On 26 Oct, 23:20, pp > wrote:
> On Oct 26, 8:43 am, Jethro > wrote:
>
>
>
>
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> > On 25 Oct, 22:41, "Bob F" > wrote:
>
> > > "Jethro_uk" > wrote in message
>
> > >news
>
> > > > Hi guys,
>
> > > > making my 4th red wine from a gallon kit (Beaverdale, although others have
> > > > been different). This one is a valpolicella. I've tried a Cianti, and a "Vieux
> > > > Chateau du Rio".
>
> > > > All of them have stopped fermenting after about 8-9 days, and tasted too
> > > > sweet. Following my LHB advice, I've checked with a hydrometer, and the sg is
> > > > 994 - I was told really less than 990 is right for a drier red.
>
> > > > The demijohns are kept in the kitchen - temperature ranging from 18 to 22
> > > > celcius.
>
> > > > I'm puzzled, as is my LHB - In the same period, I've made 4 white wines, which
> > > > have come out perfect. Also my beer has been good too.
>
> > > > Is there a trick or secret to red wines. My first ever wine was a red (a
> > > > merlot) 5-gallon kit, and that was perfect. But I'm reluctant to buy another
> > > > big kit, until I know I can do it right.
>
> > > > I've read about stuck fermentation, but don't want to jump to conclusions ...
> > > > the fact this has happened more than once suggests it's me !
>
> > > > thanks in advance
>
> > > If you don't get the answer here, rec.crafts.winemaking might be a better group.
>
> > WHOOPS ! Sorry ... it's just I subscribe to here, since I started with
> > Beer !- Hide quoted text -
>
> > - Show quoted text -
>
> You won't get under 0.990 with dry reds, that's hard even for dry
> whites and their final sg is usually lower because they have less
> extract. Also, many kit manufacturers design their red kits to end
> with a higher final sg than wines from grapes. There is one full
> bodied dry red kit I know of where the final sg is supposed to be over
> 1.000! Given that 1) this is your 4th red kit and they all ended
> around 0.994, and 2) you don't have issues with white kits, I'd say
> it's most likely the kits are actually done fermenting as they were
> supposed to.
>
> There is no special trick, just follow the instructions, with some
> sanity checks along the way. You should watch that you don't discard
> too much sludge when transferring from primary to a secondary
> fermentor, that can sometimes cause the ferment to stick at the end.
> And wait until the ferment has really finished, lots of kits say you
> can stabilize when the sg is under 0.998 but a those levels red wine
> would definitely tatse sweet. Temperature should not be an issue
> although you could try ot keep it between 20-25C.

Hi,

thanks for that ... I must admit I try to leave as much sludge as
possible behind, after the primary fermentation ... so maybe I don't
help myself there.

Whilst what you say makes sense, it still doesn't explain (apart from
different kits, obviously) why the 2 5-gallon red kits I've made came
out just right.

Would I be correct in assuming then that taste at the end of primary
fermentation is not neccessarily a guide to finished taste ?