Fiascos in Home Wine Making

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Cheesefood

Cheesefood

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Why the hell is that damn bag with the cap on it so friggin hard to open? When I finally popped the top off - BOOOOSHGE!!! All over the wall and staircase. Good thing it was just the steps to our unfinished basement.

It's been a busy day. Didn't brew, but I racked my cream ale (which is going to taste awesome) and got two corny's cleaned out and ready to fill. I think my blueberry melomel might go in one, unless I just decide to bottle it instead of letting it sit in a secondary.
 
I almost had the same problem with mine. You think someone would figure out that you have to pull so hard on the cap that when it does let go it's liable to go everywhere.
 
Its a Gimmick to sell you the special tool to take the cap off without sending it everywhere..

SpamDog

PS Cheese I can't wait to try your Cream Ale when I beat you in the HBT Belly Off!!
 
I just used a large channel-lock pliers, came off easy. We don't need no stinkin' special tools!
 
The temps got up to 80 in my house on Sunday b/c my AC is on the fritz. It's only one day, shouldn't injur fermentation too badly, right?
 
Cool. It's not like the wine hit 80 (I think), it's that the temp in the main level did. The wine is in the basement stairwell, and the basement stays a nice <70.
 
I have a fiasco winemaking question, maybe one of you can help. I did a kit wine, sauv blanc. It finished its primary and has been in carboy for about 2 weeks now. Instructions say that after about 10 days if the SG is below 0.996 and holds steady for two days, it is time to add the fining agent (isinglass) and the potassium sorbate, and to degass the wine. I would rather not take an SG reading two times, I figure the less I handle the wine the less chance for infection, etc. I still see a small bubble gassing out of the airlock about every 20-30 seconds. I'm thinking I might wait until the gassing has stopped altogether, then just take one SG reading. Am I making a mistake? By letting it continue to ferment (I assume it is since it is still bubbling out of the airlock) am I going to end up having a wine that is too dry for its style? Advice here would be a huge help, this is my first batch of wine.
 
That continues for a few weeks. Smell subsided a little since going into carboy but the bubbling continues...
 
LouT said:
I have a fiasco winemaking question, maybe one of you can help. I did a kit wine, sauv blanc. It finished its primary and has been in carboy for about 2 weeks now. Instructions say that after about 10 days if the SG is below 0.996 and holds steady for two days, it is time to add the fining agent (isinglass) and the potassium sorbate, and to degass the wine. I would rather not take an SG reading two times, I figure the less I handle the wine the less chance for infection, etc. I still see a small bubble gassing out of the airlock about every 20-30 seconds. I'm thinking I might wait until the gassing has stopped altogether, then just take one SG reading. Am I making a mistake? By letting it continue to ferment (I assume it is since it is still bubbling out of the airlock) am I going to end up having a wine that is too dry for its style? Advice here would be a huge help, this is my first batch of wine.
Click to expand...

You should follow the instructions of the kit. They are designed to have you use the finings, etc. at a certain time. You won't hurt the wine by taking the s.g. two times- just sanitize the wine thief and do it! Besides, the wine is about 13% alcohol at this point- you aren't going to hurt it as long as you close it up and airlock it again right away. It won't be too dry for its style regardless- it'll ferment to dry and then stop.
 
LouT said:
I have a fiasco winemaking question, maybe one of you can help. I did a kit wine, sauv blanc. It finished its primary and has been in carboy for about 2 weeks now. Instructions say that after about 10 days if the SG is below 0.996 and holds steady for two days, it is time to add the fining agent (isinglass) and the potassium sorbate, and to degass the wine. I would rather not take an SG reading two times, I figure the less I handle the wine the less chance for infection, etc. I still see a small bubble gassing out of the airlock about every 20-30 seconds. I'm thinking I might wait until the gassing has stopped altogether, then just take one SG reading. Am I making a mistake? By letting it continue to ferment (I assume it is since it is still bubbling out of the airlock) am I going to end up having a wine that is too dry for its style? Advice here would be a huge help, this is my first batch of wine.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't worry about it. Take your readings like Y C said. At aprox 13% the alcohol will disinfect any slight bug that may contact your wine. The beauty of wine making is that you can always sweeten your wine after the fermentation has finnished.
 
This is a white wine, I think it will be about 9% ABV, but I will heed your advice nonetheless, thanks!
I guess the degassing is going to be a bugger, glad i bought one of those degassing whips, hopefully it works well.
 

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