Wine smells like vinegar

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djzmade

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Is this normal?... I had some i made last year that smell like vinegar when i go to drink. N then i go to open my wine that i hav fermenting n those smell a lil like vinegar too. Why is that?
 
It might be that you had some fruit flies get into your wine at some point. They carry a bacteria that turns yeast into vinegar.

Maybe. All the fruit came from my backyard. But i put them camden pills in the wine to kill the bacteria... Wouldnt that take care of it?... But is it still safe to drink?
 
I would say that oxygen exposure is your enemy. It will aallow your alcohol to be converted into acetic acid, the predominate acid in vinegar.
 
I would say that oxygen exposure is your enemy. It will aallow your alcohol to be converted into acetic acid, the predominate acid in vinegar.
Ok. So i gotta find where n how im getting too much oxygen in it. But is it still safe to drink?
 
How does taste. Do you want to drink it.
It may not be what you were hoping for but many of us make vinager on purpose. ( but not near our wine )
So i would expect that it is safe to consume.
 
Ok. So i gotta find where n how im getting too much oxygen in it. But is it still safe to drink?

In another thread, you implied that you ferment in buckets for up to 4 months. If that is the case, you would get a lot of air exposure from that process. To minimize air exposure, you could/should rack your wine to a glass carboy; when topped off, these expose very little area to the air.
 
Leaving wine exposed for 4 months would be a recipe to invite acetic acid. I am starting to panic after 48 hours after fermentation is complete without being racked and under airlock.
 
Ah YUP ! Buckets don't provide a good seal. That's why so many people who airlock their buckets during primary part of fermentation complain about not seeing any bubbling or only seeing very little.

Anyone open a plastic bucket of paint that's been previously partly used? How often do you have to skim off that dried paint on the surface - because plastic bucket lids, even in prime condition, don't seal all that well.

Primary in a bucket then finish in a carboy - ALWAYS. If it ferments all the way dry rapidly in a bucket that's one thing but those last stages of fermentation provide less and less of a protective gas blanket so get it to a carboy.
 
Sure it is safe to drink. You can indeed drink vinegar, but it may be unpleasant.

Rather, I would suggest, if you detect vinegar, use it as a cooking "wine". Still great then for sauces, chili, soups, etc. Splash a bit into everything you cook. You may find what great food that can create, and you may actually find you don't have "enough". :)
 
I needed something to drink. :) so I racked my blueberry today, sulfited and sorbated and gave it a little stir - it gassed up but it has not been degassed. There's a slight vinegar smell. It tastes really great, not to tart, full bodied, strong :h. It was started 1-18-19 via Vinter's Best + sugar to 1.09, nutients, RC212, pectinase. racked to secondary 1-28-19 with additional 4 cu sugar (1.06). 2-5-19 I added F-pac 1 lb fresh blueberries + 4 cup sugar.

It's in a 5 gal carboy.......would de-gassing eliminate the vinegar or oxidize it more?

It did not smell to vinegar before racking & sulfiting.

ETA: E.C. Krause said that sulfiting and racking wine can cause a lot of off-smells to come out . So I guess I'll wait and bottle it tomorrow.
 
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