Slow Banana wine

[Lisa Fisher]

I started a 5-gallon batch of banana wine on Dec. 17, 2022 & the SG was 1.100. I stirred it a couple of times a day. Did not see it bubble like crazy in the air lock. It was only slightly foamy. It is 5 days later & it is down to 1.00 SG. Does anyone think it is still good batch? Maybe my fermentation bag was too big, not allowing the must to work, because after I stirred, the bag floated & covered the whole top of the wine. I did taste it & it tastes like wine, so I think it is okay. Just wondering...

 

[cmason1957]

1.00 SG means that your yeast has eaten up almost all of the sugar there was to eat up and turned it into alcohol. Let it go for a few more days or rack it to a carboy. It is finished when the SG is below 0.998 and stays the same for three or four days in a row.

Sounds like your ferment went off just about right on schedule.

 

[Lisa Fisher]

1.00 SG means that your yeast has eaten up almost all of the sugar there was to eat up and turned it into alcohol. Let it go for a few more days or rack it to a carboy. It is finished when the SG is below 0.998 and stays the same for three or four days in a row.

Sounds like your ferment went off just about right on schedule.

Ok, thanks! I'm just used to seeing the satisfaction of the bubbler bubbling!

 

[cmason1957]

I don't ever see a bubbler bubbling during Primary Fermentation, except if I am doing something I want to keep slowed down, like a white wine and then I have the temp down also. I find that I generally get better results without that initial lock-down. It works either way, no matter what some folks will say. I just find it works better with the yeast getting plenty of oxygen.

 

[BigDaveK]

I find this whole wine making process fascinating so I take an SG reading and taste every day while in primary. It's part of my morning routine. I usually transfer to secondary around 1.020 so I need to know. 5 days is a good average but I find it intersting that some are mysteriously slow and others are mysteriously fast.