Problem Fermenting Zests!

[jamesbsmith]

I have repeatedly had issues when making wines which contain citrus zest!

I have been rinsing well the citrus fruit while giving it a scrub with a scourer, before zesting it avoiding the white pith. Ive then added this to my fruit juice and sugar and proceeded as usual.

Has anyone else experienced this, and if so, what is the cause if you know?

Thanks,

Jim

 

[Stressbaby]

I have repeatedly had issues when making wines which contain citrus zest!

I have been rinsing well the citrus fruit while giving it a scrub with a scourer, before zesting it avoiding the white pith. Ive then added this to my fruit juice and sugar and proceeded as usual.

Has anyone else experienced this, and if so, what is the cause if you know?

Thanks,

Jim

I'm not clear from your post what problem you are having.

 

[joeswine]

Zesting in the beggining

so what are the issues??

Making Extracts
All recipes are measured out with one quart Ball Jar. ​

Citrus Extract: Consists of The zest of 2 limes, the zest of 2 lemons, and the zest of 2 grapefruits, and the remainder is ever Kleer.
Coffee Extract: fill Ball jar up with roasted coffee beans (your choice), fill the balance of the Ball jar with Ever Kleer.
Cinnemon Extract- ~approx. 12 sticks per Ball jar, top up with Ever Kleer
Lemon extract- The Zest of 12 lemons per jar, top up with Ever Kleer
Orange extract: The zest of approx.. 8 oranges per jar. Valenzia oranges work best but any type will do.
Key Lime Extract: 1 bag of key limes with the limes cut in half.
Vanilla Extract: 6 Madagascar Vanilla Beans, sliced length wise. Put all 6 in a ball jar and top off with Ever Kleer.
At the end of one full year its best to pour the extract through some sort of filter (I strain mine through a coffee filter) and add some additional zest of the same type back to it and top it off with Ever Kleer.

Making Simple Syrup​

Basic mix consists of : 2 qt. ball jars of cane sugar to 1 qt. ball jar of water.
Process:
Place measured out sugar into a metal pot. Add the water to the mix (It’s a 2 to 1 ratio-mix). Bring the mixture to a boil, constantly stirring from the beginning of the process to the end until the liquid is clear. Have the ball jars already sanitized and ready for filling. Bring the simple syrup TO the jar and and funnel it into them (make sure your funnel is clean, too!) to fill them up. It will be hot so be very careful. Place the lids and metal rings onto the jars to seal them.
Note: we put the very hot liquid into the jars while it is hot so as it cools it creates a vacuum seal to keep the mixture good. Done this way, your simple syrup will have a very long shelf life.

Zesting Made Simple​

Zesting is the process of the removal of the color of most citrus fruits and other entities that are oil extracted (for their essence). We use a micro plane zester to accomplish our end. See pictures. (If you do not have a micro plane zester you can use a fine cheese grater (Your goal is to get the color off the fruit, not the pitch, which is the "white stuff" underneath the very top layer of the fruit.)

 

[jamesbsmith]

Sorry guys, my awful ability to write comprehensively!

The problem Im having is that when I add zest to a must, it seems to stop it fermenting! My two zesty orange wines have now started, a week later, after adding some desert wine yeast, but the zests seem to stop the yeast activating so readily! No campden used.

Any ideas?!

 

[joeswine]

Zesting in the beggining

why are you adding the zest to the primary? Best results are in the secondary and beyond, I don't understand what your process is can you explain your steps?

 

[jamesbsmith]

I have tried adding it to the must at the start, and as a late add, and it has stopped fermentation both times.

 

[olusteebus]

I have tried adding it to the must at the start, and as a late add, and it has stopped fermentation both times.

He means after it has completely fermented, a few weeks before bottling. I think.

 

[jamesbsmith]

why are you adding the zest to the primary? Best results are in the secondary and beyond, I don't understand what your process is can you explain your steps?

Hey Joe, Why wouldnt you add zests during primary? Is it that to retain more of their authentic flavour they should be added when the wine drops below say 1.010, and then fermented until dry, or did you say it because the zest would hinder the start of fermentation if added at primary?

Thanks,

Jim

 

[joeswine]

Zesting in the beginning

MY VIEW, adding to the base wine in the primary will not impart what your looking for the trick is to produce the wine alcohol then add the zest to it(secondary ) the alcohol will act as a extractor and remove the essentials from the zest. That's
if your going to make a sangria or something of the style, on the other hand a orange wine the process is still the same base wine then zest.for the accent...

 

[jamesbsmith]

Cheers Joe!

 

[olusteebus]

Since we are on the subject, what citrus zest would you suggest for 5 gallons of pinot grigio.

 

[GreginND]

Since we are on the subject, what citrus zest would you suggest for 5 gallons of pinot grigio.

Um, none?

 

[Stressbaby]

I've done several citrus wines with zest in the primary. Orange, satsuma, calamondin, etc. I never have experienced a stuck fermentation.


Sent from my iPad using Wine Making

 

[jamesbsmith]

I notive you are in the US. I wonder whether some sort of preservative has been applied to the outside of the skins (like sulphite or something). I gave them a good scrub before zesting them, but it still stuck the start for a week (just like excessive campden would).

I thought it was coincidental that it kept carrying to my orange zest wines, but it has happened again this time so there has to be something in it. I havent found it reported by anyone else though!

Did you get OK results putting the zest in at primary? I think in the future I will late add it, for more of a fresh taste. Im hoping I havent wrecked these two batches putting it in at the start!

 

[Stressbaby]

Zest

Maybe you have something there. All of my wines were made with citrus that I grew. So I know there is nothing on the skins.

 

[joeswine]

adding fruit to a mix

I have always added a 1/2 of grapefruit zest to the mix about 1 month before bottling it adds a zip or acidity and a fresh crispness to the finish .