So heres the story been brewing wine kits for about a year and wanted to start brewing my own. So I just went out and bought 2 gal of welshs grape juice and 1 pint of peach puree added to a primary with 2 cups of sugar and 3 gal of water sg 1.040 and champagne yeast from red star also 4 tbs of benonite, put the lid on and air locked it. 10 days later I transfered it to the carboy bunged it with an air lock like you do with the kits. Well that night the bung was blown off the carboy sg is still 1.020 so ive been reading these forums today and yesterday and I realize that benonite was wrong and also that my sg starting was to low but I have no idea how to fix it any ideas? Also why is my wine still fermenting so much?
some help please?
- Thread starter Jdix
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
saramc
Well-Known Member
Actually at ten days using a Champagne yeast with a starting SG of 1.040 you should be dry, BUT I suspect the amount of dilution has created a nutrient deficiency, and a pH that is slightly out of whack. I would not worry about the bentonite at this point, it will rack away. What temp are you fermenting at?
You are what, two weeks in? You could recover by taking current SG, pouring off one gallon into another container and then add at least SIX, up to NINE-TWELVE, 11.5 ounce containers of 100% juice concentrate--the frozen stuff, thawed of course. Then top up with what you poured into the one gallon container. Document new SG. Consider introducing yeast nutrient. Ferment in primary bucket, no airlock, stir twice a day, and when your new SG has dropped by 2/3, or at Day 10 (whichever comes first) you transfer to carboy and attach airlock. Check it in a month.
If this is the white grape juice you could use white grape concentrate or white grape peach. That will likely turn it into a very nice wine, but act soon.
Here is a thread on a sparkling white grape peach, though this recipe makes an outstanding still wine..but this will provide some oversight.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f25/sparkling-peach-white-wine-great-recipe-139225/
You are what, two weeks in? You could recover by taking current SG, pouring off one gallon into another container and then add at least SIX, up to NINE-TWELVE, 11.5 ounce containers of 100% juice concentrate--the frozen stuff, thawed of course. Then top up with what you poured into the one gallon container. Document new SG. Consider introducing yeast nutrient. Ferment in primary bucket, no airlock, stir twice a day, and when your new SG has dropped by 2/3, or at Day 10 (whichever comes first) you transfer to carboy and attach airlock. Check it in a month.
If this is the white grape juice you could use white grape concentrate or white grape peach. That will likely turn it into a very nice wine, but act soon.
Here is a thread on a sparkling white grape peach, though this recipe makes an outstanding still wine..but this will provide some oversight.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f25/sparkling-peach-white-wine-great-recipe-139225/
saramc
Well-Known Member
Amount of nutrient depends on brand, read label. Additional sugar will likely be unnecessary if you use six can concentrate BUT use your hydrometer. The frozen 100% concentrate will contribute a good source of fermentable. I would recommend a new SG that is at least 0.050 higher than whatever it is once you start fixing it. This is why you want to document the SG before you start modifying it and what the new one is--you can calculate your new actual OG, essentially what we do when we chaptilize or step feed the sugar in order to not stress the yeast. Common in port making, or high alcohol ferments. You are fine to start fixing this, you should have a good yeast colony available. Do you have an extra pkg of yeast, just in case? A good habit to get into.
