My wife called

[John Prince]

I have two batches of Summer Breeze in the primary stage. It's been going for four days and quit fermenting. I won't be home for two more days. I hate to ask her the rack it.
My questions are....Will this ruin the wine? Should I get a new wife?
She enjoying drinking though.

 

[Rocky]

First, I would ask her to take a hydrometer reading and determine the SG. If it is under 1.000, e.g. 0.998 or 0.997, it may have finished fermenting. I doubt this is the case. If it is, let us know because she probably should rack the wine.


If it is over 1.000, have her sanitize your long spoon and stir the wine very well to redistribute the yeast. It should start to ferment again after an hour or two. I assume you have this in primaries and you have the tops and air locks. I would have her install the airlocks in the tops (being careful not to push the rubber grommet out), fill them with k-meta solution and snap the lids securely on the fermenters.

 

[John Prince]

The SG is 1.00 and 1.01.
She will cover it and add a bubbler. I guess I'll keep her around.

 

[Rocky]

Oh yeah, she's a keeper!

 

[John Prince]

The wine started again but it's in the plastic bucket. I hope that's groovy.

 

[Rocky]

John, You mean in the plastic bucket with the top on securely and with an airlock, right? If that is the case, you are fine. Fermentation will be slowing now that the SG is around 1.000 to 1.010 so it is time to keep the air away. If the airlocks are bubbling and the top is snapped on tightly, all is well.

 

[John Prince]

Yes , the top is on. Air bubbler is in place. If not, what would happen?

 

[Runningwolf]

Rocky is correct. Just snap the lid down with an air lock and you'll be fine.

 

[Wade E]

Even with it only being 2 days you will be fine as its most likely still fermenting just a bit and even if not its loaded with C02 right now which will protect it but do keep the lids snapped down with airlock. I ferment most of my wine in the bucket till dry and some of the bigger wines stay in for 2 weeks total.

 

[Rocky]

Yes , the top is on. Air bubbler is in place. If not, what would happen?

John, when the top is in place without the airlock during active fermentation, some of the CO2 generated by the process comes out through the opening in the top, but mostly around the rim of the bucket. As fermentation slows, of course, the volume of CO2 lessens. When fermentation stops, the level drops to zero. If you did not have the top on securely with an airlock in place and the fermentation stopped, there would be a danger of air getting to the wine both around the rim and through the air lock opening. As Wade points out, with SGs of 1.000 and 1.010, it probably will not stop in two days, but why take a chance? As you are set up now, you are protected.

 

[Wayne1]

She is OK with you making wine - two batches at once nonetheless! - and probably taking up space in the kitchen,a bathroom, etc.so I think you should not get a new wife - you may not be so lucky next time!

 

[John Prince]

Why should I not always do the primary and secondary fermentation in the plastic bucket? That would be some what easier.

 

[Rocky]

Some people do. It is more a matter of personal preference. Just be sure that you have an airlock in place and snap down the lid when the SG starts to flirt with the 1.010 level. Also, when you check SG you will have to either remove the top for access for your wine thief or take the wine out through a spigot into a cylinder. If you do the latter, you will have to relieve the back pressure by breaking the seal on the top.

 

[John Prince]

Thanks for the information. I decided to keep her around. She is getting interested in making some wine and she majored in chemistry. I might learn a lot from her.

 

[Rocky]

Then she is a keeper for sure. My bride is a Pharmacist (BS & MS) and knows Chemistry backward and forward. She is a big help to me. I took two semesters of Chem (required) and I find I onlyremember it backward!

 

[John Prince]

Shauna is a ER doctor and helps with some dumb questions I ask. I never took chemistry. I took a lot of physics but that really doesn't count on making wine.
She has started 3 gallons of peach wine and a couple gallons of mixed berry. I ordered three more kits. I need a bigger house.

 

[Bartman]

Some people do. It is more a matter of personal preference. Just be sure that you have an airlock in place and snap down the lid when the SG starts to flirt with the 1.010 level. Also, when you check SG you will have to either remove the top for access for your wine thief or take the wine out through a spigot into a cylinder. If you do the latter, you will have to relieve the back pressure by breaking the seal on the top.

With the 'blanket' of CO2 generated in the first 10 days or so of fermentation (primary plus early secondary), there's very little chance of excess oxidation. I wouldn't want to chance it with 14 days+, but I regularly leave the lid loosely on top of the primary until I get to 0.998-0.996, when I am ready to rack to a carboy.

It is easier to let the wine "ferment to dry" in the primary, and apart from the possibility of foreign objects or critters getting into the wine, I have never heard a good reason to rack to a carboy as soon as the S.G. drops to 1.010-1.020. It also gives the wine a little more time on the gross lees, which I believe helps improve the body of 'big red' wines.

 

[John Prince]

I'm not sure what "ferment to dry" is. It does seem like it would take a step out of the process of making wine though. It might make it harder to rack without seeing the sediment. Also couldn't leave the hydrometer in the plastic bucket. I guess I could use the plastic bucket for primary and secondary fermentation, then wait till the air stop quits bubbling.

 

[Rocky]

John,
"Ferment to dry" means to convert all the sugar to alcohol, i.e. an SG or about 0.996-0.997. I take from your comments that you do not have a spigot on your primary fermenter. That makes racking easier as the sediment is normally under the level of the spigot inlet. You can also draw samples for SG testing and return them with a funnel thorugh the airlock opening in the top (being careful not to push the rubber gromment out when replacing the airlock).

 

[John Prince]

All my primary fermenters have spigots. I started a Meglioli today. I plan on "fermenting to dry" in the primary bucket.