RJ Spagnols What is Going On?

[jake77]

I made the orchard Breezin Calypso Bianco as per instructions. After I stabilized and degassed I removed 4 cups to add the F-pack. I didn't need it to top up so I put it in a wine bottle and added every drop left that I could sqeeze out of the F-pack and put a stopper and air lock on it. I bottled everything but that one wine bottle 2 weeks ago. I just noticed today that that one bottle is bubbling out of the airlock again! what could have caused this and should I worry about the other bottles that are corked. The one bottlehad cleared nicely without the isinglass but is now cloudy again. All of the other bottles are still clear and don't show any bubbles. Any ideas?

 

[Wade E]

Did you add the sulfite and sorbate to the entire batch or just what was in the carboy? If you bottle did not get any and did receive some added sugar from f-pack then it is fermenting again.

 

[jake77]

I added the sulphite and sorbate before I took it out of the carboy to add the F-pack. That is what is throwing me off.

 

[Wade E]

It might not have been degassed then, adding sulfite will make the wine degass violently especially if not dissolved in water first.

 

[jake77]

I degassed it with the rest that I bottled and I have opened a few bottles and that is very still. I am pretty sure it is fermenting again Though.

 

[Wade E]

All i can say at this point s that possibly the sorbate didnt get dispersed well enough. Did you dissolve the sorbate in water and then add it or just dump it in and stir it?Sometimes they just start fermenting though and this is why we always say to give it a few weeks to make sure that it doesnt happen when its bottled, Hopefully all your other bottles are fine.

 

[Dean]

It can ferment for a little while after you add all the stuff. All sorbate does is prevent yeast from making more yeast, but it does not stop them from eating! So you usually have to wait for the yeast to natually die off. In mist/breezin/cooler type wines, we don't have enough alcohol to kill off the yeast as we normally do in regular wines, so when you add the additional sugar, it does tend to ferment a little bit.

 

[PeterZ]

I think what happened in the single bottle is that you carried over some live yeast. Sorbate does not prevent fermentation, it just keeps yeast from reproducing. If you have live yeast in a wine and back sweeten, then the yeast can start fermenting again.


I usually wait on adding the F pack until after the wine has been clarified and racked off the lees. It means a couple of extra steps, but I procrastinate anyway. Most of my wines, even the IM kits, don't get bottled until they are at least 6 months old.

 

[jake77]

What I can't figure out is why it took over three weeks to start fermenting again? All of the other bottles seem to be fine so far and we have drank 5 or six bottles and are sweet as can be (too sweet Really), so I don't think they fermented anymore.