Meja

[MEJA]

This is my first visit to your forum and I'm hoping you may be able to help me out. I am a beginner and have only made 18 gal of Cherry wine. Now I am attempting to make Apricot wine using fruit I picked early this summer and stored in the freezer. 60 hours ago I put 25 lbs. of the thawed fruit in a sanitized fermenter along with 5 gal of fresh tap water. The temp of the fruit and water was about 66 degrees so I did not add any other ingredients or yeast because I wanted to let it warm up to about 75 degrees. Unfortunately I got called away so I put a lid on the fermenter and left it sitting in my workshop. This morning when I took the lid off I noticed that a cap of floating fruit had formed and it is lightly covered with a white looking mold and it smells like fermentation has begun on its own its temp is 76 degrees. I called a friend who has made a lot of wine and asked him if he had ever had this happen. He said that he had never let must sit that long before adding the yeast and other chemicals and he was worried that my batch may already be ruined. What do you think? Is the white mold that has started to grow on the top of my must a bad thing? Should I dump this batch and wait until next years apricots are available?

 

[winemaker_3352]

Nah - the yeast strain you will use will overcome the wild yeast.

No since it is fermenting - i am not 100% sure about adding in the k-meta and pectic now. You should wait 12-24 hours for each application.

Add K-meta wait 12-24 hours
Add pectic wait 12-24 hours
Add yeast

But like i said - not sure since it is already fermenting - lets see what some others offer.

 

[MEJA]

Thanks winemaker for your rapid reply, however I am a little confused about a couple of things you mentioned. Here is the recipe I’m following 25 lbs. Apricots, 12 lbs. Sugar, 5 gal water, 5 tsps. Energizer, 71/2 tsps. Acid blend, 5 campden tablets, 21/2 tsps. Pectic enzyme powder, 11/4 tsps. Grape tannin, 1 pack wine yeast. WHAT IS K-META THAT YOU MENTIONED? My instructions say to remove the pits, crush the fruit and put all the ingredients except the yeast into the fermentor then when the must is 70 to 75 degrees add the yeast. IS IT BETTER TO NOT ADD ALL THE INGREDIENTS AT THE SAME TIME BUT RATHER FOLLOW YOUR INSTRUCTIONS AND ADD SOME OF THEM ( K-META? AND PECTIC ENZYME) 12 TO 24 HOURS LATER? IF SO WHAT IS THE REASON FOR THE TIME DELAY? The yeast I will be using is Lalvin K1-V1116.

 

[winemaker_3352]

K-Meta is Potassium Metabisulfite or sulfites or campden tablets all the same thing.

I would not add the k-met, pectic, and the same time - it has been shown that k-meta has negative effects on pectic.

You want time for the k-meta to dissipate in the must - if you add it all at the same time it is too strong for the pectic to work properly.

Then you wait between the pectic and the yeast additions to give the pectic time to break down the cell walls of the fruit - release flavor and juices.

 

[MEJA]

Thanks again winemaker for the explanation about how campden tabs and pectic enzyme work. When I made my first couple of batches of Cherry wine the directions said to combine everything at the same time so I did and the wine seemed to turn out fine but if following your advice will help to make things work better then I’M ALL FOR THAT. How about the other stuff such as Energizer, Acid Blend and Grape Tannin; should they go in together along with the fruit water and sugar?

 

[Wade E]

I wouldnt add sulfite now as unless you add quite a bit I dont think its going to stop a fermentation in progress. I would just add your yeast in the hopes it takes over once it gets active but even if it doesnt that dont mean its ruined. Many people dont add any yeast and let mother nature do its thing. Its a little riskier but it usually does just fine. Im not sure why you didnt add the kmeta up front though, I always add k-meta as soon as Im dont getting it all in there.