I'm making six gallons of Lambrusco from juice. The wine is in the second fermentation. The specific gravity is taking a long time to reach 1.000, but it is dropping. It is in the second fermentation from 11/27/08, SG now is 1.002 . I can see it fermenting and I know I can't rack it now or I'll have a big mess. Is it normal for a second fermentation to take this long ? I don't like having the wine on the lees for so long a time.
second fermentation
- Thread starter jerry
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Tom
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When you say 2nd fermentation you mean it restarted in the secondary? Yet you say keeping on the lees in the Primary?
1st thing I can think of is the wine is to cold. What temp is it and where you keeping it. It sounds like you should bring up the temp. We really need more info as to what you did from the begining.
1st thing I can think of is the wine is to cold. What temp is it and where you keeping it. It sounds like you should bring up the temp. We really need more info as to what you did from the begining.
tepe; I never said a thing about the primary fermentation, thatis done and over with. After the SG hit 1.030 it was transfered to another carboy, that is the second fermentation.
My temp is fine(about 70 degrees) and I can see it fermenting. also my others (zinfandel, mix black and concord) all went pretty quick in the second fermentation.
I was just wondering if anyone ever had a long wait till the SG reached 1.000.
My temp is fine(about 70 degrees) and I can see it fermenting. also my others (zinfandel, mix black and concord) all went pretty quick in the second fermentation.
I was just wondering if anyone ever had a long wait till the SG reached 1.000.
It is not a 2nd fermentation even though it is called secondary, that just refers to putting it in a second fermentation vessel. Second fermentation would be either malolactic fermentation or the act of making it ferment again like making Champagne. I would not rack as you would lose the yeast that are still there trying to finish off but I would consider adding a little more nutrient and stirring it up to get just a little 02 in there or just leave it alone as its still going. Only time I ever had wine go that slow was with a Blueberry Melomel and Cranberry wine and those are always slow fermenters.
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I would suspect that what you are seeing is the result of a malolactic fermentation going on. Regular fermentation would have finished already if your temperatures were where you say they are. A malo ferment will be visible as small bubbles rising along the sides and a ring of them around the top. It typically can take a month to complete. It can occur naturally even if you didn't innoculate for it. If you had added k-meta that would prevent it from spontaneously starting.
If it isn't a MLF, then it would likely be done with fermentation and just releasing C02. 1.002 is not quite dry and you might get it to go a bit lower if you add nutrient and give it a stir.
If you describe what activity you see we could probably better know what is going on with it.
If it isn't a MLF, then it would likely be done with fermentation and just releasing C02. 1.002 is not quite dry and you might get it to go a bit lower if you add nutrient and give it a stir.
If you describe what activity you see we could probably better know what is going on with it.
