Wild Fermentation?

[AbsoluteBeginner]

Just discovered I have a wild ferment going and need some advice...

Added campden tab, nutrient and pectic enzyme enough for 1 gal Wild Concord Grapes last night. Checked SG this morning and got a reading of 1.076...

Next added 3/4 cup sugar to get up to the recommended 1.095 to pitch the yeast, but got distracted and didn't take a reading. Got home from work 8 hrs later and a full-on wild ferment was happening. New SG is 1.072...

Should I assume my first sugar addition did the trick, or spike it again to make sure it gets above 1.090? And is it too soon to add more nutrient? So far, looks and smells good and the ferment is pretty vigorous...

Any advice is appreciated... Thanks!

 

[jamesngalveston]

not sure about others, but i would let it go.
cover with cloth,give some air, and just let nature takes its course,
move to secondary with air lock when its done, which may be a while since its wild....

 

[cmason1957]

I would absolutely let it go. The Vidal grapes I picked and pressed about two weeks ago took off by themselves. I had them at about 60 degrees. That was the most violent fast fermentation I have ever seen. It went from 1.090 to 1.003 in about threes days. Finished up dry as a bone.

The winery I helped pick at did the same thing. He said his 80 gallon tanks almost boiled over. Wild yeast can be very good choice.

 

[DoctorCAD]

If you picked the grapes at a winery, it may not be "wild" yeast. It might be the yeast that the winemaker has used for years that has simply become dominant.

What I would call "wild" yeast is when you have a grape vine that isn't anywhere around a winery and then it ferments on its own. Those "wild" yeasts may or may not taste very good.

 

[djrockinsteve]

As said let it go. Stir a few times a day. Nutrient can be added anytime at 1 teaspoon per gallon fermenting. Half up front half mid stream is fine.

My wild fermentations took same time as commercial yeasts.

 

[AbsoluteBeginner]

Thanks al!!

Twenty-four hours later it's down to 1.056 and still going strong. (Recipe says to rack at 1.030) No off odors, so maybe I lucked out with this yeast (definitely wild). I just worry the alcohol will be too low and it won't keep long enough... the recipe says to age for two years!

 

[djrockinsteve]

Don't rack to early. Let it ferment. I wouldn't ract until 1.000

 

[ShawnDTurner]

Ambient fermentation...........Good For you! I would let it go and add nutrients as you go. I have found with ambient fermentation. If you pay attention to the nutrients needs of the wild yeast, it will ferment just fine. Now you are really making wine! Cheers

 

[cmason1957]

There isn't a lot of reason to worry about low alcohol. Your starting SG was in a fine range and as long as it gets down to 1.000 you will be fine. Let it go, give it a bit of nutrient and don't worry. If it does happen to stall, which I don't think it will you can add some specific yeast. No worries.

 

[AbsoluteBeginner]

Thanks for the input everyone!!!

I'll follow the advice here and keep in the primary 'til SG reaches 1.000. Gave it 1 tsp Nutrient this morning and that got it foaming and frothing some more... Now down to 1.040. It still smells pretty good!

Here's a question... I put half of the grapes I foraged in the freezer for a second batch... maybe I should attempt another wild ferment? Would this seemingly excellent yeast survive 7 days in a freezer?

 

[MangoMead]

Thanks for the input everyone!!!

I'll follow the advice here and keep in the primary 'til SG reaches 1.000. Gave it 1 tsp Nutrient this morning and that got it foaming and frothing some more... Now down to 1.040. It still smells pretty good!

Here's a question... I put half of the grapes I foraged in the freezer for a second batch... maybe I should attempt another wild ferment? Would this seemingly excellent yeast survive 7 days in a freezer?

You could try washing and saving the yeast.

 

[djrockinsteve]

Yeasts survive the winter so yes they should be fine.

 

[cedarswamp]

Thanks for the input everyone!!!

I'll follow the advice here and keep in the primary 'til SG reaches 1.000. Gave it 1 tsp Nutrient this morning and that got it foaming and frothing some more... Now down to 1.040. It still smells pretty good!

Here's a question... I put half of the grapes I foraged in the freezer for a second batch... maybe I should attempt another wild ferment? Would this seemingly excellent yeast survive 7 days in a freezer?

It might be prudent to reserve judgement on this wild yeast until you finish fermentation and get a taste. Wild yeast is a crap shoot, while some may make a good wine, others won't and some have rather low alcohol tolerance. I'd finish this batch before risking more fruit to an unknown outcome. Just MHO.

 

[MangoMead]

It might be prudent to reserve judgement on this wild yeast until you finish fermentation and get a taste. Wild yeast is a crap shoot, while some may make a good wine, others won't and some have rather low alcohol tolerance. I'd finish this batch before risking more fruit to an unknown outcome. Just MHO.

That's why I think washing would be a good route, a washed yeast can hang out in the fridge in it's jar for a good 6 months or more, enough time to figure out if it worth trying again or not.

 

[fabrictodyefor]

Thanks for the input everyone!!!

I'll follow the advice here and keep in the primary 'til SG reaches 1.000. Gave it 1 tsp Nutrient this morning and that got it foaming and frothing some more... Now down to 1.040. It still smells pretty good!

Here's a question... I put half of the grapes I foraged in the freezer for a second batch... maybe I should attempt another wild ferment? Would this seemingly excellent yeast survive 7 days in a freezer?

I was glad to find this thread as I panicked this morning when my concord grapes started fermenting on their own. I had washed my grapes and they have been frozen since the end of September, I did add the campden tablets, but guess the wild yeast was not effected by it. So in answer to your question, I do believe the yeast will survive the freezer!

 

[Julie]

It takes more than the freezer to kill off your yeast. If you have wild yeast starting, I would add your wine yeast anyway, this will take over the wild yeast.

 

[ShawnDTurner]

Or you can add nutrients and let the ambient fermentation happen. Cheers

 

[blumentopferde]

If you picked the grapes at a winery, it may not be "wild" yeast. It might be the yeast that the winemaker has used for years that has simply become dominant.

What I would call "wild" yeast is when you have a grape vine that isn't anywhere around a winery and then it ferments on its own. Those "wild" yeasts may or may not taste very good.

I've read that there is no such thing as "wild fermentation". There are wild yeats, but their alcohol tolerance is far below what we'd expect from a wine. If the wine ferments thoroughly then there must have been a winemaking yeast somewhere around that grew dominant amongst all the other yeasts.

Winemakers use their marc and other residues to fertilize their wineyards and if you already made wine before you might have had traces of yeast somewhere on your winemaking equipment.

Not sure if it is true but it sounds legit!

 

[REDRUM]

Yeah, several professional winemakers I've spoken to don't innoculate with commercial yeasts at all (or only do for some of their wines). It would be more important for a home winemaker if you're not making the wine in an environment where there has been a lot of fermentation happening in the past, where desirable strains have grown dominant.

I think 'wild ferment' can probably be a very desirable thing sometimes, maybe not as predictable but I'm sure some of the best results are from happy accidents!