What mistake makes vinegar

[Randoneur]

Just to add my two cents..

DJRocknSteve hit the nail on the head.

In order to make vinegar, you need to introduce the right type of bacteria.

Oxygen does not create vinegar. It is the bacteria in the air that creates vinegar.

In all cases, when wine unexpectedly converts to vinegar, it is the winemakers fault. If this happens, you need to take a careful look at your janitorial and sanitary practices. If proper sanitation practices are used, this should not happen.

a few tips...

1) maintain proper SO2 levels (30ppm)
2) make sure to properly clean equipment
3) keep all wine vessels filled as much as possible.





johnT.

You could also purge the oxygen out of the head space with inert gas.

 

[JohnT]

You could also purge the oxygen out of the head space with inert gas.

This will only work if the vessel holding the wine is fully sealed and airtight. If you plan to use a fermentation trap, then the inert gas will vent as temp and barometric changes occur. in other words, venting a large headspace with inert gas, then affixing a fermentation trap is a waste of time.

 

[chris889671]

ok,I couldnt find enough bottles so I added sulfite and topped of the carboy with welches grape juice. it tasted better but still had a slight vinegar taste. Its been a week and now its fermenting again.
Does that mean its not vinegar? or does vinegar ferment too?
I just want to save my wine

 

[JohnT]

ok,I couldnt find enough bottles so I added sulfite and topped of the carboy with welches grape juice. it tasted better but still had a slight vinegar taste. Its been a week and now its fermenting again.
Does that mean its not vinegar? or does vinegar ferment too?
I just want to save my wine

OK,

I do not believe that you added enough k-meta to kill the still active yeat in the wine. Once you topped off with welches, you added additional sugar into the mix, kicking off fermentation again.

I thing you should try a dose of sorbate, then back-sweeten the wine again. You shoud end up with better results.