We've had a very late harvest in my neck of the Northwest, so I've
jsut pressed my Syrah grapes. I'm using Wyeast Bordeaux yeast, which
claims it will survive to 14% ABV, but I just redid my calculation and
realized that I should end up with about 15.5% ABV (I started with
27.2 Brix).

So, now that I'm at about 5 Brix remaining (by hydrometer) and I want
it to go dry, do I start a batch of yeast that can survive up to 18%
ABV and pitch it on now, or wait until the current yeast dies off and
pitch then? And I'm going to do ML on it - any comments on timing
that?

It's so much easier when you're used to 22-23 Brix..

Rob

On Nov 6, 9:37 am, Rob > wrote:
> We've had a very late harvest in my neck of the Northwest, so I've
> jsut pressed my Syrah grapes. I'm using Wyeast Bordeaux yeast, which
> claims it will survive to 14% ABV, but I just redid my calculation and
> realized that I should end up with about 15.5% ABV (I started with
> 27.2 Brix).
>
> So, now that I'm at about 5 Brix remaining (by hydrometer) and I want
> it to go dry, do I start a batch of yeast that can survive up to 18%
> ABV and pitch it on now, or wait until the current yeast dies off and
> pitch then? And I'm going to do ML on it - any comments on timing
> that?
>
> It's so much easier when you're used to 22-23 Brix..
>
> Rob

I'd do the first - start a strong batch of EC1118 or something similar
and pitch at this stage. It might not take off if you wait until the
wine is dry.

ML might be hard at those alcohol levels - there is a Hansen strain
CH-16 that has alcohol tolerance up to 16%, so that might be your best
option. If you use EC1118, make sure to add ML nutrients because that
yeast isn't friendly to ML bacteria.

Pp

I'd agree with Pp - get some EC1118 in right away. I'd not worry about
MLF just now - focus on getting the suigars fermented. Once that is
done, then make some decisions. If it were me, depending on total acid
(by titration) and which acids (based on a paper chrom test) I might
consider suppressing MLF completely with lysozyme and get some SO2 on
the wine, or I might pitch some ML bacteria and try to get it done at
those alcohol levels.



On 2007-11-06 11:03:36 -0800, pp > said:

> On Nov 6, 9:37 am, Rob > wrote:
>> We've had a very late harvest in my neck of the Northwest, so I've
>> jsut pressed my Syrah grapes. I'm using Wyeast Bordeaux yeast, which
>> claims it will survive to 14% ABV, but I just redid my calculation and
>> realized that I should end up with about 15.5% ABV (I started with
>> 27.2 Brix).
>>
>> So, now that I'm at about 5 Brix remaining (by hydrometer) and I want
>> it to go dry, do I start a batch of yeast that can survive up to 18%
>> ABV and pitch it on now, or wait until the current yeast dies off and
>> pitch then? And I'm going to do ML on it - any comments on timing
>> that?
>>
>> It's so much easier when you're used to 22-23 Brix..
>>
>> Rob
>
> I'd do the first - start a strong batch of EC1118 or something similar
> and pitch at this stage. It might not take off if you wait until the
> wine is dry.
>
> ML might be hard at those alcohol levels - there is a Hansen strain
> CH-16 that has alcohol tolerance up to 16%, so that might be your best
> option. If you use EC1118, make sure to add ML nutrients because that
> yeast isn't friendly to ML bacteria.
>
> Pp

pp wrote:
> On Nov 6, 9:37 am, Rob > wrote:
>
>>We've had a very late harvest in my neck of the Northwest, so I've
>>jsut pressed my Syrah grapes. I'm using Wyeast Bordeaux yeast, which
>>claims it will survive to 14% ABV, but I just redid my calculation and
>>realized that I should end up with about 15.5% ABV (I started with
>>27.2 Brix).
>>
>>So, now that I'm at about 5 Brix remaining (by hydrometer) and I want
>>it to go dry, do I start a batch of yeast that can survive up to 18%
>>ABV and pitch it on now, or wait until the current yeast dies off and
>>pitch then? And I'm going to do ML on it - any comments on timing
>>that?
>>
>>It's so much easier when you're used to 22-23 Brix..
>>
>>Rob
>
>
> I'd do the first - start a strong batch of EC1118 or something similar
> and pitch at this stage. It might not take off if you wait until the
> wine is dry.
>
> ML might be hard at those alcohol levels - there is a Hansen strain
> CH-16 that has alcohol tolerance up to 16%, so that might be your best
> option. If you use EC1118, make sure to add ML nutrients because that
> yeast isn't friendly to ML bacteria.
>
> Pp
>
There is a new yeast strain specifically for restarting stuck
fermentation, called 43. I would use this if avaiable, over EC1118.

Thanks, all. I threw 1118 on it immediately, since the local store
doesn't carry any yeast that isn't Red Star or Lalvin, and the
fermentation continues. The last hydrometer reading I made was at 2
Brix, which puts it well over 14% alcohol already. With the pH at
3.2, I can maintain a low sulphite level and still keep it protected,
so I put some ML bacteria on it, just in case it decides to do
something about it.

Again, thanks for the help. I think we're OK now.

Rob

OT - (kinda). Maybe dumb question (kinda). Are the single scale
BRIX hydrometers some folks use calibrated for sugar/water
solutions ?? (eg. No compensation for the acid found in wine
musts) Or are they calibrated for winemaking by incorperating
an allowance for acid in the BRIX calculation thus making them
a "direct read" instrument ?? TIA

Frederick


"Rob" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> We've had a very late harvest in my neck of the Northwest, so I've
> jsut pressed my Syrah grapes. I'm using Wyeast Bordeaux yeast, which
> claims it will survive to 14% ABV, but I just redid my calculation and
> realized that I should end up with about 15.5% ABV (I started with
> 27.2 Brix).
>
> So, now that I'm at about 5 Brix remaining (by hydrometer) and I want
> it to go dry, do I start a batch of yeast that can survive up to 18%
> ABV and pitch it on now, or wait until the current yeast dies off and
> pitch then? And I'm going to do ML on it - any comments on timing
> that?
>
> It's so much easier when you're used to 22-23 Brix..
>
> Rob
>

As I understand it the scales were developed using pure sucrose and
pure water so unless they specifically state it I would say no
compensation is made for any other dissolved solid (such as acid).

Table sugar is at least 99.5% pure sugar as a FWIW. The reference I
use is from the US NBS (now NIST). Polarimetery, Saccharimetry and
the Sugars by Bates et al. NIST refered me to it when I asked a
similar question of them; it's what they used at the time.
Joe

>Are the single scale
> BRIX hydrometers some folks use calibrated for sugar/water
> solutions ?? (eg. No compensation for the acid found in wine
> musts) Or are they calibrated for winemaking by incorperating
> an allowance for acid in the BRIX calculation thus making them
> a "direct read" instrument ?? TIA
>

Thank you Joe

Gotta see if I can find that reference..........

Frederick


"Joe Sallustio" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> As I understand it the scales were developed using pure sucrose and
> pure water so unless they specifically state it I would say no
> compensation is made for any other dissolved solid (such as acid).
>
> Table sugar is at least 99.5% pure sugar as a FWIW. The reference I
> use is from the US NBS (now NIST). Polarimetery, Saccharimetry and
> the Sugars by Bates et al. NIST refered me to it when I asked a
> similar question of them; it's what they used at the time.
> Joe
>
>>Are the single scale
>> BRIX hydrometers some folks use calibrated for sugar/water
>> solutions ?? (eg. No compensation for the acid found in wine
>> musts) Or are they calibrated for winemaking by incorperating
>> an allowance for acid in the BRIX calculation thus making them
>> a "direct read" instrument ?? TIA
>>
>