Juice buckets Help

[Tarpon230]

Just picked up my chilean juice buckets 1 cab and 1 Merlot. I picked them up on Friday and picked the yeast on Saturday. The Cab is going great bubbling away. The Merlot is doing nothing. Th SG was 1070 in both of them. What gives? Do i just wait?

 

[Rocky]

Tarpon, the SG seems low on both. Was fermentation in evidence when you picked up the buckets? Where did you get them? I would make sure that you get the temperature up to about 72-75 degrees F and see what happens. I would expect the Merlot to re-start. Incidentally, what yeast are you using?

 

[Tarpon230]

I don't think it started before I picked it up, it was very cold. This morning it is bubbling away. Just took some more time than the Cab I guess. The starting SG 1070 does worry me a little, is there anything I can do? How will it effect the wine if I do nothing?

Thanks for all your help.

 

[Julie]

Those buckets should have been around 1.090. I would think they had already started to ferment sometime before you received them. Just because they are cold when you pick them up does not mean they were not fermenting.

And your wine will be fine, I would check the ph and acid once fermentation is completed.

 

[Runningwolf]

I agree with Julie. These pails are usually adjusted for the sg and it's getting late in the season now so no doubt fermentation probably already started slowly.

 

[Tarpon230]

Just checked the SG Merlot 1.035 and the Cab is 1.042

 

[Chateau Joe]

Tarpon, Two years ago I received three pails of juice from California. Each pail was at 1.020 or less when I received them. Apparently the distributer left them unrefrigerated for 6 days before I got them. I suspect this is what happened to you.

 

[shoebiedoo]

I planned on infusing my juice buckets with fresh grapes this year. Unfortunately, the buckets arrived in the beginning of may but the grapes didn't arrive till June 1st. While the company I bought them from held the juice until the grapes came in, the buckets started fermenting anyway. 1 month in the cooler and the were still down to 1.045 (or so) by the time I picked them up. They are all ding fine now though. Racking to secondary this afternoon. The grapes appear to have made a big difference

I wouldn't worry a bit

 

[Tarpon230]

One more question, my Chilean juice buckets are at SG 1.004 on Tuesday and I am leaving town on Saturday for a week. They are in secondary ferm in 6 gallon carboys not topped of. Can I let it go until I get back or rack and top off or rack top off and add 1/4 teas Potassium Metabisulfite?

 

[FABulousWines]

At 1.004 fermentation should be slowing down enough to be able to safely top up. I would top up, but leave a little extra room just in case. That would be preferred over leaving all that extra air space.