Should I turn on the heat?

Winemaking Talk - Winemaking Forum

Help Support Winemaking Talk - Winemaking Forum:

pete1325

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2010
Messages
498
Reaction score
124
Location
Bartlett, IL
Hi all, we pressed on Sunday...since then the temps dropped and fermentation has slowed down. It's in the mid 60's in Chicago....the house is around 70. Should I warm the must up to mid/upper 70's?
 

TonyR

Junior Member
Joined
Sep 19, 2014
Messages
406
Reaction score
151
If a white wine maybe but if its a red just let it go. The more time on the skins the more color and flavor. I take this is in a bucket and you are punching it down a few times a day.
 
Last edited:

GEM

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 15, 2011
Messages
136
Reaction score
16
Temp in the 70s for a red is fine. What is the temp of the must? You want to get, for a red, at least one spike into the 80s if you can. I agree on letting it go for a bit. Then you can add a little warmth to jack it up. I assume you did add nutrients, yes?
 

Boatboy24

No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
Joined
Mar 18, 2012
Messages
16,569
Reaction score
25,866
Location
DC Suburbs
You've already pressed? Then you're fine. What is the temp of the wine?
 

JohnT

Moderator
Staff member
Super Moderator
Joined
Feb 9, 2010
Messages
10,061
Reaction score
5,925
I would raise the temp. I always fear stall fermentations. I would take the temp of the wine and maintain at least 75 degrees.
 

pete1325

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2010
Messages
498
Reaction score
124
Location
Bartlett, IL
Thanks all......yes, already pressed, the must (juice) is sitting in 6 gallon (primary) buckets with lids placed loosely on top so it can breath. I'll check the wine temp when I get home tonight.

Yes, I tossed nutrients...step fed, (3) 1/8 tsp...waited and fed (3) more per gallon.
 

Floandgary

Bottle at a time
Joined
Dec 24, 2012
Messages
910
Reaction score
324
Agreed... Most Reds benefit from the warmer fermentation temperature. Whites can do well with the cooler/slower ferments
 

pete1325

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2010
Messages
498
Reaction score
124
Location
Bartlett, IL
Hi all.......70 degree wine/room temp. I pointed a small space heater the the direction of my buckets.....maybe that will raise the temps a bit.
 

Johny99

Junior Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2010
Messages
969
Reaction score
639
Since you've pressed, you can go slow and cool, but keep a good layer of co2.
 

garymc

Senior Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Sep 12, 2011
Messages
963
Reaction score
218
Putting the buckets on a table (or anything to get them elevated) will raise the temp a little from being on the floor. If you feel the side of the bucket, it's probably warmer than the surrounding air from the yeast doing it's thing. I put my buckets in my basement after pressing if they're not ready to transfer to carboys. My basement is usually in the high 60's this time of year and they never stall. But I like to get them off the sludge pretty soon after pressing. A couple of days to let things settle and then transfer. I don't mind if the wine is as high as 1.020, but it's usually down close to 1.00x by then. Just as long as the fermentation is slow so you can get the wine up to 4 or 5 inches from the stopper in the carboy and not risk bubbling up into the airlock. That's the good thing about it being slow toward the end. A fine ring of bubbles around the neck of the carboy looks good to me.
 

pete1325

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2010
Messages
498
Reaction score
124
Location
Bartlett, IL
Thanks to all..........the heater is helping. The must temp is at/around 75 and it's much more active. I checked the SG......they (2 buckets of Zin, 1 Merlot and 1 Monte) are at around 1.010-1.020 so I think all's well.

garymc, you rack off the gross lees pretty quick. I normally wait a few weeks after pressing.
 

garymc

Senior Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Sep 12, 2011
Messages
963
Reaction score
218
Yes, I make muscadine wine, so I have to crush, then ferment on the skins for a few days, like 4 or 5, and then press. I have to do that even with the whites because they're so tough I don't get much juice pressing first. And then, too much time on the skins and I get a lot of very healthy, harsh tasting phytochemicals. I also hit them with the pectic enzyme as soon as they're crushed.
 

Latest posts

Top