Kit gone all wrong?

[Níl_fhios_agam]

I just went to move my first ever kit from its second carboy to its third to then start degassing and fining. The kit said to not start until SG was around .996. I have no wine thief so I have been moving and then testing. I just moved to another carboy and tested, the SG is 1.010. That is exactly the same as it was in Day 8 when I moved it from primary. Once moved into secondary there was a lot of bubbling for a couple of weeks so I am surprised the SG has not moved at all in 14 days.

Does anyone know what might have happened and if I can continue? Is my batch ruined?

 

[Bytor1100]

It's possible that you moved it from the primary to early. The bubbling that you saw from the secondary was probably just the Co2 degassing after being agitating from racking it. It's best to make sure the gravity is correct before you move it to the secondary, because you are separating it from the majority of the yeast.

 

[Níl_fhios_agam]

It's possible that you moved it from the primary to early. The bubbling that you saw from the secondary was probably just the Co2 degassing after being agitating from racking it. It's best to make sure the gravity is correct before you move it to the secondary, because you are separating it from the majority of the yeast.

So is this just good for the garbage? Or do you know if it can be saved?

 

[BigKahuna]

We've been over this.

DO NOT....EVER...DUMP A BATCH UNTIL IT'S BOTTLED, AGED, AND STILL MAKES YOU WANT TO LICK AN ASHTRAY JUST TO GET THE TASTE OUT OF YOUR MOUTH.
This will be a sweet wine. sweeter than you'd thought.

ruined...NOT LIKELY!

Report back in 3 months when it's been bottled for a while and you'll say..."I am SO GLAD I DIDN'T DUMP THIS!"

 

[Yooper]

So is this just good for the garbage? Or do you know if it can be saved?

Do you have another package of yeast? Or are you close by to a brewstore where you can get some more yeast? You need to add a package of the same kind of yeast that you used originally- or at least, one close in type. What kind did you use originally, and what kind of kit is it?

 

[Yooper]

PS- a sanitized turkey baster makes a dandy wine thief- that's what I use and always have.

 

[Níl_fhios_agam]

We've been over this.

DO NOT....EVER...DUMP A BATCH UNTIL IT'S BOTTLED, AGED, AND STILL MAKES YOU WANT TO LICK AN ASHTRAY JUST TO GET THE TASTE OUT OF YOUR MOUTH.
This will be a sweet wine. sweeter than you'd thought.

ruined...NOT LIKELY!

Report back in 3 months when it's been bottled for a while and you'll say..."I am SO GLAD I DIDN'T DUMP THIS!"

Excellent.....to be honest.... I would have drank it anyway....Irish college days means its burned into my mind that nothing with potential alcohol can be dumped...I think there is a formula somewhere!
So, I will continue with the degassing and bottle her up.....and I may be back in 3 months to declare "I am so glad I didn't ........"

 

[Yooper]

NO- don't degas and bottle! It will explode the bottles and/or corks if you bottle at 1.010.

 

[Níl_fhios_agam]

Do you have another package of yeast? Or are you close by to a brewstore where you can get some more yeast? You need to add a package of the same kind of yeast that you used originally- or at least, one close in type. What kind did you use originally, and what kind of kit is it?

I do have yeast....not sure if its the same as was put in there. Its a California Connoisseur Pinot Grigio kit. I bought yeast separately to try some recipes, is there much point getting it in there now?

 

[Yooper]

I do have yeast....not sure if its the same as was put in there. Its a California Connoisseur Pinot Grigio kit. I bought yeast separately to try some recipes, is there much point getting it in there now?

Yes, if you put a package of yeast in there, it will ferment to .992-.996 and then you can proceed.

If you don't, the wine will probably remain "stuck" for quite a while and finish fermenting later on, like after its bottled, and the bottles will explode.

 

[Níl_fhios_agam]

Yes, if you put a package of yeast in there, it will ferment to .992-.996 and then you can proceed.

If you don't, the wine will probably remain "stuck" for quite a while and finish fermenting later on, like after its bottled, and the bottles will explode.

Just checked...I have "All Purpose White Wine Yeast" will that do?

 

[Yooper]

Yes, if that's all you have, that will have to do. What brand is it? maybe I can look it up and make sure it'll be ok. What was the OG?

 

[Níl_fhios_agam]

Yes, if that's all you have, that will have to do. What brand is it? maybe I can look it up and make sure it'll be ok. What was the OG?

The brand was Vineco California Connoisseur. The OG was 1.076. Thanks.

 

[Yooper]

The brand was Vineco California Connoisseur. The OG was 1.076. Thanks.

What brand is the white wine yeast you have available?

 

[Níl_fhios_agam]

What brand is the white wine yeast you have available?

Oh sorry....Its Youngs.

 

[Yooper]

Well, I've never heard of it but I looked it up and I would guess it would be fine for a relative low ABV ferment. Your wine is about 8.5% ABV right now, and sometimes some yeasts don't like to get to work in an environment that has an alcohol environment to start with. Still, it should be ok, and I'd go ahead and sprinkle it it and let it sit for a week or so before checking the SG again.

 

[Níl_fhios_agam]

Well, I've never heard of it but I looked it up and I would guess it would be fine for a relative low ABV ferment. Your wine is about 8.5% ABV right now, and sometimes some yeasts don't like to get to work in an environment that has an alcohol environment to start with. Still, it should be ok, and I'd go ahead and sprinkle it it and let it sit for a week or so before checking the SG again.

Great... I'll get it in there now and take another reading next week.

Thanks.

 

[Yooper]

Hey- i just had a thought about the degassing procedure. Did you ever add any additional packages of anything? Some kits have extra additional things marked #2, #3, etc. If you added anything with the word "sorbate" in it, it will not ferment further.

 

[Níl_fhios_agam]

No, I never made it to Sorbate, it was next on my list. I have just added the yeast and literally within 30 seconds the air bubbler started going nuts....is that a good thing or a bad thing?

 

[Yooper]

No, I never made it to Sorbate, it was next on my list. I have just added the yeast and literally within 30 seconds the air bubbler started going nuts....is that a good thing or a bad thing?

Probably neither good nor bad- adding things sometimes causes nucleation points, and/or the co2 to bubble out of solution. Since you haven't yet degassed (last step), there is a ton of co2 gas in there. Moving the carboy also should make it bubble, since you'd be disrupting the liquid.

 

[Níl_fhios_agam]

Right. There is a good chance that I am the idiot of the year. I got myself a turkey baster today to enable myself to take a sample easier. To try it, I sterilised it and took a reading. .0998 - WTF???

This got me thinking one of two things has happened. One, the yeast I put in, less than 24 hours ago has gotten down from 1.010 to 0.998 - unlikely. Or two, I took the reading incorrectly. Heres when it hit me. Because I didn't have baster I had to syphon to another carboy first, I then tipped the remaining brew, sediment and all, into a trial jar and took a reading. It is occurring to me now that the sediment may skew the SG reading, could this be the case? And if so, what will become of the fresh yeast I added last night, will this just die with nothing to do and be left there when I syphon in a couple of days, or will this wreck the taste and outcome of the brew.

 

[Níl_fhios_agam]

Bump.

Anyone have any opinions on this? My wine is in limbo at the moment and I am not sure what to so. Any help you be MOST appreciated!!

 

[Yooper]

Well, it's ok. don't worry so much! Now you know that you shouldn't ever, ever, tip the carboy to take a sample. You'll resuspend the yeast and sediment, as well as aerate the wine. So, don't do that any more.
Edit- sorry, I reread that and realized you only tipped to get the end of the lees as a sample. Still, use a wine thief or turkey baster next time!

So, let it sit a few more days so all the old yeast and sediment can settle, and the new yeast will also settle and not cause a problem. It is entirely possible that the new yeast did "clean" up all the remaining sugars- to go from 1.010 to .998 isn't a very big jump at all.

Wait until you're at .996 or whatever your kit recommends, and then carry on with the steps where you left off. It'll be fine!

 

[Níl_fhios_agam]

Well, it's ok. don't worry so much! Now you know that you shouldn't ever, ever, tip the carboy to take a sample. You'll resuspend the yeast and sediment, as well as aerate the wine. So, don't do that any more.
Edit- sorry, I reread that and realized you only tipped to get the end of the lees as a sample. Still, use a wine thief or turkey baster next time!

So, let it sit a few more days so all the old yeast and sediment can settle, and the new yeast will also settle and not cause a problem. It is entirely possible that the new yeast did "clean" up all the remaining sugars- to go from 1.010 to .998 isn't a very big jump at all.

Wait until you're at .996 or whatever your kit recommends, and then carry on with the steps where you left off. It'll be fine!

Great stuff.....thanks very much for getting back to me, I was worried there for a while. I am taking notes throughout this whole process so none of this will be repeated.
Thanks again.