Is it too cold?

[rslayback]

We keep our house at 63, is this too cool to make wine? I will be buying a kit type wine for my first try at it, or will it just slow down everything? Any input would be appreciated.

 

[reefman]

Nope, I keep my house at 64F during the day, and 61F at night. I ferment in the basement, which dropped to 57F in that arctic blast we had a week ago.
I do have a brew belt I use in the winter, but since I make mostly sweet white wines, they like the colder temperatures.
Red's (and especially kits) like warmer temps (upper 70's), so investing in a brew belt is a good idea. There are other ways to keep it warm as well. Placing the primary fermentor in a tub of water heated with an aquarium heater works too!
There are many innovative ways to keep it warm. There's a DIY article on this website to better control the brew belt, at:http://www.winemakingtalk.com/entries/DIY-Temperature-Controller.html

 

[Droc]

I keep my house pretty cool right now and have never had a problem getting a kit to ferment. I just throw it in a closet and put a towel over it. The temps of the wine are normally around 64 degrees or so when I check. I've done a couple grand cru kits and they tend to finish a little earlier than the instructions say even with the lower temps.

The only thing I had trouble with was a blackberry/raspberry wine I have clearing now that I had to put a brew belt on.

 

[rslayback]

I like a sweet wine too, so I think I will use a sweet whit kit for my first. The reds can wait until warmer weather. Your quick replies are much appreciated.

 

[JohnT]

For dry wines, I do what I can to get the must up to at least 70 degrees before I pitch my yeast.

A lot does depend on the yeast you are using. some like it cool, while others like it warmer.

 

[asterof]

To Cold

Just for knowledge, what happens to Red Wine if it gets to warm
during primary or secondary fermentation.
Thanks

 

[sour_grapes]

From the FAQ found here:http://morewinemaking.com/products/dry-wine-yeast-icvd254.html?site_id=5

At what temperature do most yeasts die off?
As a general rule, yeasts will die between 105 and 108 F. During fermentation this terminal temperature will lower as a result of alcohol presence. As a wine approaches 10% alcohol content, the terminal temp for yeasts can be as low as 90F. This is a major contributor to stuck fermentations, and one of the main reasons for temperature management in this stage of the process.

 

[sour_grapes]

Deleted double post. (Anyone know how to completely delete it?)

 

[asterof]

interesting , so it seems that the yeast adds a lot of the palette after tastes such as more robust fruits in red wine.? I was wondering just how you could enhance or mellow certain flavors in wine juice or must.
So if you fermented primary at say 85 F instead of 75 F is it safe to say
the wine would be a little more Dry.?

 

[JohnT]

Temp does have a huge impact on flavor. Colder fermentations will retain much of the "Fruity" characteristics on the wine (like a Riesling), while hot fermentations will "burn off" the fruit flavors (like a dry chardonnay).

 

[Julie]

Deleted double post. (Anyone know how to completely delete it?)

if you hit your edit button you should be able to delete the post, if not let me know I can delete it for you.

 

[Ajax_One]

Originally Posted by sour_grapes View Post
Deleting double post. (Anyone know how to delete it?)

If you hit your edit button you should be able to delete the post, if not let me know I can delete it for you.
__________________
Julie

Ok ... I hit the edit button but there then is no delete option ... are we looking at the same page?

I would like to know how to delete it myself if at all possible.

Thanks

 

[Dhaynes]

interesting , so it seems that the yeast adds a lot of the palette after tastes such as more robust fruits in red wine.? I was wondering just how you could enhance or mellow certain flavors in wine juice or must.
So if you fermented primary at say 85 F instead of 75 F is it safe to say
the wine would be a little more Dry.?

Temperature doesn't affect the dryness. Dryness is determined by the amount of unfermented sugar left in the wine. Fermenting whites at lower temperatures helps to protect the aroma of the wine by slowing down the fermentation. A rapid fermentation tends to drive off some of the aroma elements particularly in white wines.