Info on yeast nutreint and citric

[ade77]

Hi,
Looking for help, have been using ai for info, but always giving different figures thus don't trust it.
I'm making a clear must, no organic solids. Aim 12.9% wine, in 6 uk gallon barrels. Using youngs general purpose wine yeast, youngs yeast nutrient and citric acid. Starting with 5g nutrient per gallon and 5g citric per gallon, with 500g dextrose, another 500g added when tasting dry(no sg meter).

Questions I need answered:
1 - as using a clear must, no organic components, is 5g/gal of yeast nutrient enough, as I have experienced stuck fermintation, then added another 5g/ gal and more propagated yeast. Is it best to add another 5g with the 2nd dextrose addition, even if not stuck?

2- don't have a ph meter, so going on research, adding citric 5g/gal. Starting ph 7.3 with 650ppm bicarbonate, lidls still water. This should get ph to around4.8. Ai told me the citric is not buffering and is consumed by the yeast? Should I add another2.5g/gal with 2nd addition of dextrose? I want the ph to be high as practical dont won't to drink to acidic drinks hence me brewing. Any advice.

3- Also ai is saying brewing time is 3- 4 weeks yet my limited experience says it's longer, what is normal for a brew like mine?

FYI will be flavouring with Indian leaf tea, ginger and blackcurrant cordial at end, to make it 11%.
Any advice appreciated

 

[Plasticmetal]

A clarifying question: Given the lack of SG info, is the wine currently dry at fermentation stop or is there still residual sweetness?

For the sake of getting an answer out there, I'm going to assume there's residual sweetness. There are several very solid threads in this forum for how to restart a stuck fermentation - I would start by checking those out and re-assess from there. TL;DR, though, give it a shake and let it sit for a week, or if you're going to re-pitch, switch yeast to a known heavy-hitter. In the US the go-to would be EC-1118 - I've seen it described before as "Cannibal Warlord" "Clydesdale" and "Runaway Train" yeast. Something with that sort of reputation will restart a fermentation if there's anything to be done for it at all.

A note on tools such as hydrometers and pH meters: Buy them. If you're lucky you may able to save this batch, but dead-reckoning your way though pH additions, let alone gravity readings will cost you more money faster than you probably realise. Without a hydrometer and, in this case, a pH meter, you are effectively gambling with whatever quid you spent purchasing the ingredients. With these tools alone you would be able to verify:

• Is the fermentation actually stuck or just progressing very slowly?
• Is the pH too low for fermentation?
• Is there too much alcohol already present for the yeast to survive?

Lastly, a note on AI and brewing: AI is a recipe microwave. Just like in real life, a lot of times it leaves the centre of your metaphorical hot-pocket frozen solid and not at all ready. I occasionally use AI to generate a first-draft recipe or play with concepts, but I ALWAYS double check critical info such as ratios with known recipes available here and in brewers magazines. I recommend NEVER using AI to determine specific adjunct amounts such as nutrients or acid additions - Those need to be determined by the brewer, either via taste (if you've been doing it for a while), or (not to beat a dead horse), via measurement data and math. There is no way around that.

AI can get you a microwaved idea or recipe process, and I'll be the first to say that it does have value to home brewers, but I would place more stock in information I found on here, in a thread started in 2005 with 100 pages of replies. AI's never actually brewed, and wont have to pick up the broken glass when you bottle your wine too soon.

PS: For fermentation time, it'll be done when it's done. I've had some great batches take like 2 months to get through primary - Don't be scared of that.

Edit: for grammar

 

[DaveDiamond]

Hi,
Looking for help, have been using ai for info, but always giving different figures thus don't trust it.
I'm making a clear must, no organic solids. Aim 12.9% wine, in 6 uk gallon barrels. Using youngs general purpose wine yeast, youngs yeast nutrient and citric acid. Starting with 5g nutrient per gallon and 5g citric per gallon, with 500g dextrose, another 500g added when tasting dry(no sg meter).

Questions I need answered:
1 - as using a clear must, no organic components, is 5g/gal of yeast nutrient enough, as I have experienced stuck fermintation, then added another 5g/ gal and more propagated yeast. Is it best to add another 5g with the 2nd dextrose addition, even if not stuck?

2- don't have a ph meter, so going on research, adding citric 5g/gal. Starting ph 7.3 with 650ppm bicarbonate, lidls still water. This should get ph to around4.8. Ai told me the citric is not buffering and is consumed by the yeast? Should I add another2.5g/gal with 2nd addition of dextrose? I want the ph to be high as practical dont won't to drink to acidic drinks hence me brewing. Any advice.

3- Also ai is saying brewing time is 3- 4 weeks yet my limited experience says it's longer, what is normal for a brew like mine?

FYI will be flavouring with Indian leaf tea, ginger and blackcurrant cordial at end, to make it 11%.
Any advice appreciated

It sounds to me like you're making Kilju, or Hard Seltzer, perhaps using those terms might yield better search results. I've started doing much the same with mixed success, so I can't really help atm.
Please keep us informed of your progress, good luck!