I have tried to make a blueberry wine from blueberry syrup,
preservative free. The syrup comes from Croatia and was mixed at 5:1
with boiled water

Initial gravity was 1100 and I put it under an airlock when I pitched
the yeast [Lalvins D47]

It started working in about an hour with a bubble every 5 seconds.

However 2 days later it has slowed to a bubble a minute and SG is
still 1090.

I'm worried because I had the same problem with a blackcurrant juice
I tried to ferment, the blackcurrant stopped at 1040, and I couldn't
restart it. The temperature of the mix is 24° C [ 75°F]

Is there something obvious I'm doing wrong?

Thanks for any help

Charlie

Charlie wrote:
> I have tried to make a blueberry wine from blueberry syrup,
> preservative free. The syrup comes from Croatia and was mixed at 5:1
> with boiled water
>
>
> Charlie

Check out Jack Keller's site regarding blueberry wine.
http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/request108.asp He says its typical for
fermentation to slow if you don't add yeast nutrient and energizer.
Blueberries are just like that, he says. I used 3 lbs of blueberries
with other berries to start a batch of berry port recently. I made
sure to add nutrient and energizer, just in case.

isnt primary fermentation supposed to be open to the air ???????

http://www.minibite.com/america/malone.htm

>
> Check out Jack Keller's site regarding blueberry wine.
> http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/request108.asp He says its typical for
> fermentation to slow if you don't add yeast nutrient and energizer.
> Blueberries are just like that, he says. I used 3 lbs of blueberries
> with other berries to start a batch of berry port recently. I made
> sure to add nutrient and energizer, just in case.

Apparently, blueberries contain sorbate, so that would explain
fermentation problems. Last year I made blueberry port (some
elderberries) and even with K1 yeast and a yeast starter, I got only to
about 14% alcohol with sugar additions before the fermentation stopped
completely.

I should mention that I used a high berry:water ratio, about 7-8lbs of
berries per finished gallon., so that obviously worsened the ferment
conditions.

Pp

I am new to making wine, I am only on my 4th batch, and I thought that the
primary fermentation was open to air. you only put a cover over it to keep
stuff out. Am I under a misconception? All of my batches have done fine so
far, lots of bubbling and foam.
> wrote in message
...
> isnt primary fermentation supposed to be open to the air ???????
>
> http://www.minibite.com/america/malone.htm
>

On Tue, 11 Oct 2005 13:45:22 -0600, "Roy Boy" >
wrote:

>I am new to making wine, I am only on my 4th batch, and I thought that the
>primary fermentation was open to air. you only put a cover over it to keep
>stuff out. Am I under a misconception? All of my batches have done fine so
>far, lots of bubbling and foam.
> wrote in message
...
>> isnt primary fermentation supposed to be open to the air ???????
<snip>

I'm new to it too, but I understood the primary fermentation was when
you got the flavour and colour from the fruit.

I thought if you just used juice, as it had the colour and flavour
already, putting it straight into an airlock would be the way to go.

Charlie

Charlie wrote:

> I'm new to it too, but I understood the primary fermentation was when
> you got the flavour and colour from the fruit.
>
> I thought if you just used juice, as it had the colour and flavour
> already, putting it straight into an airlock would be the way to go.
>
> Charlie

That's true enough. The main reson to stir a primary is to punch down
a cap of fruit skins, and stir up settling pulp so it doesn't spoil
before the yeast get a chance to reach them. But some air is needed
early in the fermentation to let the yeast reproduce so they dominate
the must. I always make a starter, so my yeast is going strong. But,
stirring air in a few times early on is important as well -- the yeast
will grow, and produce other things besides straight ethanol when
exposed to air. That's what gives wine some of its character.