Hi ab,

thought of lack of food? Fruit other than grapes is often lacking food for
your yeast. Yeast is a hungry thingy!! Feed it!!!. And yes, that is often
the reason for the off-flavour, esp. H2S. Had "some" experience with it
myself during my 10 years of country winemaking.

Ed
From Holland, southern province of Limburg, where Holland is a mere 4,8
kilometers wide. To the right: Germany; to the left: Belgium. Dandelion wine
started yesterday; apple and cherry in the basement; 204 grapes (Regent;
Léon Millot; Birstaler Muskat) just peeping out of the ground. Have to wait
3 years, have to wait; I know.

"ab" > schreef in bericht
om...
> Hi Brandon,
>
> During the primary fermentation stage of wine production, yeast
> converts sugar into alcohol. A by product of this is Carbon Dioxide
> (CO2). As the CO2 is heavier in weight than oxygen, it covers the top
> of the wine must, protecting it from oxidisation due to oxygen
> contact. Once the primary fermentation has slowed or finished, the CO2
> production ceases. It is at this point we must add sulphur dioxide
> (SO2) in the form of PMS or SMS to the wine to protect it from oxygen
> contact and limit the amount of air by fitting an air lock.
>
> I have found with some wines (especially country wines made with fruit
> other than grapes) that if I do my primary fermentation using an
> airlock, not enough oxygen mixes with the must and I often get rotten
> egg gas smells (Hydrogen Sulphide) which are quite unpleasant. This is
> why I always do my primary fermentation in an open fermenter covered
> with a cloth.
>
> Regards
>
> AB1
>
> "Brandon" > wrote in message
>...
> > Newbe question - I'm making wine for the first time using a wine kit and
> > after reading some of the posts here, I'm not sure I should be using an
> > air-lock during the primary fermentation as oxygen is required to assist
the
> > yeast in converting the sugar into alcohol and SO2?
> >
> > According to the kit instructions, I should rack the wine into the
secondary
> > when to Specific Gravity reaches 1.010 or less, which should occur from
5 to
> > 7 days after the yeast is added.
> >
> > Here are my current readings:
> >
> > Day # Specific Gravity Temp of Must
> > 1 1.080 76 F (Yeast Added)
> > 2 1.070 72 F
> > 3 Didn't Check 74 F
> > 4 1.050 72 F
> >
> > At the current rate, I'm guessing the wine should be ready to rack
around
> > day 8? Should I remove the airlock or keep it attached?