I bought some Del Valle guava nectar yesterday and I'm trying to make
some wine from them. Overnight didn't spur any activity in my airlock
at all, when I would have expected ever so slightly a start. I should
probably wait longer, but I want to cover my tracks and know when I
might give up.

The ingredients were water, nectar, sugar and/or high fructose corn
syrup, citric acid/absorbic acid. I hear absorbic acid is a bane to
yeast. Is this true? If so, will I be able to work around it?

I gave my batches more yeast. If I don't have any activity by tomorrow
evening, I'll try a started from dry yeast; that way I'll know the yeast
was at least good when I pitched it.

Ascorbic acid is not problem yeast wise (although there is evidence it
can casue premature browning in whites).

I agree with Dar, did you add nutrient?


Adam Preble wrote:
I bought some Del Valle guava nectar yesterday and I'm trying to make
some wine from them. Overnight didn't spur any activity in my airlock
at all, when I would have expected ever so slightly a start. I should
probably wait longer, but I want to cover my tracks and know when I
might give up.

The ingredients were water, nectar, sugar and/or high fructose corn
syrup, citric acid/absorbic acid. I hear absorbic acid is a bane to
yeast. Is this true? If so, will I be able to work around it?

I gave my batches more yeast. If I don't have any activity by tomorrow
evening, I'll try a started from dry yeast; that way I'll know the yeast
was at least good when I pitched it.

Dar V wrote:
Did you add some yeast nutrient?
Darlene

I added a teaspoon of nutrient per gallon.

I am starting to get very minimal airlock activity. Maybe it got
unstuck finally, but I would have expected a more vigorous fermentation
by at least now.

After an overnight or even a 24 hour period, I would not expect to see much
airlock activity. But then I am a sprinkler. I sprinkle dry yeast on the
surface and do not stir it in. After 12 to 24 hours I expect to see very
active yeast cultures growing on the surface. Then I stir it in and expect
more CO2 generation.

Also, I do not use an airlock during primary. I just cover with a good
clean towel.

Ray

"Adam Preble" wrote in message
...
I bought some Del Valle guava nectar yesterday and I'm trying to make some
wine from them. Overnight didn't spur any activity in my airlock at all,
when I would have expected ever so slightly a start. I should probably
wait longer, but I want to cover my tracks and know when I might give up.

The ingredients were water, nectar, sugar and/or high fructose corn syrup,
citric acid/absorbic acid. I hear absorbic acid is a bane to yeast. Is
this true? If so, will I be able to work around it?

I gave my batches more yeast. If I don't have any activity by tomorrow
evening, I'll try a started from dry yeast; that way I'll know the yeast
was at least good when I pitched it.