So... I opened my primary fermenter to rack and...

[Fedoradude]

...the red liquid was nice and liquid without any evidence of foaming. Hmmm. Is that normal? I mean the lid to the fermenter wasn't hardly wine colored at all.

The airlock has been bubbling gently for 5 days now. But tonight, no foam on the top of the liquid.

My hydrometer reading was a shocking 1.10 and supposed pretty darn precisely 1.0 or less for the cabernet sauvignon kit instructions.

Has something gone haywire or is this normal?

I put the lid back on the bucket tight and figure I'll let go for another couple days and retest.... Thoughts, anyone?

 

[Jc5066]

What's the temp?

 

[Fedoradude]

What's the temp?

Don't know. I put the yeast etc in Sunday afternoon when the liquid temp was 77 degrees.

Should I risk re-opening the fermenter to take a temperature?

 

[AZMDTed]

A couple thoughts:

Did you read the hydrometer right and your sure it's not 1.01? What was your starting SG? I haven't had a wine yet hit 1.1 on an initial hydrometer reading.

Did you mix the wine and water well on day one?

What temperature was the area where you fermented?

I think you're okay, and a few more days with a good recheck of the hydrometer will show that all is well. If your juice is under 72 degrees it may take a few days longer to ferment. I'd say give it all a good gentle stir and see if it starts up again.

I'm not sure what you mean that the lid to the fermenter wasn't wine colored. Do you mean the condensation that formed on the underside? If so, then it looking like water is normal.

What kit is it? No need to worry yet.

 

[Fedoradude]

I'll take your questions one at a time:

Did you read the hydrometer right and your sure it's not 1.01?
*I think I'm reading it ok. One side is % of alcohol and I'm reading the other scale. it's got a very pronounced 1.0 line at the top of the hydrometer and it's floating at the next big line down from it which is labeled "10." I'm assuming that means 1.10.

What was your starting SG?
*1.90 but that was probably 1.09.

Did you mix the wine and water well on day one?

What temperature was the area where you fermented?
*Room temperature. roughly 71 Degs F

I think you're okay, and a few more days with a good recheck of the hydrometer will show that all is well. If your juice is under 72 degrees it may take a few days longer to ferment. I'd say give it all a good gentle stir and see if it starts up again.

I'm not sure what you mean that the lid to the fermenter wasn't wine colored. Do you mean the condensation that formed on the underside? If so, then it looking like water is normal.
*Yep. That's what I meant and there wasn't much of it on the lid.

What kit is it?
*Winexpert cab sauv.

 

[Fedoradude]

Hmmm. Maybe I don't know how to read a hydrometer after all:

http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16574

 

[AZMDTed]

Sounds to me like you are fine, but you might want to look for a tutorial on here in reading a hydrometer. I think you're confusing 1.01 with 1.1, and 1.9 with 1.09. Your temp is good.

 

[Fedoradude]

Sounds to me like you are fine, but you might want to look for a tutorial on here in reading a hydrometer. I think you're confusing 1.01 with 1.1, and 1.9 with 1.09. Your temp is good.

Yeah. In that link to another string on this forum, there's a picture on it that shows that first big hash mark is .010.

Maybe I'm in good shape to rack tonight after all!

 

[Fedoradude]

Maybe I'm in good shape to rack tonight after all!

Or not....

 

[japaisley1]

How did you make out? I don't see any signs of yeast in your pic. And the oak hasn't dropped at all. Have you tried leaving the lid on loosely with no airlock? It worked for me.
Hope all works out!

 

[Fedoradude]

No. I put it on tight. I'll give it a try loose.

 

[Fedoradude]

How did you make out? I don't see any signs of yeast in your pic. And the oak hasn't dropped at all. Have you tried leaving the lid on loosely with no airlock? It worked for me.
Hope all works out!

OK. I'll loosen the lid and leave it until Sunday afternoon and see what happens.

This is my first batch so I'm learning lots.

 

[barbiek]

Dude give it a good stir and warm it up to mid 70 s it stops producing its own heat when the yeast get ate up nearing the end of your ferment, wrap it in a blanket or Brew belt. And relax! Fermentation can take 2 weeks in primary depending on temp the instructions are just guidelines

 

[Fedoradude]

Temperature after "a good stir...."

Almost 71 degrees F. Set the lid loosely back on the top of fermenter.

Will chill for a few days and check it out again Sunday afternoon.

 

[DoctorCAD]

Put the hydrometer and must (without oak) in a test jar. It makes the job much easier. But yeah, I see no signs of fermentation.

 

[barbiek]

You want to get the heat up it will stall out I see a couple bubbles but do yourself a favor and get it warmer

 

[Fedoradude]

You want to get the heat up it will stall out I see a couple bubbles but do yourself a favor and get it warmer

OK. Get the temp up to what temp and how? Will simply wrapping it in a blanket or a belt as you recommend do it?

 

[barbiek]

OK. Get the temp up to what temp and how? Will simply wrapping it in a blanket or a belt as you recommend do it?

Yep a towel will do it I usually put the towel in the dryer till warm then wrap the bucket as tight as I can. Give it a good stir. Did ya take the advise from above with the hydro testing? Mid 73-75

 

[Stressbaby]

I don't do a lot of kits but lots of my "from scratch" wines won't have any foam at all for the last third of the ferment. It is won't bubble enough to push up a cap but it is still fermenting.

I think you may be overly concerned about oxygen exposure. For a little reassurance, go to Youtube and search "wine press red" to see what is routinely done with red wine from grapes at this stage: [ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwRQVMmLKrg[/ame]

 

[TonyR]

Dude when you are making wine and it is fermenting DO NOT keep it covered tight with an airlock, just rest the cover on top to keep bugs out. The must needs to be stirred very vigorous several times a day. Remember this. Oxygen is you friend when fermenting. Oxygen is your enemy after fermentation. When I ferment my wine I put it in a much larger container so I do not make a mess when I stir. When you get down to 1.00 SG then transfer it to your carboy and use the airlock then and forget about it for a few months other than checking there is liquid in the airlock