Started fermenting again

[novalou]

I racked a Zinfandel a couple of weeks ago, dosed with kmeta and added some American white oak. It is now fermenting again.

Is it possible there was still some residual sugar in the batch that is now just fermenting? Last hydro reading I took, I was at 0.990, back in October.

 

[TonyP]

There's a couple of different possibilities here. First, it clearly is possible there was some sugar left when you added k-meta. Second, it's not possible for remaining sugar to be meaningful if reading was 0.990. Third, it may not be fermentation you're seeing.

Two things: take a hydrometer reading and let us know why you believe fermentation has restarted.

 

[JohnT]

At a SG of .990, I would say that your wine is as dry as a bone. Agree with above that there is no meaningful amount of sugar left.

I would say that (what you are seeing in the way of bubbles) could simply be the k-meta having nucleation with the new oak. Since you dosed the wine with k-meta, I would doubt it is a bacterial reaction.

I also agree with above in that you should recheck and be sure of you SG reading.

One question: Does the wine look clear or chalky?

 

[novalou]

At a SG of .990, I would say that your wine is as dry as a bone. Agree with above that there is no meaningful amount of sugar left.

I would say that (what you are seeing in the way of bubbles) could simply be the k-meta having nucleation with the new oak. Since you dosed the wine with k-meta, I would doubt it is a bacterial reaction.

I also agree with above in that you should recheck and be sure of you SG reading.

One question: Does the wine look clear or chalky?

I'll double check SG. The wine was clear when I racked it. There is a fair amount of sediment in the carboy now.

 

[rjb222]

I racked a Zinfandel a couple of weeks ago, dosed with kmeta and added some American white oak. It is now fermenting again.

Is it possible there was still some residual sugar in the batch that is now just fermenting? Last hydro reading I took, I was at 0.990, back in October.

My question is is this a kit or pail juice or grape wine? At 0.990 there is likely no alchol ferment going on. How old is your K-metta? Kmetta looses 1/2 it's strenth with in one year. The older it gets the less protection you have.

 

[TonyP]

I'll double check SG. The wine was clear when I racked it. There is a fair amount of sediment in the carboy now.

The key question is though, why do you think it's fermenting?

 

[novalou]

The key question is though, why do you think it's fermenting?

Bubbles at the top and sediment at the bottom.

 

[novalou]

My question is is this a kit or pail juice or grape wine? At 0.990 there is likely no alchol ferment going on. How old is your K-metta? Kmetta looses 1/2 it's strenth with in one year. The older it gets the less protection you have.

From grapes. Kmeta is about 6 months old.

I'm wondering if I took my SG reading from the liquid on top, would the syrupy stuff remain on the bottom and was mixed as I racked.

 

[rjb222]

From grapes. Kmeta is about 6 months old.

I'm wondering if I took my SG reading from the liquid on top, would the syrupy stuff remain on the bottom and was mixed as I racked.

would bet that there is a spontainous MLF going on. I think your sulphite levels may have been a bit low and airborne MLF go in and has started to work.

 

[novalou]

would bet that there is a spontainous MLF going on. I think your sulphite levels may have been a bit low and airborne MLF go in and has started to work.

I had a thought about that too.

 

[novalou]

My question is is this a kit or pail juice or grape wine? At 0.990 there is likely no alchol ferment going on. How old is your K-metta? Kmetta looses 1/2 it's strenth with in one year. The older it gets the less protection you have.

Rechecked SG, 0.995. Must be alcoholic fermentation.....