kouphax

Recipes 

The wine I am currently brewing (pear) along with the yeast I am using is creating a huge amount of overflow. It's been sitting for nearly 24hrs now and since yesterday at about 8 o'clock it's been overflowing into the bubbler airlock and out.

My approach to this was to sterilise my other bubble airlock and quickly swap them around so that it doesn;t become block. I also spun the demijohn around left to right - right to left so that the pulp at the top settled. This didn;t last very long and I've repeated the lock changing process 4 times now (note i've also been away to work for the last 7 hours but the thing is sitting in a pretty safe place as to not cover anything if the overflow happens again. This mornings lock change presented a jet of pulp out of the demi-john!

I only have demi-johns and bubbler airlocks and it was filled with a good 3 inches from the neck of the bottle.

Is changing the airlock a safe idea provided everything is done swifty and sanatised well so not to introduce "bad" yeast and bacteria? Is there another approach to take?

Is it ok to lose that amount of pulp? I know the lost yeast will be replaced by the good yeast inside the demijohn but surely losing this pulp might affect taste?

What are the chances that this process (provided it settles down soon) will ruin the wine? Is it best to give up and start again now or will I see this through?

Now this was kind of an experiment. My juicer was on the fritz so I blended the pears (8 Rocha pears) and introduced that into the demijohn. Is this one of the factors causing such a violent ferment?

I have read that oxegen is good at the first stages of fermentation. Would it be safe to remove the bung and airlock and put a sanatised cloth/towel over the top and seal around the neck of the demijohn firmly with a strong elastic band.

I was planning on acquiring a cheesecloth bag and after 10 days or so transfering the wine from the primary into the secondary (including the must) but straining it through the cloth. Is this a good idea or should i just rack provided the must settles (sitting at the top now - due to Top Fermenting yeast?)?

Sorry to ask so many questions but thanks in advance.

James.

kouphax

Recipes 

For whats it's worth it stopped overflowing when I left for work it's settled down and bubbling like good un.

That said I would still be keen to know - my must is all sitting at the top - do I need to break the cap daily to prevent the fermentation sticking?

James

medic_35057

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I have two 1 gallon glass jugs with apricot working at this time. I used my juicer and poured the juice and pulp into the jugs. I must have had about 2 inches of pulp sitting on the bottom. After I added my yeast on jan. 11, I had major overflow out of both jugs. I just pulled the airlocks off and cleaned them and then put them back onto the jugs. I don't believe that you will have any problem with contamination by changing out the airlocks as needed. As far as using cheesecloth, it is way too porous to do any good in capturing the must since it is so fine. I would just be careful when racking into secondary. I made an asian pear wine that I bottled on dec. 27 and I am very pleased with the taste. Not too dry, not to sweet.

Caplan

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kouphax -

Loads of questions in your post!

Most of them can be avoided by getting a bigger primary! Plastic brew buckets really come into their own with added fruits. no 'bottle necks' to foam up and easy to clean afterwards. Either use an airlock on a bucket (if it has a grommet) or tie a cheesecloth on and put the plastic top on, and weight in down with a few cups etc to stop fruit flies.
After 5 days in primary transfer the must into glass through a cheesecloth/grain bag. Because the main ferment has gone on in primary you won't get mad 'through the airlock' activity. You'll have strained all the fruit pieces which you no longer need. (you'll get a little sediment but it will clear)

kouphax

Recipes 

Apologies for the volume of questions - eager to learn! I will be picking up a brew bucket in a couple of weeks I was just keen on getting started on a small brew. When is the best time to transfer from primary to secondary? My brew is bubbling away at about 1 bubble per second currently.

Thank you for all your help, very much appreciated.

James.

Yooper

Recipes 

Another one of your questions concerned stirring- yes, stir while it's in the primary to break up the "cap". I do my primary in a big bucket, lightly covered with a towel, so that air can get to it and I can stir.

You move to secondary when the fermentation slows down a bit and should be under airlock- around 1.020 or 1.010 and after about 5 days or so. That's about the longest you want the wine sitting on the fruit. When I use fruit, I use a big pulp bag and after 5 days, I remove the pulp bag, and rack off the lees into secondary. You can use cheesecloth if you don't have a pulp bag.

Lorena

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