OK - Newbie mistake, how do I fix it
 

Guys,

I'm trying my first "Vintners Reserve" French Cab kit wine - Did good
on the sanitization, did good on the mixing. Fermentation never
really took off good, had tiny bubbles on one day for what should be a
5 day ferment. I think the Red Star Cuvee yeast that came with the
kit was probably old and that I probably should have not used it....
If this is the case, how can I restart this ferment the proper way....

More Yeast. But first, what is the current SG. Make sure it really is not
finished. If the SG really is high, then try pitching it again. You might
want to make a starter and added per Jack Keller's instructions for
restarting a stuck ferment. Simply, these are to start your starter. Then
when it is going good, and an equal volume of your must. When this is doing
good, double the volume again by adding more must. When this is going
good, do it again. Soon you have the whole thing going. But read the
instructions on his site for details. His home page is
http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/

Ray

"DonCarlosDeTejas" > wrote in message
...
> Guys,
>
> I'm trying my first "Vintners Reserve" French Cab kit wine - Did good
> on the sanitization, did good on the mixing. Fermentation never
> really took off good, had tiny bubbles on one day for what should be a
> 5 day ferment. I think the Red Star Cuvee yeast that came with the
> kit was probably old and that I probably should have not used it....
> If this is the case, how can I restart this ferment the proper way....
>
>

Was your fermentation lock firmly seated in the aperture. Many beginners get
that "not quite right. As Ray says check the SG. If is it low then ur lock
was at fault. If it is high then prob your yeast --- but that is VERY
rare!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! -- it is normally going to be something you did
wrong.

In the last resort read the instructions CAREFULLY and then read them
again.You will realise that 10's of thousands of wine kits have been, and
are, made successfully! You don't mention the time frame in which you are
working -- is it minutes, hours or days?

The usual reason in a rare failure is in your hands. Read -- I don't mean
just glance -- read and follow and have the piece of paper with instructions
to hand -- or pinned up at eye level. And then read them again. In 30 +
years of winemaking I have NEVER had an occasion when fermentation has not
gone well! --- other things have gone wrong but my wines have always got
under way!



--
Trevor A Panther
In South Yorkshire, England
Remove "PSANTISPAM" from my address line to reply.
All outgoing mail is scanned by Norton
Anti Virus for your protection too!

><snip><snip>
>

How long did you wait for the fermentation to take off??? It might take
2 or 3 days if the juice is cool. If the juice is warm and the Premier
Cuvee is good it should go. Maybe it'll be fermenting tommorrow
morning. Premier cuvee doesn't foam and if your untrained at what to
look for may have finished without you noticing it. BTW, if the juice
is warm and the Premier Cuvee is good , you shouldn't have to do
anything special to get it started. Just throw it in there.

Bob

DonCarlosDeTejas wrote:
> Guys,
>
> I'm trying my first "Vintners Reserve" French Cab kit wine - Did good
> on the sanitization, did good on the mixing. Fermentation never
> really took off good, had tiny bubbles on one day for what should be
a
> 5 day ferment. I think the Red Star Cuvee yeast that came with the
> kit was probably old and that I probably should have not used it....
> If this is the case, how can I restart this ferment the proper
way....

Looks like it was the lid on this plastic primary - when I went to
check the SG I noticed that there was a "dome" to the lid, but no
bubbles coming out of the airlock and I could smell the wine pretty
good. I pushed on the lid with my index finger slightly and bubbles
poured out of the airlock, so I'm thinkin' the lid was leaking around
the edge somewhere.... I've got it racked into a secondary now and it
smells great - the SG was down to 1.01....

Get to add the isenglass in a week.

Thanks for the help guys!

Looks like it was the lid on this plastic primary - when I went to
check the SG I noticed that there was a "dome" to the lid, but no
bubbles coming out of the airlock and I could smell the wine pretty
good. I pushed on the lid with my index finger slightly and bubbles
poured out of the airlock, so I'm thinkin' the lid was leaking around
the edge somewhere.... I've got it racked into a secondary now and it
smells great - the SG was down to 1.01....

Get to add the isenglass in a week.

Thanks for the help guys!