Been trying for a couple days to get a starter going for a lemon wine.Know it is not the way most starters are built but I tend to start several batches at a time using one starter and keep building it so I am starting with a strong starter which is 71b and have used it effectively of a couple batches already.Couple days ago I added my strong starter to a lemon must 1/4 juice 3/4 water and sugar to 1.070,it did nothing.Last night I did one with 1/7 juice rest water and sg to 1.080.,it strarted strong ,this morning added one 1/4 juice to it and it seems to have stopped.Ph is @2.4 ,think this might be a problem.Have nothen better than baking soda to raise the ph with,know some use it in their wine but it is not highly recommended.
Problem starting lemon
- Thread starter kyjake
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3274mike
Michigan Member
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Fresh squeezed Lemon juice or green bottle juice green bootle juice has preservatives and will be difficult at times or another possibility is must too cold or to hot for your yeast but I'm sure others who of done this longer will respond
Arne
Senior Member
If nothing else will make it go, try diluting it with some of your other fruit and more water. Lemon goes good with lots of different fruits, strawberry, raspberry, maybe even elderberry. You could try keeping your lemon cold til your other wine you are making is about finished, rack the other wine off and leave the lees in the primary, now add some of the lemon to it. (the primary, not your other wine.) If it takes off good, then add the rest. Just an idea or two. Arne.
Did make a diluted starter last evening and it started OK.Have a blackberry in the primary that will be ready to move in 2-3 days,will try that if it don't start sooner.Have 1 1/2 gallon juice already squeezed,thinking about doing the batch with 1 gallon lemon juice and adding more after it ferments.Only problem with that is our freezer is so full it don't have space for the extra juice
Arne
Senior Member
.Only problem with that is our freezer is so full it don't have space for the extra juice[/QUOTE]
LOL, join the club. I bought an extra freezer and it winds up too. Have to get it empty, fruit time is rapidly approaching. about one more batch of medly wine and all the fruit should be gone. Hope we don't get a late freeze like last year. The fruit production was way down. One more thing, getting lemon started sometimes takes some pretty warm temps. Maybe put the bucket of must in a larger container and pour some warm water around it. Sometimes takes the upper 70's to get lemon going. After it starts, you should be ok with room temps. Arne.
LOL, join the club. I bought an extra freezer and it winds up too. Have to get it empty, fruit time is rapidly approaching. about one more batch of medly wine and all the fruit should be gone. Hope we don't get a late freeze like last year. The fruit production was way down. One more thing, getting lemon started sometimes takes some pretty warm temps. Maybe put the bucket of must in a larger container and pour some warm water around it. Sometimes takes the upper 70's to get lemon going. After it starts, you should be ok with room temps. Arne.
I am about to give up on the lemon and give the juice away but still trying to get it going.Have had a starter going
a couple times with a weak solution,1/7 juice,the rest water and sugar to @1.075.Have had starters going a few times but they die.One out of three was going strong at midnight so I added one of the starters with a stronger solution of juice,1/4 juice,it this keeps going I will put a must together,if not will quit the lemon and put something else together as I have three empty carboys and want to fill two.
a couple times with a weak solution,1/7 juice,the rest water and sugar to @1.075.Have had starters going a few times but they die.One out of three was going strong at midnight so I added one of the starters with a stronger solution of juice,1/4 juice,it this keeps going I will put a must together,if not will quit the lemon and put something else together as I have three empty carboys and want to fill two.
Have you considered adding some yeast nutrient?
Have added Fermaid k one time and DAP another,the pinch of DAP got the starter going strong but iy may have died after a stronger dilution of juice was added,will know in a few hours,can't see it working now but did take the sg when I worked with it.
After six day fighting with a starter I had 3 quarts going very strong so I put the batch together,1 1/2 gallon lemon juice ,1 gallon white grape juice.Took the juice out of the refrigerator last night and added peptic enzyme to it and the grape juice.Only added tannin,would have liked to add some tartaric and malic but the must if very sour with a ph of 2.5.Added starter about 5 hours ago,looks like it is taking off quickly.
