How do I know I'm not making Vinegar ? (Newbie Asks)
 

<reply@grouponly> wrote in message
...
> Greetings,
>
> My first post. I bought a good kit and the owners are helpful
> and I'm sure could answer this question. Thought I'd post it here
> to intro myself for the future.
>
> Howdy, I'm Andrew from Fairfax, VA. I'm making my 1st attempt
> to make some wine. No jury-rigged stuff. All store-bought. I'm only
> on day 3 of Primary Fermentation. Plastic Air-lock merrily bubbling
> away. Aroma of the CO2 was at first yeasty - like the homemade
> bread I already make. Now it's more "winey/vinegary" smelling.
> How do I know I'm not making vinegar instead ?
> I don't know how to make vinegar anyway. ( I hope !)
>
> TIA,
>
> Andrew


Welcome to the group Andrew.
You will find some information here http://home.att.net/~lumeisenman/
If you download the book, you can use the search function in your word
processor.
Good luck with your wine,
Lum
Del Mar, California, USA

On Sun, 15 Aug 2004 23:33:31 GMT, "Lum" >
>
>Welcome to the group Andrew.
>You will find some information here http://home.att.net/~lumeisenman/
>If you download the book, you can use the search function in your word
>processor.
>Good luck with your wine,
>Lum
>Del Mar, California, USA
>

Thanks a lot. So based on a quick scan of your book,...

Acetobactor is an anaerobe and although some acetic acid is
inevitable, acetobactor shouldn't take hold as long as the basic
Beginner's Kit plastic Primary Bucket for 6 gal. is reasonably
cleaned and sanitized and the "air space" above the 6 gal
mark is filled with foam (= CO2) ?

Therefore, what I'm smelling is most likely some "grapey"
smells that are part of the process. Perhaps some grape
juice that is being bubbled up as foam, so,.. This is not
some bad batch from Vintner's Reserve that's already
"infected" with vineagar. Don't sweat it ?

I did a careful job of cleaning/sanitizing, but I did not
"sterilize" the juice with campden and wait 24 hrs. as
Frishman's booklet suggests. I just follwed the directions
in the Vintner's Reserve Instruction Sheet.

Andrew

I very seriously doubt you are making vinegar. I remember having exactly
the same thought/concern when I made my first batch of wine. Sounds normal
to me.

Chris.

<reply@grouponly> wrote in message
...
> Greetings,
>
> My first post. I bought a good kit and the owners are helpful
> and I'm sure could answer this question. Thought I'd post it here
> to intro myself for the future.
>
> Howdy, I'm Andrew from Fairfax, VA. I'm making my 1st attempt
> to make some wine. No jury-rigged stuff. All store-bought. I'm only
> on day 3 of Primary Fermentation. Plastic Air-lock merrily bubbling
> away. Aroma of the CO2 was at first yeasty - like the homemade
> bread I already make. Now it's more "winey/vinegary" smelling.
> How do I know I'm not making vinegar instead ?
> I don't know how to make vinegar anyway. ( I hope !)
>
> TIA,
>
> Andrew

<reply@grouponly> wrote in message
...
> On Sun, 15 Aug 2004 23:33:31 GMT, "Lum" >
> >
> >Welcome to the group Andrew.
> >You will find some information here http://home.att.net/~lumeisenman/
> >If you download the book, you can use the search function in your word
> >processor.
> >Good luck with your wine,
> >Lum
> >Del Mar, California, USA
> >
>
> Thanks a lot. So based on a quick scan of your book,...
>
> Acetobactor is an anaerobe and although some acetic acid is
> inevitable, acetobactor shouldn't take hold as long as the basic
> Beginner's Kit plastic Primary Bucket for 6 gal. is reasonably
> cleaned and sanitized and the "air space" above the 6 gal
> mark is filled with foam (= CO2) ?
>
> Therefore, what I'm smelling is most likely some "grapey"
> smells that are part of the process. Perhaps some grape
> juice that is being bubbled up as foam, so,.. This is not
> some bad batch from Vintner's Reserve that's already
> "infected" with vineagar. Don't sweat it ?
>
> I did a careful job of cleaning/sanitizing, but I did not
> "sterilize" the juice with campden and wait 24 hrs. as
> Frishman's booklet suggests. I just follwed the directions
> in the Vintner's Reserve Instruction Sheet.
>
> Andrew

It sounds like your fermentation is in good shape Andrew.

Thanks for the hand-holding guys.

Andrew

Andrew,
I doubt it too, it takes a long time to make vinegar. I don't make
kits but most are presulfited. Do not add sulfite until it finishes
fermenting now that it has started off well. The smell will change
over time.

Joe


> I very seriously doubt you are making vinegar. I remember having exactly
> the same thought/concern when I made my first batch of wine. Sounds normal
> to me.
>
> Chris.