rec.crafts.winemaking wrote:
> Hi Everyone... I ran into a "situation" today and was wondering if
> anyone knows enough about yeast to know if I have a problem.
>
> I have six gallons of Chardonnay fermenting in a 13.5 gallon barrel
> (currently at 17 Brix). I have another 11 gallons in the cold garage
> waiting until the barrel reaches Brix 10, then I'll rack to a carboy
> and then place the other 11 gallons in the barrel and start
> fermenting on that.
>
> Okay... My "situation." I walked in the garage today to find the 11
> gallons bubbling away! It wasn't bubbling last night, but I did see a
> little foam around the meniscus of the six gallon carboy, which made
> me concerned. I didn't see rising bubbles like I do today. The
> weather warmed a bit today. There was no discernable lees at the
> bottom of the glass carboys, so I'm hoping I caught this fast!
>
> I immediately racked the wine in the barrel to another carboy, then
> racked the two other early-fermenting carboys into the barrel. I
> purposely left about 1/2 gallon of wine/lees on the bottom of the
> barrel. I thought that would make a nice yeast starter ready to go.
> Regardless of this, I created a yeast starter with enough yeast for
> the 11 gallons and pitched it in the barrel.
>
> My concern is, which yeast will take? Obviously I have wild yeast
> that's become active. I'm hoping my yeast will take over and dominate
> the wild yeast. Everything is fermenting nicely, I just don't know
> which yeast is doing what in the barrel! :-(
>
> Should I be concerned? Is there anything else I should do? I'm using
> CY3079 yeast.
>
> Any help or advice would be appreciated.
>
> -Paul
Chances are your pitched yeast will take over. Good luck.
Gene