WineXpert Riesling IceWine Rocket Ferment

[moothusala]

So, I read alot about how this kit is a bastard for most people to get started since it starts with such a high SG.... leave it to me to have the opposite issue!

I started a WineXpert Riesling IceWine 3 gallon kit Saturday evening, just checked SG and its down to 1.005 from 1.160 already? (yes I double checked with another hydro and still got 1.005) Not sure what I'm supposed to do with it now as it was supposed to be racked to untopped up secondary at 1.080 after 5-7 days and then sit for another 10. Tasted a nip and other than being a bit rocket fuel/fussel oils hot it tastes fine for not being fpacked yet.

Should I still wait 2 more days to rack it to secondary? Also should I stabilize it or leave it in secondary for the 10 days as in the instructions?

Any suggestions would be appreciated! Thanks!

 

[Kraffty]

From my limited experience that just doesn't sound right. I'd triple check those numbers. Even going down to 1.05 seems out of bounds to me.
Mike

 

[moothusala]

Just tripple/quadruple checked its sitting at 1.005. First test was this morning so it hasn't moved. Off the cuff that puts it at 19.5% or so which should be about right for killing off red star premier cuvee (2 packs of this came in the kit). My concern is it did this in < 2 days (Sat evening to this AM) and it was supposed to be racked off the first lees at 1.080 then the lees from 1.080 and down were supposed to be stirred in at clearing/degassing time (or according to the instructions the wine will not clear)

Is this a call WineXpert scenario?

 

[sour_grapes]

Is this a call WineXpert scenario?

I think so, yes!

 

[jsiddall]

Agree with the others that something seems wrong. Using the Duncan/Acton method on those SGs results in 21.6% ABV which is well above the 18% tolerance of Premier Cuvee.

A couple of things to check:

1. On my hydrometer 1.005 is half of the smallest tick above 1.000. Did you really try to get that last "5" by reading that tiny fraction of an inch between the smallest ticks or is it possible you actually read 1.050, which is 5 large ticks above 1.000?

2. Are you certain that the initial SG was 1.16? My hydrometer only goes up to 1.15 and anything higher is off the end of the scale. Did you need to extrapolate to get that initial number?

BTW: either one of your readings on its own is possible, but I don't think any yeast could deliver your combination of starting and ending SG, especially in less than two days!

FWIW I made an RJS Cabernet Franc ice wine style last year and it started at 1.18 (way off the scale of my hydrometer) and ended at 1.064 which worked out to 16.3% ABV -- high but reasonable. That took almost two weeks at about 72 F.

 

[SouthernChemist]

Not having seen anything myself, it just seems something is not quite right. I have never seen a wine ferment that fast, and I had one go to dryness in about 4 days once. That yeast does have a high alcohol tolerance, but most people usually don't actually reach it let alone surpass it without careful management of the fermentation. What was the ambient temperature of the room where fermentation occurred?

 

[sour_grapes]

Any chance of showing a picture of your hydrometer?

 

[moothusala]

The red arrow was where the ferment started, the blue arrow is where it is now.

I can't get a clean shot with it floating my phone blurs all of the numbers horribly.

 

[sour_grapes]

Thanks for the picture. I agree with your interpretation of the numbers. I just cannot imagine a fermentation going that far, that fast!

 

[byathread]

Yeah, something doesn't jive. Are you removing a sample into a test jar for your hydrometer or just putting your hydrometer in the bucket? Any chance your must is stratified or not thoroughly mixed? Did you call WE?

 

[grapeman]

Call WE. That may be a new record for them. They may send you a prize of a new kit.

 

[Runningwolf]

I agree with Grapeman. That was some wicked east you had. The racking part doesn't bother me at all. It the fact it fermented to dry, when ice wine should be quite sweet.

 

[moothusala]

So called WE, didn't realize the kit was "expired" until I was getting ready to call them. (whoops lol)

The long and short of it was they said to follow the racking schedule waiting the minimum days on each step in order to ensure the wine would clear, with the only change to top up a bit on first racking since there will be no new CO2 production, and then pull a bit out when putting in the fpack. They also suggested that I watch it like a hawk after putting in the fpack to make sure it doesn't fire up again. They were amazed at the speed too seeing as most likely the yeast was expired as well. Maybe I just lucked out and caught some natural bug that doesn't taste like *** (I had a beer get infected once and holy crap that was bad stuff ) If it turns out bad I guess the lesson here I guess is don't buy expensive kits when they're on sale for half price from shady internet vendors. (Don't remember who I bought it from off the cuff but it wasn't any of the big players in the kit market.)

Excellent support from WE though even on a product they didn't have to cover!

 

[moothusala]

Yeah, something doesn't jive. Are you removing a sample into a test jar for your hydrometer or just putting your hydrometer in the bucket? Any chance your must is stratified or not thoroughly mixed? Did you call WE?

I had to pull it into a sample jar, my hydrometer bottomed out in my fermenter.