I've got my first batch of Skeeter Pee going. Been 9 days and specific gravity was down to 1.026, so I decided to go ahead and rack from bucket to carboys under airlocks. Problem is I added campden tablets, thinking I was racking after fermentation was complete. Really mad at myself for making this mistake. Do you think I killed the yeast and it won't ferment until dry now? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!
Did I mess up my Skeeter Pee ?
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Texconsinite
Well-Known Member
Wait a few days and see if airlock is bubbling.
If not, you can try just adding some yeast nutrients+energizer and a packet of EC1118 and it will probably start back up again.
If not, you can try just adding some yeast nutrients+energizer and a packet of EC1118 and it will probably start back up again.
bernardsmith
Well-Known Member
sorry, Texconsinite, but I disagree. If the fermentation has stalled the last thing you want to do is pitch another batch of yeast - even a killer yeast like EC1118 - into the stalled wine. You need to turn the process on its head and create a "starter" with the fresh batch of yeast (say , 1 cup of water with a tablespoon of sugar dissolved, or a cup of sorbate free apple juice) and then when you know that the yeast is actively fermenting the sugar add 1 cup of the wine (in this case the pee) from the stalled batch. If - and when these two cups are actively fermenting then you pitch 2 cups from the problem batch and you repeat this process - doubling the volume in the starter until you have transferred every last drop from the problem fermenter into the starter. This can take all day to complete. What you are avoiding is drowning the new batch of yeast in the same problem as the first batch...
Texconsinite
Well-Known Member
Yeah, that’s probably a better idea
mirthfuldragon
Well-Known Member
I believe campden dissipates over time, which is why we use it to sanitize must prior to pitching wine yeast. How much campden did you add?
I screwed up my first batch of skeeter pee as well; the nice thing about it is that it is so cheap, dumping a batch and starting over isn't a big deal.
I screwed up my first batch of skeeter pee as well; the nice thing about it is that it is so cheap, dumping a batch and starting over isn't a big deal.
jgmillr1
Well-Known Member
Before we call this a stuck fermentation, let's get some more info and give it some more time. The original yeast strain and fermentation temperature were never mentioned. A fermentation of 9 days isn't that long. (I've had some that drag on for a month because I've kept the wine chilled under 70'F and I used D47). See this UC Davis article for reference on fermentation curves and factors:
http://wineserver.ucdavis.edu/indus...on_management/wine/problem_fermentations.html
The campden tablets probably aren't doing the yeast any favors but commercial yeast strains are quite tolerant. And by racking the wine at that point probably provided a little oxygen to the yeast and actually may help the fermentation complete.
So I suggest letting the fermentation proceed on its on for the next 2 weeks. If the SG hasn't dropped then @benardsmith has a good procedure for restarting a stuck fermentation. But then again, you may be happy with the residual sugar after all.
http://wineserver.ucdavis.edu/indus...on_management/wine/problem_fermentations.html
The campden tablets probably aren't doing the yeast any favors but commercial yeast strains are quite tolerant. And by racking the wine at that point probably provided a little oxygen to the yeast and actually may help the fermentation complete.
So I suggest letting the fermentation proceed on its on for the next 2 weeks. If the SG hasn't dropped then @benardsmith has a good procedure for restarting a stuck fermentation. But then again, you may be happy with the residual sugar after all.
bernardsmith
Well-Known Member
But the thing isn't whether the SO2 produced by the Campden tabs may very well dissipate over time. The problem is that the sulfur dioxide will disappear AFTER it has done any damage to the yeast colony, much like that Alfred Hitchcock TV story of the woman who used a frozen leg of mutton to bludgeon her husband (I think it was) and then invited the detective investigating the murder to a meal of ...mutton...
The question is then a) whether the Campden can do enough damage to the yeast to create a problem and b) whether that problem can be repaired easily.
Thanks for the awesome advice guys! Yeast I used was EC-1118 and fermentation temp was 76 deg. I briskly stirred the must several times daily with a wisk, so I know yeast had plenty oxygen throughout the 9 days it was fermenting. Took the advice of bernardsmith and put the must back into the primary bucket today and agitated it many times today with the drill and a mixing wand to try to help with the removal of the K-meta (sulfur dioxide) that I accidentally added. Then I made a yeast starter and then slowly added the must to it to allow yeast to adapt. SG was at 1.020 and will monitor. Hopefully it'll be ok, but if not, don't have a lot of expense in it and will start a new batch. Thanks again......You all are great!
