What do I do now? :(

[newbietowine]

I started racking my blueberry wine, and it's been a few weeks now, but it only went down to 1.06 from 1.11. Do I pump it back into the primary and add more yeast?? Or what? HELP!!!

 

[Julie]

Give it a good stir and leave it alone for a few weeks

 

[firejohn03]

I'm still fairly new myself, BUT is it finished fermenting? I have had a few batches that were slow fermenters. If it is still going, i.e. bubbling or SG still dropping I would let it go. Did you use nutrient? Must in a decent temperature? If it has stayed at 1.06 for a couple days or so you might need to do something else. That will then be up to someone else to answer, for I have no idea then. Good luck....

 

[newbietowine]

It hasn't moved much in a week now.

 

[newbietowine]

8/7 it was 1.7 and now it's 1.6. I started the wine on 7/31 and it was at 1.1 a day or so later.
So it's been 2 1/2 weeks.

 

[RCGoodin]

I agree with Julie, give it a good stir and let it sit for a couple weeks. Time is your partner.

 

[ShawnDTurner]

What type of yeast did you use? Did you use any nutrients(Dap, Go ferm, etc)? Is this a wild yeast fermentation?

 

[newbietowine]

I used Montrachet yeast, but messed up and put the yeast in before the pectic enzyme when I started it.

And to add insult to injury, it all didn't fit into the big carboy, so I had to put 1 gal in a container of which I don't have an airlock for. I'll have to go get a plug tomorrow as the place is closed tonight. Had to use the lid that came with the 1 gal wine jug for tonight.

 

[vernsgal]

I too agree with Julie. I'm doing a raspberry jam and it stalled out on 1.010. It sat there for over 2 weeks and is finally starting to go down a bit. ( I do have to admit to giving it a pinch of yeast energizer though) Faithfully stirring 2-3 times a day seems to help

 

[newbietowine]

Is yeast energizer the same as yeast nutrient? Should I add a pinch to the carboy and stir? My first batch of Raspberry went great, but now having issues with the blueberry and now the Jalapeno wine isn't reacting to the yeast either. I'm pretty sure the brewing store's yeast is fresh.

 

[Julie]

You need to have this in a primary bucket not a carboy. You maybe starving it of oxygen which will cause the fermentation to slow down. I believe your must is still fermenting but is slowing down because of lack of oxygen. When first starting a wine, the must needs that oxygen once it is down to 1.010 then you can either snap the lid down and add an airlock to the primary or rack to a carboy, at this point it does not need as much oxygen.

And no nutrient and energizer are different. Nutrients are like vitamins and energizer is like an energy drink.

 

[cedarswamp]

Are you pre-hydrating your yeast or pitching it straight into the must?

 

[newbietowine]

I put the yeast straight in the must. That's how most recipes I've done have said to do.

It was in the primary - I just racked it to the carboy. Now it's bubbling and fermenting again. But my jalapeno hasn't even started any bubbling at all in 24 hrs.

 

[Julie]

jalapeno can take a few days before it starts, make sure you add some nutrient and energizer to that, jalapeno can be difficult to ferment. And adding the yeast directly to the must is fine. Normally I would suggest making a starter if you were making a wine that is difficult to ferment, such as skeeter pee

 

[newbietowine]

I added nutrient already when I started it. If I get out today I'll go by the brew show and see if they have any energizer and add that if it doesn't show any signs in the next day or so. Thanks!

I had to laugh as I figured it would be safe on the leftover blueberry that didn't fit into the carboy to put it into a 1 gal jug. I just stuck a lid on it as I didn't think it was fermenting. WELL . . . It took about 20 times of letting air out before I could take the lid off. LOL Now it has a strainer bag over it tied on with a hair scrunchy until I can get to the brew store for the right size stopper for an airlock.