Stuck?
 

I have a batch of Mint wine that I thought I'd try since I have half a
rock garden full of the stuff.

I steeped the mint in boiling water and strained into primary. Used a
pack of montrachet yeast and enough sugar to get me to 1.090 sg.
Right now, it is 3 months later and still at about 1.040-1.045 SG.

It sends up a few small bubbles every few seconds, but not enough to
see airlock activity. It was active in primary, but not vigorous. I
racked to secondary when I saw it was slowing, and the only reason I
racked was to prevent oxidation. It slowed down to the trickle since.
Actually it was trickle for a while now.

Is it advisable to pitch some new yeast and add with nutrient or just
add nutrient to the mix?

It is really my first stuck batch, and from what I've read, herb and
flower wines do tend to stick. So far what I've found would be to
just add nutrient, but I would like to hear from you experts first
before I ruin it.

TIA,

Greg, Erie, PA

"Hoss" > wrote in message
...
>I have a batch of Mint wine that I thought I'd try since I have half a
> rock garden full of the stuff.
>
> I steeped the mint in boiling water and strained into primary. Used a
> pack of montrachet yeast and enough sugar to get me to 1.090 sg.
> Right now, it is 3 months later and still at about 1.040-1.045 SG.
>
> It sends up a few small bubbles every few seconds, but not enough to
> see airlock activity. It was active in primary, but not vigorous. I
> racked to secondary when I saw it was slowing, and the only reason I
> racked was to prevent oxidation. It slowed down to the trickle since.
> Actually it was trickle for a while now.
>
> Is it advisable to pitch some new yeast and add with nutrient or just
> add nutrient to the mix?
>
> It is really my first stuck batch, and from what I've read, herb and
> flower wines do tend to stick. So far what I've found would be to
> just add nutrient, but I would like to hear from you experts first
> before I ruin it.
>
> TIA,
>
> Greg, Erie, PA
>
You did not mention nutrient in the original recipe. Did you include it?
Mint probably does not provide much.

I would add nutrient, make up a vigorous starter and then add the starter
according to Jack Keller's suggestions. i.e., by adding your wine to the
starter where you double the volume of the starter with each addition until
the whole batch is going.

Ray

"Hoss" > wrote in message
...
>I have a batch of Mint wine that I thought I'd try since I have half a
> rock garden full of the stuff.
>
> I steeped the mint in boiling water and strained into primary. Used a
> pack of montrachet yeast and enough sugar to get me to 1.090 sg.
> Right now, it is 3 months later and still at about 1.040-1.045 SG.
>
> It sends up a few small bubbles every few seconds, but not enough to
> see airlock activity. It was active in primary, but not vigorous. I
> racked to secondary when I saw it was slowing, and the only reason I
> racked was to prevent oxidation. It slowed down to the trickle since.
> Actually it was trickle for a while now.
>
> Is it advisable to pitch some new yeast and add with nutrient or just
> add nutrient to the mix?
>
> It is really my first stuck batch, and from what I've read, herb and
> flower wines do tend to stick. So far what I've found would be to
> just add nutrient, but I would like to hear from you experts first
> before I ruin it.
>
> TIA,
>
> Greg, Erie, PA
>
You did not mention nutrient in the original recipe. Did you include it?
Mint probably does not provide much.

I would add nutrient, make up a vigorous starter and then add the starter
according to Jack Keller's suggestions. i.e., by adding your wine to the
starter where you double the volume of the starter with each addition until
the whole batch is going.

Ray

On Thu, 02 Dec 2004 00:26:20 GMT, "Ray Calvert"
> wrote:

>
>"Hoss" > wrote in message
.. .
>>I have a batch of Mint wine that I thought I'd try since I have half a
>> rock garden full of the stuff.
>>
>> I steeped the mint in boiling water and strained into primary. Used a
>> pack of montrachet yeast and enough sugar to get me to 1.090 sg.
>> Right now, it is 3 months later and still at about 1.040-1.045 SG.
>>
>> It sends up a few small bubbles every few seconds, but not enough to
>> see airlock activity. It was active in primary, but not vigorous. I
>> racked to secondary when I saw it was slowing, and the only reason I
>> racked was to prevent oxidation. It slowed down to the trickle since.
>> Actually it was trickle for a while now.
>>
>> Is it advisable to pitch some new yeast and add with nutrient or just
>> add nutrient to the mix?
>>
>> It is really my first stuck batch, and from what I've read, herb and
>> flower wines do tend to stick. So far what I've found would be to
>> just add nutrient, but I would like to hear from you experts first
>> before I ruin it.
>>
>> TIA,
>>
>> Greg, Erie, PA
>>
> You did not mention nutrient in the original recipe. Did you include it?
>Mint probably does not provide much.
>
>I would add nutrient, make up a vigorous starter and then add the starter
>according to Jack Keller's suggestions. i.e., by adding your wine to the
>starter where you double the volume of the starter with each addition until
>the whole batch is going.
>
>Ray
>

Ray,

I thought of this, and printed out what Jack has on his site, this was
my most likely choice if I hadn't heard from anybody.

How do you keep air from affecting the wine at this stage by
propogating the fermenting must into the finally largest volume? At
this point are we just banking on the yeast producing enough CO2?

And yes, I included general nutrient DAP, but next herb type wine will
double the amount.

Greg

> Ray,
>
> I thought of this, and printed out what Jack has on his site, this was
> my most likely choice if I hadn't heard from anybody.
>
> How do you keep air from affecting the wine at this stage by
> propogating the fermenting must into the finally largest volume? At
> this point are we just banking on the yeast producing enough CO2?
>
> And yes, I included general nutrient DAP, but next herb type wine will
> double the amount.
>
> Greg
>
>
I would add some more nutrient when trying to get it going again.

Also, you do not keep the air out during this phase. Air is necessary for
yeast to reproduce and you are trying to get them to reproduce quickly.
Yes, it is kind of harsh, but you are trying to save a batch that is not
working out right anyway. The whole procedure should not take more than 10
to 24 hours and the wine should survive that.

Ray

"Hoss" > wrote in message
...

> How do you keep air from affecting the wine at this stage by
> propogating the fermenting must into the finally largest volume? At
> this point are we just banking on the yeast producing enough CO2?
>

Some people look at me with horror when I tell them I will start 5-6 gallon
batches in my 10 gallon carboy. I have the large carboy under an airlock
from the get go which gives the must 4 gallons of air headspace for yeast
devlopement but after 24 hours it's already bubbling out the air lock once
every 6 seconds. I have never had an oxidation problem from starting in the
large vat and moving to a correct sized carboy after a week or more.

Last night I started a 3 gallon dry mead in a 3 gallon carboy but instead
of putting it under an airlock right away I have it fermenting with only
paper towel covering the top to keep dust and flies out. If the wine is
fermenting well and bubbling a lot there is small blanket of CO2 over the
surface. When the bubbling slows you have to add an O2 barrier.