WineXpert Stuck Fermentation on Chocolate Raspberry Port ?

[bakervinyard]

Need some advice. Started my CRP on Thursday 9-27 SG 1.130, temp. 75
checked SG on Sun. was 1.055
started chapitalisation on Thur. 10-4 temp. 79, SG 1.018 I went with step feeding the dextrose 150 grams at a time. After first feeding SG 1.022.

Fri. 10-5 SG 1.018 temp. 78,150 more grams dextrose added, stired vigorously. SG now 1.022

Sat. Temp. 80, SG 1.022, added last 150 grams dextrose also added 1 1/2 tsp. of energizer stirred well again, SG went to 1.024

Sun. 10-7 Temp 81, SG 1.022 Stirred like crazy

Mon. Temp. 79 SG still at 1.022

Questions I have. Is it stuck ? Should I add yeast ? Check SG tomorrow and if the same rack for secondary fermentation ? Call WineXpert ? Will they help me even though I didn't add the dextrose the way that they say ?
Any and all advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks,Bakervinyard

 

[robie]

Need some advice. Started my CRP on Thursday 9-27 SG 1.130, temp. 75
checked SG on Sun. was 1.055
started chapitalisation on Thur. 10-4 temp. 79, SG 1.018 I went with step feeding the dextrose 150 grams at a time. After first feeding SG 1.022.

Fri. 10-5 SG 1.018 temp. 78,150 more grams dextrose added, stired vigorously. SG now 1.022

Sat. Temp. 80, SG 1.022, added last 150 grams dextrose also added 1 1/2 tsp. of energizer stirred well again, SG went to 1.024

Sun. 10-7 Temp 81, SG 1.022 Stirred like crazy

Mon. Temp. 79 SG still at 1.022

Questions I have. Is it stuck ? Should I add yeast ? Check SG tomorrow and if the same rack for secondary fermentation ? Call WineXpert ? Will they help me even though I didn't add the dextrose the way that they say ?
Any and all advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks,Bakervinyard

I didn't add up all the sugar you added, did you add more than recommended?
I don't know if you went over the yeast tolerance for alcohol (ABV). They can only handle so much alcohol before they die from it. If you did add more than recommended, the SG most likely won't go any lower, even if you add more yeast.

If that's not the case:
Stir lightly every other day. Add some heat so the must temperature is at least 75F. Check the SG again in three or four days.

You might try calling WineXpert, they may help you, anyway.

 

[bakervinyard]

Thanks Robie. I only added what came with the kit, 450 grams. My temperature has been in the high 70's. I will stir in a couple of days, and call wineXpert.

 

[rjb222]

I did one of these for a customer that brought me one to do. The same thing happened where the kit hung when Chapilizing sugars were added. I called Wine Expert and they told me to use a live yeast bed for a restart. For me that is easy because I allways have a few live ferments on the go. You can create one quite easily. Get some apple juice and get a start with EC-1118 set up at a 1.070 SG. add 1 tsp yeast energiser to this set up. Only make a couple cups as you are really after the yeast. After the ferment really starts to roll add a 1/4 cup of your hung ferment to the working ferment give this a couple of hours then add double that and then in a couple of hours double that and so on untill you have equal amounts then add the now working ferment back to your hung ferment. This is the best method to restart a hung ferment I have found.

 

[robie]

Thanks Robie. I only added what came with the kit, 450 grams. My temperature has been in the high 70's. I will stir in a couple of days, and call wineXpert.

That kit has come up for question many times. I know mine never got below 1.010. Several others said theirs stopped at 1.020. That's why they supply two packets of yeast for it, I guess, just to make sure. At this point adding more yeast without a potentially huge problem with a yeast starter would not help, as the alcohol level is too high for them to live more than a few minutes. You can try it if you want.

It is a very nice port, though. If it doesn't go any lower, it will still be fine. It is syrupy sweet anyway and includes plenty of sorbate and sulfites, so there is no serious danger of it restarting fermentation in the bottle.

The stirring should help re-suspend the yeast. Give it a few more days, if it doesn't go any lower, proceed to the next step in your instructions.

Don't get in any hurry bottling the port, as it will drop normal sediment and chocolate for several months. Mine is now about 2 years old and tasting very nice. It was good at 1 year old. It is a little thin, compared to commercial ports, but still very nice. If I had it to do over again I think I might leave out maybe 25% of the F pack. I had added a full bottle of brandy and I would repeat that part of it or maybe add even more. Also, after stabilizing, I would use brandy to top off the carboy.

Good luck and enjoy your port. Just be sure to safe a few bottles for 2 years and maybe even 4 years.

 

[bakervinyard]

Thanks rjb222 and Robie. I think I'll stir in a couple of days and then check the SG. If it doesn't move any lower I'll go to the next step. I will say this though, I've tasted it a couple of times when I was checking the SG and it was decent already. Thanks again for the help and the suggestions. Bakervinvard

 

[Ricky]

Is this kit ,a lot harder to make then a regular kit....I noticed a lot of people with fermentation problems..