First wine brew and no big fermentation?!?

Spawn2qc · Jan 1, 2014

Hi!
I brew beer for the last 2 years and decide to make a wine kit for the first time. I choosed the italian sangiovese of the RJS craft winemaking. OG was around 1.090 and the kit instruction told that the SG should be around 1.020 after 6 to 8 days. I started it the 29 december (3 days ago). I saw bubbles on the top the first night but not a lot, maybe 10ish. I looked at the SG today and it's only 1.080 and no significant fermentation indication... I begin to worry about that... even after a homebrew or 2. Should I buy an other yeast pack and yeast nutrient at the homebrew store? Or let it sit for more days?

Thanks a lot!
Really appreciate the brewing community

Spawn2qc · Jan 1, 2014

here is the link of the wine kit I followed the first day instruction by the book with clean water I bought at the grocery http://www.rjscraftwinemaking.com/p...roductTitle&maxRows=10&searchText=sangiovese&

daugenet · Jan 2, 2014

I wouldn't worry too much just yet. What temp are you fermenting at? I would say that almost all wine yeasts will make very little head while fermenting but it looks like you are on the right path with taking a gravity reading.

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pumpkinman2012 · Jan 2, 2014

Wine ferments differently than beer in the sense that you really won't see a foamy krausen on top most times, some must ferment very slow and delicately.
Which yeast was included, EC-1118? If so, this yeast can ferment a brick, it is a work horse yeast, that is why it is included in so many kits, did you check the expiration date on the yeast packet? Dead yeast will not ferment.
Daugenet had a really good question, what temp are you fermenting at?
Check the gravity every few days, it will be the true indication of whether your wine is fermenting or not.

Spawn2qc · Jan 2, 2014

I looked the SG today and it's 1.070. Looks like the fermentation is just slow. I can see big bubbles not like beer krausen but I can see fermentation indication. Thanks a lot for your answer. I don't know the kind of yeast I used, I drop the bag in the garbage... All I see is beer yeast bag hehe.. So, I will contact the RJS to know it. I don't think the yeast package was out of date. Anyway, I can see something is happening with the hydrometer. It swell more wine (alcool) today than grape juice. The room's temperature is around 21ºC ( 69.8ºF). I will try to follow the patience way, it's a different world than beer. Thanks everyone!

Spawn2qc · Jan 2, 2014

I stirred the future wine like they told in the kit instruction to shake the grape skin and by the same way introduce oxygen to help the lovely yeast

Spawn2qc · Jan 5, 2014

I hit the SG of 1.020 today, as the instruction told I racked it in my carboy. Wine is very different then beer. There is no big layer of yeast in the buttom of the primary bucket. I got the answer for the yeast today, it's the EC118 Champagne Yeast. The instruction told to leave the wine in the carboy for 12-14 days. The LHBS guy told me to leave it in the carboy for 3 weeks instead of 12-14 days then stabilize and clear. What do yo think about that?