Worried about my wine

[skyal]

I started my first ever batch a few days ago. I'm using an Orchard Breezin kit & trying to follow instructions with it, which basically implies to leave it alone in the primary fermenter or 14 days. I read that it needs oxygen to start, though, so I loosened the lib on the fermenter (it doesn't have an air lock hole)& stirred it up a couple of times. The last couple of days I've noticed barely any bubbles & since it's a bit cool in the room it's in (about 20C), I was concerned it wasn't warm enough. I decided today to check the temperature & figured while I was at it, I'd check the SG too.

It's around 19C, but the SG is about (I don't have a wine thief, so I sanitized the thermometer & hydrometer & just them in the fermenter, so my numbers on the SG are just approx) 1.000 already. It's only been 7 days since I started it. The kit says that about 14 days, when it's at 0.998 or lower to rack it to a carboy & add a bunch of other things to it, the degas & let stand until day 28 day.

Should I be racking it tomorrow (or even today) since the SG is at/about where they suggest it should be? Should I leave it to day 28 once I do it, or subtract how many days short of the 14 I am?

Also, and this is the main reason I wanted to post here; when I looked at my wine, there were tiny white bit at the top. I'm a little concerned. I took a picture, which I apparently can't post a link to yet. I sanitized a spoon & skimmed it off, but I'm a little worried that it means something's going wrong with the wine.

I'd be grateful for any help anyone can give me. Thanks! I sanitized a spoon & skimmed it off, but I'm a little worried that it means something's going wrong with the wine.

I'd be grateful for any help anyone can give me. Thanks!

 

[Julie]

Go ahead and rack and leave it sit the 28 days that the instructions say. I don't think you have anything to be concerned about, everything seems to be going well. Not sure what to tell you about the white stuff without a pic to see but I really can't see it being anything serious at this point. Did you taste the wine?

 

[cpfan]

Go ahead and rack and leave it sit the 28 days that the instructions say. I don't think you have anything to be concerned about, everything seems to be going well. Not sure what to tell you about the white stuff without a pic to see but I really can't see it being anything serious at this point. Did you taste the wine?

skyal:

Do not add the additives until fermentation has stopped. Check the sg for 2 or 3 days in a row to see a constant sg. I would expect the kit to finish around .996.

The white COULD be foam from the fermentation. But the temperature is on the cool side and fermentation is almost complete, so I wouldn't have expected a lot of foam.

BTW...which OB kit?

Steve

 

[Runningwolf]

Skyal:
Like Steve said do not add any chemicals until fermentation is complete (two of the same readings 2-3 days apart). The OB kits are meant to be in the primary until fermentation is complete, unlike the Winexpert kits that have you racking part way through (for a secondary fermentation. I think you are fine and just proceed to the next step according to your hydrometer readings.

 

[NSwiner]

Yeah thats one thing I have learned from here go by the SG reading not the amount of days .I would suggest you get a lid with the hole drilled in it and airlock makes it much easier to tell what's going on and you don't have to lift the lid alot and expose it to the air needlessly . I have a cranapple chardonnay going that didn't seem to be bubbling in the air lock like it normally would be by now so stuck the end of the spoon in a gave it a quick stir around 8:30 am this morning now its go fine just needed that stir I guess . But we have had some weird weather for this time of year here so maybe that had something to do with it . Definitely should get a wine thief if you're going to make anymore wine it will make your life easier & more accurate . BTW welcome to the forum .

 

[skyal]

Well, whatever I skimmed off yesterday is back today. Seems to be even more & my husband thinks it looks like mold. I called the store where I bought the kit & she seemed to have no clue, but suggested that I move it to the carboy when it's ready & add the stabilizer & that should give me a better idea if it's gone completely wrong or not.

I haven't tasted it because I'm not willing to take that chance until I know if it's mold or not. I'm really hoping I'm wrong; I'm so upset I might've wrecked it somehow.

It's a Strawberry Riesling kit.

I haven't taken the SG yet today. Part of me is feeling like there isn't any point & I should just dump it now.

 

[skyal]

Also, I think I need to work out a better system for sanitizing, especially things like my long spoon, hydrometer & thermometer that are used multiple times. Something cheap.

 

[winemaker_3352]

Make a k-meta sanitizing solution and put in a spray bottle - spray down your equipment - wait and use.

You can also make a corkidor to store tubing, measuring spoons, etc.

 

[robie]

As has already been said, wait until the SG is no longer changing, then proceed.
The mold is another issue, but not a show stopper.

Refer to the following link:


I would let fermentation finish, then stabilize the wine per instructions. Part of stabilization is to add sulfites.
After stabilization, keep wine in cool place.

If mold comes back, I would discard the wine. make sure you sanitize everything that might have touched that wine.

If no more mold, the wine will likely be OK. It's not likely that tasting it will harm you. Let it set for several months. If it tastes OK, drink it.

 

[robie]

Make a k-meta sanitizing solution and put in a spray bottle - spray down your equipment - wait and use.

You can also make a corkidor to store tubing, measuring spoons, etc.

This is good advice! Every time, always spray down anything that will contact the wine. If I have two batches going at the same time, I even sanitize when going from one batch into the other.

This is only my personal opinion, but the problem with sanitizing something like the spoon is that kmeta solution sanitizes more with its fumes than with its contact. This is fine for pouring some into a carboy, sealing the carboy for 30 minutes and letting the fumes do their job.

For a spoon or a hydrometer, which you spray with a spray bottle just before using, the kmeta sanitizing solution contacts the item, but there is not closed in area for the fumes to work.

So, I have two spray bottles - one with a kmeta solution and one with a good solution of a sanitizer that works mainly by contact and works within about 20 seconds. (UGH! I am not at home and my mind is drawing a blank as to the name of this second sanitizer.. help anyone!!!)

I spray the second solution on things like spoons and hydrometers, then rinse before use.

My rule is if sanitizing a closed in area, like a carboy, I use a kmeta solution. Otherwise, I use the other.

 

[winemaker_3352]

Robie what kind of sanitizing solution do you have in your spray bottle.

 

[robie]

Robie what kind of sanitizing solution do you have in your spray bottle.

Funny I could not think of it until a few minutes ago; it popped into my brain - StanSan. I have a spray bottle of a normal kMeta sanitizing solution and a bottle of StanSan solution. It is the StanSan that I spray on my spoon, hydrometer, and such, as it is a contact sanitizer.

After about 20 to 30 seconds of exposure, I rinse the StarSan off with tap water. (I know, there is a big debate about whether or not to rinse.)

 

[skyal]

For sanitizers I have something called Chloriclean, which is what I have been using, & Sodium Metabisulfite, which I think I should start using. It says it's a contact sanitizer.

Is condensation on the inside of the lid a sign that fermentation is still going?

 

[robie]

For sanitizers I have something called Chloriclean, which is what I have been using, & Sodium Metabisulfite, which I think I should start using. It says it's a contact sanitizer.

Is condensation on the inside of the lid a sign that fermentation is still going?

The only reliable way to determine if fermentation is still going is to use a hydrometer. Check the SG, then check it again the next day. If SG has not changed, fermentation likely has stopped. BUT, just to be safe check it one more day. If SG has not changed over these three days, you can reliably say fermentation has stopped.

Understand that fermentation can stop because all sugar has been fermented out (fermentation complete), or it can stop prematurely, because of several problems (stuck fermentation).

To determine if fermentation is complete, the SG should be close to what your wine making instructions say final SG should be. Typically the fermentation complete SG is .998 or below, but always, always read your instructions.