Initiation of MLF

[Birhanen]

I do not have easy access to MLB strains where I live. And I am considering to add 10% of wine (which has gone through mlf) from the shelf in my local store. Any thought on the possibility to initiate mlf by this method?

 

[lumpher]

The wine at the store has very likely gone through filtering and pasteurization, or some form of stabilization. Are you making red or white wine? If you're making red wine, you can try a different way. MLB is naturally on grape skins. However, so is other bacteria. What you can try is to make a full batch of wine, and make a smaller batch also. Ferment both batches normally, but do not stabilize the smaller batch. MLB will usually take over when the temp is around 70F and FG is around .998. Let that go and see how it tastes. once done. If it's good, then add it to the full batch which should also be ready for MLF. Another option if it's red is to just let it go. Sometimes MLF kicks in naturally around .998, sometimes it doesn't, but higher chance for red than white. A third option is to just throw some grape skins into the must when it's around that gravity and hope MLB kicks in, but you're taking the risk of any wild yeast kicking in at that point.

 

[SteveH aka shetc]

Had to read that title twice

 

[Birhanen]

The wine at the store has very likely gone through filtering and pasteurization, or some form of stabilization. Are you making red or white wine? If you're making red wine, you can try a different way. MLB is naturally on grape skins. However, so is other bacteria. What you can try is to make a full batch of wine, and make a smaller batch also. Ferment both batches normally, but do not stabilize the smaller batch. MLB will usually take over when the temp is around 70F and FG is around .998. Let that go and see how it tastes. once done. If it's good, then add it to the full batch which should also be ready for MLF. Another option if it's red is to just let it go. Sometimes MLF kicks in naturally around .998, sometimes it doesn't, but higher chance for red than white. A third option is to just throw some grape skins into the must when it's around that gravity and hope MLB kicks in, but you're taking the risk of any wild yeast kicking in at that point.

Thanks. Good suggestions. I am already underway with my «experiment». At the end of primary fermentation (red wine - home grown grapes) I added 10% Lindemann bin 50 Shiraz. The fermentation kicked off again probably because of residual sugars (I use EC1118). This happened on Oct 4th and now the batch is starting to «relax» again. I tasted it and there is a change, but it may be because of the 10% addition (rather than mlf). I will keep it at 17 Celsius for another 2 weeks before I taste again and add Campden.

 

[lumpher]

Making wine is a fine art. I hope to perfect it by the time I turn 400.