degree Fahrenheit temps killed the yeast off. But it's still sizzling so I'll just chill out and relax

Pizz, how did your white go? Was it ok after a few days?

 

[geocorn]

110 degrees is where the yeast start to die. The difference between 75 and 110 is your cushion since the yeast will raise the temperature 10 degrees all by themself. Edited by: geocorn

 

[Joanie]

Yeast starts to die at 100 yet you start it in water that's between 104-110? Interesting!

 

[geocorn]

Whoops. It should have been 110. Sorry.

 

[Joanie]

Oh phew! I was starting to worry I was always on the verge of killing my yeast before it even got started! =)

Thanks George!

 

[vino08]

I started this kit today... I am glad to hear good reviews of it. It is my second batch. (The first- a red-is in a carboy still). My sg is 1.080 to start. I put a little heating pad next to the fermenter- unfortunately it has an auto-off. But it may help a bit at night.
Now- I wait.
Mary

 

[rrussell]

I started my Pinot Gris on wednesday. It had a good foam going yesterday afternoon but this morning the foam is gone and there is just a little fizzing going. Is this normal for a white wine or is my fermenting on the way to stalling?

 

[grapeman]

That is perfectly normal for it. That behavior is more a function of the yeast used in whites than it actually being a white. It will look like a freshly poured glass of 7-up for a few days.

 

[rrussell]

Thanks Appleman that makes me feel much better. Hope I never have a stuck fermentation as it sounds like a real pain to restart.