Primary fermentation start

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Hello all,

I put together a Winexpert Cabernet kit with skins this past Sunday afternoon. I woke up this morning expecting to see the airlock bubbling and nothing. Getting home from work this evening still nothing. It’s been over 24 hours now and no sign of fermentation yet. I’ve read it can take up to 36 hours to start but at what point should I consider the yeast didn’t activate and try another one?

Thanks.
 
Lots of questions come to mind:

1. Are you sure your lid is sealed?
2. What’s the must temperature?
3. Was the yeast possibility expired?
4. What was the yeast? EC-1118?
5. There is no harm using another yeast packet.
 
Hi George,

Yes lid is sealed tight.

Must temp is 71.

Didn’t check the expiry of the yeast. Assumed it was good.

Yeast was Lalvin KV-1116

I’ve ordered more of this yeast from amazon, should be here tomorrow. Thanks for the response.
 
Correction:

Yeast was TE 1118.

I’ve ordered the KV 1116 as a replacement.

I also used the Step sanitizer that came with my wine kit.

Thanks again
 
@Greg Teegarden , you really shouldn’t be concerned until you hit the 72 - 96 hour mark with no fermentation. Something has to be really wrong for fermentation to not start. In your case, with a kit, your must should be just fine, 71 is fine for a temp, which only leaves the yeast freshness. Give it some time.

Did you look at the surface of the must, or just the bubbler? How about a photo of the surface of the must, can you post one?
 
Thanks John,

I took a peek at the surface of the must and it’s covered with at least a half inch of foamy bubbles so I think I’m good to go.

This is the second kit I’ve ever made and the first one seemed to start bubbling through the bubbler within 12 hours, and at a good clip which is what had me concerned.

I was hoping to have most of the primary fermentation done by the end of this week but at this rate it seems that it’ll take a while longer. Should I be stirring it yet at this point if should i wait a while longer for the bubbler to really get going?

Thanks again
 
Not John, but. I generally don't snap down a lid and add an airlock to my ferments at the start, just so I can stir them a few times a day. I cover mine with the lid and turn a fan on blowing over them to keep the fruit flies at bay or cover with a cloth towel, that is fastened. I feel the stirring a couple times a day is the first step in getting the CO2 out or degassing. I imagine the kit instructions say (like they always have) to put it under airlock as soon as possible. Either way will work, you get plenty of oxygen for the yeast when you mix up your must.
 
Thanks John,

I took a peek at the surface of the must and it’s covered with at least a half inch of foamy bubbles so I think I’m good to go.

This is the second kit I’ve ever made and the first one seemed to start bubbling through the bubbler within 12 hours, and at a good clip which is what had me concerned.

I was hoping to have most of the primary fermentation done by the end of this week but at this rate it seems that it’ll take a while longer. Should I be stirring it yet at this point if should i wait a while longer for the bubbler to really get going?

Thanks again

Glad it worked out, just give em some time, I’ve never had a fermentation fail to start or finish. Yeast are simpletons, and only need a few things to thrive.
 

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