Finer Wine Kit Pitched Yeast Today!

[Hillcapper]

So I pitched yeast today on my second wine kit and first red. Doing a FWK Tavola Meritage; Cab Sav and Merlot with double skin packs and oak chips. I can already see it’s a little more involved than my only other wine kit, a Riesling. I like the detailed instructions that come with the kit. Now the waiting for fermentation begins.

I‘m fermenting in a 8 gallon bucket covered with a towel. My only other wine making experience I used a 6.5 gallon clear bubbler with an airlock, so it was easy to tell when fermentation was going on. If I’m just using a towel to cover what’s the best way to tell I’ve got some good fermentation happening?

Thanks all,

 

[Jim Welch]

When a “cap” of grape skins develops is one sure sign. With the exception of my very first wine kit I’ve always made starters and typically see the cap starting to form in 12 hours or less. Foaming when stirred is another sign.