Fermentation Duration?

[aamcle]

I'm a brewer thinking of making some wine, a member here kindly recommend Lemon, however I'm puzzled by the amount of time wine fermentation seems to take.
If I use an adequate quantity of healthy yeast I can cold ferment a lager in 14 days often less.
Wine seems to take weeks even at 20°C and as far as I know grape juice contains simple sugars.

I'd appreciate it someone would explain this as I don't understand why it should take so long. Would doubling up the yeast speed things along?

Please help the ignorant

Aamcle

 

[Yooper]

The wine ferments fast generally, although lemon is acidic and yeast don't like a highly acid environment to get started in. The reason for a length of time is more that wines have more alcohol, and can taste quite "hot" for a while, just like a 12% beer would. More alcohol = more time to mellow.

I usually have fruit wines ferment from 1.100 to .996 or so in 7-10 days. It takes longer then for them to clear, and for them to be drinkable.

 

[aamcle]

Thanks Yooper

 

[Homebrew Harry]

I'm a brewer thinking of making some wine, a member here kindly recommend Lemon, however I'm puzzled by the amount of time wine fermentation seems to take.
If I use an adequate quantity of healthy yeast I can cold ferment a lager in 14 days often less.
Wine seems to take weeks even at 20°C and as far as I know grape juice contains simple sugars.

I'd appreciate it someone would explain this as I don't understand why it should take so long. Would doubling up the yeast speed things along?

Please help the ignorant

Aamcle

Since you mentioned lemon I'll add that hard lemonade or whatever you want to call it clears a lot faster than other brews that I have made. Some recipes stagger the addition of lemon juice so it doesn't stall the fermentation. From my experience the lemon may take twice as long to ferment, but is clear when done and can be consumed right away. Like any other wine it will mello with time.

 

[aamcle]

 

[Jacob_Marley]

<nevermind>