Wine making fiasco today

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menerdari

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Hi all,
Was working on my WE Chocolate raspberry desert wine today and things got touchy.
The wine started 6 days ago at 1.128 SG the instructions say to chapitalize the wine with the supplied 350 gram dextrose package included when the wine gets below 1.020 , it was at 1.015 this morning. The included package was actually 400 grams (must have changed the recipe?) it says to dissolve the sugar in hot water in a heat proof container. 4 cup "pyrex" should do, I microwave the water to get hot and add the sugar, not dissolving so i put it on the stove and work it a but, so far so good, now I need to cool it a bit before adding to my wine, I put it in the sink with cold water and proceed to clean up. all of a sudden I hear a loud "tink" the measuring cup shattered, after a bit of esearch I find it was not "pyrex" like my wife claimed after all.
Now what to do? I have a bag of dextrose left over from another project so I throw it on the scale, 406 grams, minus 13 grams for the quart ziplock= 393 grams, close enough, this time I mix in a small saucepan on the stove, sugar dissolved nice and clear, put it in the sink to cool, claen up a bit and notice the clock, I have to leave for work in 15 minutes and still have to pack lunch.
I can't wait for the sugar to cool any more, I add it to the wine as is (hope the volume cools it enough that it doesn't hurt the yeast.
Do a gravity check, now 1.028, the kit says chapitalization should raise it 10 to 15 points, it raised 13 so that part is right, hopefully I will see some fermentation activity when I get home tonight, fingers crossed.
 
So do you know what the final temp was when you added it? I suppose even if it was hot the volume would prevent a complete die off
 
The temp strip was at 85 deg. it was fermenting near 80 when I started. it should be cooled to mid 70s hopefully by the time I get home.If the ferment doesn't continue I can make a starter and repitch or even harvest the cake from a batch of pink moscato I will be bottling in a couple of days
I have high hopes I can salvage this batch.
 
So far it looks like the yeast is not happy, I got a starter going in case I need it.
I meant to add some energizer but forgot (dagnabit) and am at work till midnight. Have to remember to add some when I get home.
Ahh the perils and pitfalls of home brewing and wine making.
 
The temperature of the must would have to be raised above 140 F to kill the yeast. You did not add enough sugar that you will see much if any activity.

IMO there is nothing troubling here.
 
The temperature of the must would have to be raised above 140 F to kill the yeast. You did not add enough sugar that you will see much if any activity.

IMO there is nothing troubling here.

Thanks, that helps calm me a bit. The proof will be in the readings in about 4 or 5 days, my FG target is 1.008 but I will settle for a bit higher if that is what happens.
 
I started another batch of wine with the intent of transferring this batch over to the yeast cake left by the new batch. WE Island mist Strawberry White Merlot.
But guess what happened, the yeast in the Chocolate Raspberry decided to wake up and do its job.
I am suppose to rack to secondary in 5-7 days @ less than 1.018 SG. today is day 5 and it is exactly 1.018, I will wait till Wednesday and it should be ready.
Now the dilemma. I made another batch of wine for no reason at all. what will I do with it? :D
 
Unless this was a small batch, which would not be chaptalized with that much sugar, you're fine. Even if the water were very hot, it would have a minimal impact on the total volume. When I am adding sugar to a beer in primary (a Quad, for example) I don't cool it to 85, it will cool practically instantly when poured into the beer. If anything, the sugar will excite the yeast a bit, they love sugar.

Relax, don't worry, have a homemade wine. Oh, yeah, my Zin is probably ready to drink, maybe I'll pop one open later!
 
Unless this was a small batch, which would not be chaptalized with that much sugar, you're fine. Even if the water were very hot, it would have a minimal impact on the total volume. When I am adding sugar to a beer in primary (a Quad, for example) I don't cool it to 85, it will cool practically instantly when poured into the beer. If anything, the sugar will excite the yeast a bit, they love sugar.

Relax, don't worry, have a homemade wine. Oh, yeah, my Zin is probably ready to drink, maybe I'll pop one open later!

Thanks,
It was 3 gallons. It finished out to where it was suppose to and is now in secondary. Turned out to be a non issue.
 
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