No activity in airlock.

[Coffee49]

Started an island mist sangria kit, after pitching 1118 yeast waited 48 hours no activity in airlock, I added yeast nutrient after 24hrs. still nothing, then added a packet of red star montrachet and after 4 hrs. it started up. Do I now have too much yeast in the primary and should I increase brix from original 21 to prevent overpowering yeast taste.

 

[MilesBFree]

My understanding is that the amount of yeast added doesn't make much of a difference since the yeast will stop multiplying when they have consumed all the sugar and/or the alcohol level exceeds what they can tolerate.

Then they die and sink to the bottom of the carboy (as they have been doing as individual ones live out their lives). Racking the wine off gets rid of them, in effect. Don't leave the wine sitting too long between rackings or it may pick up flavors from their poor dead little carcasses.

I personally am going away from using Montrachet - i find it can give a little bit of funky taste. The 1118 is good in general; it may have taken a bit longer to get going or maybe they gave you a dud package of it.

 

[Coffee49]

Appreciate the reply, I generally do not have any problem with kits firing up in 8 hrs. I started 2 kits back to back so I used 8 hrs. as a reference, the wine expert kit started as expected, but the island mist was dead in the water, 1118 is a good fruit and country wine yeast, I will watch the SG and rack off lees at 1.03.

 

[MilesBFree]

Good luck! I haven't tried making wine from a kit yet so not sure what is involved. Mostly I have made fruit wines, dandelion, rice wine, and a couple of meads.

 

[Coffee49]

I managed to get my dead sangria started. pitched some yeast nutrient and added more yeast, kits are suppose to be easy but I find that if your pouches are at 22C prior to start they are more reliable.