Vintners Harvest Cranberry stuck?

[M38A1]

Purchased a 96oz can of Vintners Harvest Cranberry fruit wine base with cranberries included the other day. Got it mixed up according to the directions. I'm now 52hrs post yeast pitch (CY17) and nothings happened. Nada. My house is a pretty constant 75*F which is in range for what they reference.

So far:
96oz Cranberry fruit wine base
2.6gal spring water
7lbs sugar
1/2tsp acid blend
1-1/2 tsp yeast nutrient
1 tsp pectic enzyme
3 Campden tablets, crushed or 3 liquid tsp. Solution of Bisulfite (see directions)

SG: 1.080
pH: 3.1

I may see the error of my ways..... Details Details Details I skimmed over I think......

It says "See directions", so I go look and it says to prepare the solution, "dissolve 5tsp of sodium or potassium bisulfate in 1 cup/8oz water. You may substitute 1tsp of this liquid solution whenever the recipe calls for 1 crushed campden tablet".

What I'm guessing here is, I dumped 3 fully crushed tablets in the 3 gallons of must and have done more than nuke it and the yeast simply was killed off, never had a chance. If I understand the label now, I should have put those three crushed tablets in 8oz of water, then only used 3tsp of the solution to start. Have I got that right?

Any way to recover from this or just toss it. I think it's been nuked. Maybe a EC-1118?

 

[Scooter68]

The Campden tablets should be used at least 24 hours BEFORE pitching the yeast. The point is to stun/kill wild yeast and bacteria. Used at the same time you add the yeast (Within 18 hours) the yeast may be unable to ferment your wine or it may just take a couple of days to recover and start the fermentation.
Also your pH is on the low end (More acidic than recommended) and that along with the Campden tablets my be preventing fermentation.

If you don't see activity visually or a drop in the SG in another 24 hours from your last check you might consider adding more yeast
If you do add more yeast I would suggest making a starter mix ion a small jar with about an equal quantity of warm water and your juice (2 oz of each) along 1/8tsp of yeast nutrient then add the yeast stir and cover for about 30 minutes. You should see some activity by that point. Then stir it into the must. You can let the starter cool to about the same temp as your must as well - to avoid shocking the yeast.

 

[M38A1]

Thanks for the reply and guidance....

I waited 24hrs before pitching the yeast once the k-meta was added. Totally on-board with it was/is simply too much for the yeast to overcome early on.

I'll see what's going on this evening which would be 72hrs post-pitch and if nothing's changed, I'll drop a yeast starter as you mentioned. Just debating on an MA-33 for fruit wines or the bulletproof and hearty EC-1118.

 

[Scooter68]

Your K-Meta dosage was correct 1 tablet per gallon 24-36 hrs before starting fermentation. The acidity of the wine is high and since cranberrys are so tart/sour anyway I just wonder if that is the source of the issue. Normally I use 1 tsp yeast nutrient per gallon but try to withhold 1/3 to 1/2 of that for addition later - so what you used sounds right.
I'd re-check your pH again, try to get it between 3.4 - 3.6 and see if that helps.

Yeah, EC-1118 may not bring out some of the elements that other yeasts do but it is a workhorse that has performed quite well for me.

 

[gabe]

Purchased a 96oz can of Vintners Harvest Cranberry fruit wine base with cranberries included the other day. Got it mixed up according to the directions. I'm now 52hrs post yeast pitch (CY17) and nothings happened. Nada. My house is a pretty constant 75*F which is in range for what they reference.

So far:
96oz Cranberry fruit wine base
2.6gal spring water
7lbs sugar
1/2tsp acid blend
1-1/2 tsp yeast nutrient
1 tsp pectic enzyme
3 Campden tablets, crushed or 3 liquid tsp. Solution of Bisulfite (see directions)

SG: 1.080
pH: 3.1

I may see the error of my ways..... Details Details Details I skimmed over I think......

It says "See directions", so I go look and it says to prepare the solution, "dissolve 5tsp of sodium or potassium bisulfate in 1 cup/8oz water. You may substitute 1tsp of this liquid solution whenever the recipe calls for 1 crushed campden tablet".

What I'm guessing here is, I dumped 3 fully crushed tablets in the 3 gallons of must and have done more than nuke it and the yeast simply was killed off, never had a chance. If I understand the label now, I should have put those three crushed tablets in 8oz of water, then only used 3tsp of the solution to start. Have I got that right?

Any way to recover from this or just toss it. I think it's been nuked. Maybe a EC-1118?

M3881:

Purchased a 96oz can of Vintners Harvest Cranberry fruit wine base with cranberries included the other day. Got it mixed up according to the directions. I'm now 52hrs post yeast pitch (CY17) and nothings happened. Nada. My house is a pretty constant 75*F which is in range for what they reference.

So far:
96oz Cranberry fruit wine base
2.6gal spring water
7lbs sugar
1/2tsp acid blend
1-1/2 tsp yeast nutrient
1 tsp pectic enzyme
3 Campden tablets, crushed or 3 liquid tsp. Solution of Bisulfite (see directions)

SG: 1.080
pH: 3.1

I may see the error of my ways..... Details Details Details I skimmed over I think......

It says "See directions", so I go look and it says to prepare the solution, "dissolve 5tsp of sodium or potassium bisulfate in 1 cup/8oz water. You may substitute 1tsp of this liquid solution whenever the recipe calls for 1 crushed campden tablet".

What I'm guessing here is, I dumped 3 fully crushed tablets in the 3 gallons of must and have done more than nuke it and the yeast simply was killed off, never had a chance. If I understand the label now, I should have put those three crushed tablets in 8oz of water, then only used 3tsp of the solution to start. Have I got that right?

Any way to recover from this or just toss it. I think it's been nuked. Maybe a EC-1118?

M381: a few years back something similarly happened to us. Called the company and they said to stir it vigorously for 1/2 hour or more and it should dissipate what was added. It worked for us, may want to try it. No guarantees.
Gabe

 

[M38A1]

Update!

I was gone for 48hrs and when I got home it was foaming and percolating. SG is now 1.045 so we're headed in the right direction.

Couple days ago before I left I stirred it pretty hard for about five minutes. That seemed to do the trick. Fingers crossed it keeps on rocking and rolling.

Thanks for your help!

 

[winemaker81]

In hindsight: Given that the product is a commercial wine making base, you could have skipped sulfite at the beginning stage. Unlike natural fruit (grape or otherwise) there should be no wild yeast or bacteria in the base. Anything in the air? Most commercial yeasts can stand their ground and will defeat such challengers.

Of course, add sulfite when fermentation is done.

 

[M38A1]

OK, SG is sitting at 1.000 today. I racked it off to secondary where it quietly sits. Pretty color for sure, tart. I'll let this run for a couple weeks then measure SG again and if .990 three consecutive days I'll rack/k-meta and let it sit again for a couple months.

 

[Scooter68]

Be open to it stopping anywhere between 1.000 and .990 once it holds at a number at/below 1.000 for at least 3 days considered it done.