I am a newbie to this craft and I need some good advice. I have a
scuppernong false wine that won't finish fermenting. Starting S.G. 1.098 -
stuck at 1.030. What should I be looking at as probable causes and what
measures can I take to get this wine to dry? This wine is much too sweet for
me.
Thanks for any suggestions
Dan




--
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"Elmer H. Fuddd" > wrote in message
...
> I am a newbie to this craft and I need some good advice. I have a
> scuppernong false wine that won't finish fermenting. Starting S.G.
1.098 -
> stuck at 1.030. What should I be looking at as probable causes and what
> measures can I take to get this wine to dry? This wine is much too sweet
for
> me.
> Thanks for any suggestions
> Dan

Dan,

Stuck fermentations can be due to a lack of nitrogen, excessively low or
high temperatures, the lack of an essential yeast nutrient, the use of
damaged yeast, etc. Whatever the cause, a stuck fermentation should be
restarted as quickly as possible.

Use a thermometer to make sure the temperature of the stuck fermentation is
neither too high nor too low. Then get some air into the stuck
fermentation. Sometimes a little splashing and bubbling will be enough to
rejuvenate the yeast and restart a stuck wine. If nitrogen deficiency is
expected, diammonium phosphate should be added to the stuck wine. If the
fermentation stopped early with lots of sugar remaining, the additional
nitrogen may restart fermentation. On the other hand, when little sugar
remains, the stuck fermentation should be re-inoculated with a fresh batch
of alcohol tolerant yeast (Prise de Mousse or Pasteur Champagne) after the
nitrogen addition.

Sometimes, more effort is required to restart a stuck fermentation. The
following method is often successful IF the original problem has been
corrected. (1) Make a gallon of starter using either Pasteur Champagne or
Prise de Mousse yeast. (2) When the starter is active, add a gallon of the
stuck wine. (3) Wait until the starter becomes active again, and then add
two gallons of stuck wine. (4) Wait until the starter is active again then
add four gallons of stuck wine. (5) Continue this doubling process until
all of the stuck wine has been added.

Once active fermentation is underway, the wine should be monitored carefully
by measuring Brix twice a day. When the hydrometer is steady and reads less
than zero, the wine should be tested with a Clinitest tablet to be sure all
the sugar is gone.

Good luck,
Lum
Del Mar, California, USA