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Ray Calvert
 
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Default A strange ferment

Okay, a follow up to some posts I have made over the last few months.

Back in February I started a 2.5 gal batch of Welch's Frozen Concord and a
batch of the Niagra. I used the recipe on Jack's site for both. I started
each at SG = 1.085. After 5 days I racked each. The Niagra continued fine.
The Concord bubbled for a few days and stopped. I let it sit for a week or
so and checked it . It was at 1.030, right where it was when I racked it.
I repitched it. Nothing. I had a batch of mustang that needed racking into
secondary so I added a pint of the lease and let it go for 3 weeks.
Nothing.

In the mean time I had started a batch of Welch's frozen Grape/Raspberry.
It did the same thing and stuck at 1.030.

The Niagara finished out fine, cleared and was a very nice wine.

I needed to rack my cherry out of secondary to bulk age so I just racked
both the two stuch lines onto the gal or so racked both of the two stuck
wines onto the cherry sedement and stired them up good. After two weeks,
nothing. The SG was down to about 1.020 thanks to adding all the dry
finished lease.

At this point I gave up. I racked it to a 5 gal carboy and set it asside to
clear. I figured that I would just have some sweet, low alcohol wine. That
was months ago. This weekend I figured I should rack off any sedement.
When I checked it, I saw a bubble. I watched it and low and behold the
airlock is bubbling at about 1 bubble a min. It is finally fermenting.

I have no idea when it started, how long it has been going, or how much
longer it will go. I did not even check the SG, just left it alone. I will
check it in two weeks when I get back from vacation. In 25+ years of wine
making this is the longest ferment I have ever had. One thing is for sure.
If I like the results, I will never be able to duplicate it.

In previous posts I have made some comments about the Welch's Concord
sticking. Well, I am not sure now. Oh ... The Niagara is almost gone. A
very nice white wine. Better than most of the Kit Whites I have made.

Ray