New Winemaker Needs Help

[chris34]

I hope someone can put my worries at ease. I'm making my very first batch of wine from a Concord Grape concentrate(1 gal). I believe I followed the directions to a "T". The primary ferment started with an S.G. of 1.090. I maintained a controlled temp of about 72-74degrees. To my suprise, after checking the SG on day 6 the S.G. is at 1.000. According to my directions, I shouldnt get an S.G that low until after the wine was racked to the secondary and in there for about 3-4 weeks. I'm fearful something is wrong and my batch is bad. Either way, I moved the wine to a glass secondary and put in my airlock. Does that sound normal? Should I just hope for the best and let it be? Any advice is greatly appreciated!

 

[PolishWineP]

That sounds just fine. You read, you thought, you acted. The trouble with nature is that it is so uncontrolable!

Keep on like this and you should end up with wine.

 

[chris34]

oh great. A couple more questions....do I need to maintain the wine at the same temp 72-74degrees and do I assume the fermantation is complete or do I leave it sit for a few weeks and keep checking the SG?

 

[JimCook]

Chris,


I personally work to keep the wine in the 72-74 F range until after I have degassed the wine. During the fermentation process, this makes sure those little yeasties are doing their thing and nobody goes to sleep on the job. It also help convince the CO2 gas to leave when it's overstayed it's welcome.


Jim

 

[grapeman]

You can let it go down to about 65 or even a little lower. It is probably not quite done at just 1.000. It should get to about .990-.995. If you get the same reading for several days in a row, and it is at or below 1.000 then it could be done. I would let it settle out for several weeks minimum until it is clear and move to clean glass. At that point add your K-Meta and K-Sorbate. Wait another couple days and bottle.

 

[PolishWineP]

We rarely have our home that warm and things come out just fine. It takes a bit longer but that's okay. Don't hesitate to keep asking questions. It makes us feel smart when we can answer them!

 

[chris34]

lol...good to know. Thank you all for your help.

 

[smurfe]

I try to keep my wines at around 72 or so in the primary. Once I rack to glass for secondary I normally let them get cooler as it is hard to find a warm place in our house as the wife keeps it cold enough to hang meat.


You drop in SG that fast is not really out of the ordinary. I have had it happen many times. Higher temps play into this. Remember, just because the temps in the room are a certain level, your fermentation will be warmer.


Example: I have 3 batches going right now. The ambient temps in my winemaking area is around 66-67 F, I kept a thermometer in the wine during the entire primary fermentation of each. It read a fairly constant 80 F the entire primary fermentation. The working yeasts generate a bit of heat.

 

[chris34]

great thank you!

 

[Wade E]

I also like to keep temps around 70-72 as Ive had a wine stall out last year at 66* and it was a bear to get it going again. That was when I bought a brew belt.