Can't kill fermentation

[jarheadjim]

Hey studs and studdetts,

New to the forum but not to wine making. I've just grown enough grapes, dark pink/light purple. Not sure what type but am told it makes a damned good white wine. I started the fermentation at 1.100. I squeezed the grapes at 1.020 and added campden at 1 tablet per gallon PLUS potassium sorbate at 1/2 tsp per gallon. I then set it in the fridge and re-racked every other day for a week. Looked like I finally won. Set it in the house and it's refermenting. Is there any super killer I can use? All of my other wine's fermentation dies right when I want it to using this method but this wine is different. Is there a certain yeast I should use that can be killed easily? I don't want to have to let it go it's course and then have to add sugar later cause that usually gives you a cheaper tasting wine. Any and all suggestions welcome.

Thanks,

Jim

 

[Xalwine]

Pasteurization? I dont know how it will affect your flavor... That or filtering.

 

[Yooper]

Stopping an active fermentation is like stopping a freight train.

Most winemakers allow the wine to ferment out, and THEN add the sulfites and sorbate to stabilize the wine before sweetening. The reason is because neither sulfites nor sorbate kill yeast- sorbate simply inhibits reproduction, and sorbate works better in the presence of sulfite. Since the yeast don't need to reproduce (there are a trillion of them in there!) to ferment, the sorbate will do nothing to stop an active fermentation.

I've never heard that sweetening after fermentation is finished causes a cheaper tasting wine. That's a new one to me! I'm not sure how that would be the case- sweetening is sweetening. A 12.5% wine, sweetened to 1.010, should taste the same.

Anyway, that's my two cents!

 

[jarheadjim]

Stopping an active fermentation is like stopping a freight train.

Most winemakers allow the wine to ferment out, and THEN add the sulfites and sorbate to stabilize the wine before sweetening. The reason is because neither sulfites nor sorbate kill yeast- sorbate simply inhibits reproduction, and sorbate works better in the presence of sulfite. Since the yeast don't need to reproduce (there are a trillion of them in there!) to ferment, the sorbate will do nothing to stop an active fermentation.

I've never heard that sweetening after fermentation is finished causes a cheaper tasting wine. That's a new one to me! I'm not sure how that would be the case- sweetening is sweetening. A 12.5% wine, sweetened to 1.010, should taste the same.

Anyway, that's my two cents!

Now that cleared up a bunch of questions! I'll have to try the sweetening afterwards and experimment. Thanks a bunch!

Jim

 

[jceglar]

I have a 1 mo old bottle of Peach/passion fruit wine that i opened last night. very carbonated and in regular bottles. totally unexpected since i hear that letting wine ferment totally then adding sulfites and sorbates to stabilize. must not have totally stopped the process. now i am not sure what to do. UV light? Hot water bath? or rebottle? I just opened a 6 mo old bottle of applewein that has been fermented out and backsweetened and now there is the smallest amounts of carbonation present. That stuff sat for 2 months in primary before adding sulfites & sorbates. im loosing my trust in both for stopping the fermentation process. any suggestions?

 

[jceglar]

by the way...the peach/passion fruit wine was back sweetened 2 days after i put in sorbates/sulfates.

 

[Yooper]

I have a 1 mo old bottle of Peach/passion fruit wine that i opened last night. very carbonated and in regular bottles. totally unexpected since i hear that letting wine ferment totally then adding sulfites and sorbates to stabilize. must not have totally stopped the process. now i am not sure what to do. UV light? Hot water bath? or rebottle? I just opened a 6 mo old bottle of applewein that has been fermented out and backsweetened and now there is the smallest amounts of carbonation present. That stuff sat for 2 months in primary before adding sulfites & sorbates. im loosing my trust in both for stopping the fermentation process. any suggestions?

Well, for the ones you have now I'd suggest uncapping and letting out the co2 before the bottles explode.

But for next time, plan on several rackings (to get rid of the spent yeast) and waiting until the wine is crystal clear and no longer dropping lees before stabilizing. Adding sorbate and sulfite when there are plenty of yeast in the wine won't do anything- as you've seen. Two months in primary just won't cut it. The yeast won't need to reproduce, as there are trillions of them in there.

 

[jceglar]

deleted..oops

 

[jceglar]

Well, for the ones you have now I'd suggest uncapping and letting out the co2 before the bottles explode.

But for next time, plan on several rackings (to get rid of the spent yeast) and waiting until the wine is crystal clear and no longer dropping lees before stabilizing. Adding sorbate and sulfite when there are plenty of yeast in the wine won't do anything- as you've seen. Two months in primary just won't cut it. The yeast won't need to reproduce, as there are trillions of them in there.

I hope i quote this correctly. new(er) to this. Thank you Yooper, i do apprecaite the advice, but won't i still have the same problem if i simply recap them 2-3 months later? the wine is still sweet and obviously fermenting. I was looking for a much longer term solution such as pasteurization with water bath or maybe even putting back into bottling bucket to ferment to dry and try it again??? any other suggestions other than the obvious of a drinking party? (now that doesnt sound too bad either)

 

[Yooper]

I hope i quote this correctly. new(er) to this. Thank you Yooper, i do apprecaite the advice, but won't i still have the same problem if i simply recap them 2-3 months later? the wine is still sweet and obviously fermenting. I was looking for a much longer term solution such as pasteurization with water bath or maybe even putting back into bottling bucket to ferment to dry and try it again??? any other suggestions other than the obvious of a drinking party? (now that doesnt sound too bad either)

Once it ferments out, and there isn't any more sugar for the yeast, then fermentation will stop. You can do that in a carboy if you want- I wouldn't do it in a bucket unless you like oxidized wine. Pouring out the wine will oxidize it, and having a wide headspace will make it even worse.

But you can pasteurize if you want to. Just be careful because heating up overcarbonated beverages comes with its own set of risks!

I meant for now to release the pressure by taking off the caps and recapping right away. I'd check an SG and see what it is, and maybe it's possible that it's nearly done and you can recap right away. I would NOT leave them upcapped for months! Maybe a day at most.

 

[jceglar]

Thank you again Yooper. i will take your advice and recap. hopefully there will be a little carbo left in the bottles after recapping. kinda like that. anyhow, if not, i will just have to drink them rather quickly.
thanks again for the advice. love this forum!