Hi
I started a gallonof tea wine a couple of weeks ago and it
just seems to have stopped. Any ideas on what I should look for when I
check it please? I used the requisite amount of sugar and my basic
materials were around a gallon of leavings from the teapot!

Ian

On Jul 11, 5:16 am, Ian Pollard wrote:
Hi
I started a gallonof tea wine a couple of weeks ago and it
just seems to have stopped. Any ideas on what I should look for when I
check it please? I used the requisite amount of sugar and my basic
materials were around a gallon of leavings from the teapot!

Ian

Equally important, did you check your specific gravity when you
started? You can easily tell when it's stopped (or should be stopped)
by measuring to see if your sugar has been fully consumed. A "couple
of weeks" is generally enough time for the primary fermentation to run
its course. It might be a good time to test it and rack it. If you
don't have a hydrometer to test the specific gravity (before and after
is essential not only to see if its done, but to give you an idea of
how much alcohol you're coming up with) then at the very least, you
can take a small sample and taste it. Still sweet = not done/stuck
fermentation. Not sweet = likely done...this is rough at best, but a
ballpark idea.

Trid
-haven't tried a tea wine, sounds intriguing

If you really think it has stopped then it probably has. Then the question
is, has it really finished or is it stuck. Tea wine can be low on
nutrients, depending on your recipe, so it can stick. If you have a
hydrometer, this is when you need to use it. If you do not, leave the wine
alone and get one.

Using the hydrometer, if the SG is well below 1.000, say 0.996 or less.
Then it is probably finished and should be racked and topped. If it is just
arround 1.000, say 0.998 to 1.002, then it is almost finished and probably
has stopped. No problem, rack and top it. But watch it and consider using
some sorbate before bottling to keep it from restarting. If it is above
this range, then the question is whether it has reached it's alcohol
tolerance and quit or if it stuck before finishing.. You will have to have
some idea of the starting SG to make that decision. If you think it might
be stuck and do not have a beginning SG, get back with us to discuss the
original recipe and maybe we can guestimate you through it.

Ray

"Trid" wrote in message
oups.com...
On Jul 11, 5:16 am, Ian Pollard wrote:
Hi
I started a gallonof tea wine a couple of weeks ago and it
just seems to have stopped. Any ideas on what I should look for when I
check it please? I used the requisite amount of sugar and my basic
materials were around a gallon of leavings from the teapot!

Ian

Equally important, did you check your specific gravity when you
started? You can easily tell when it's stopped (or should be stopped)
by measuring to see if your sugar has been fully consumed. A "couple
of weeks" is generally enough time for the primary fermentation to run
its course. It might be a good time to test it and rack it. If you
don't have a hydrometer to test the specific gravity (before and after
is essential not only to see if its done, but to give you an idea of
how much alcohol you're coming up with) then at the very least, you
can take a small sample and taste it. Still sweet = not done/stuck
fermentation. Not sweet = likely done...this is rough at best, but a
ballpark idea.

Trid
-haven't tried a tea wine, sounds intriguing