Malolactic finishing fast ?

[wittymonkey]

Hi ,

I am new at home-brewing and I'm making an Old Zin from a kit (6 gallons) wine.
This is my second wine. Before this I made a Sauvignon Blanc from NZ.

On the Sauvignon Blanc the 2ndary Malolactic fermentation was supposed to take about 3 weeks, but from the SG measurements and observations ( no bubbles at all) it was done after about 1 week. I did wait about 2 weeks and then moved on to the next step ( clarification ...). ( THat was 1 week ago, so it's clarified nicely by now, will rack tomorrow or today).
So that Malolactic fermentation went really fast I think.

Now the same thing is happening with the Zin. It was a very activ malolactic in the carboy for a few days. But it has now been a week and SG is 0.996 , no more bubbles... On the kit it says malolactic is over when SG is under 1.000 . So I mixed it vigurously this morning and I plan to give it another week to be sure, and then rack it also.

So the question is :
Are these malolactic fermentations normally this fast or is something wrong ? And how do I know when it's over ?
And should I just wait longer to be safe or just clarify it ? What is safer (of course I care more about the quality of the wine and its flavors then about time).

Thanks for the help,

George

 

[saramc]

George...what is the name of the kit you are working with? Typically most kits do not go thru MLF because they are already balanced acid wise. Plus, they usually do not come with the ML bacteria commonly used to induce this (though can occur spontaneously in fresh juices).
Are you sure your kit isn't just referencing secondary container as opposed to secondary fermentation? Because what you are describing is time in a secondary container while the ferment finishes to 1.000 or lower.
People get really thrown by the use of 'secondary'. MLF can take weeks to months, and the only way to confirm completion is thru chromatography.

 

[wittymonkey]

This is the Sauvignon Blanc kit :

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001ELJJS8/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

And in the instructions it says specifically Secondary Fermentation.


And this is the Old Zin Kit :

http://www.southernhomebrew.com/zinfandel3.html

And I have the instructions in front of me saying : After SG is 1.02 or lower, .... secondary fermentation in carboy ( after pressing the skins.... (Day 6-8 approx).

And after SG is 1.000 or lower, Stabilizing and Clearing ( day 28 approx)


The wine did look like this :


See around second 0:43 in the movie....

Thanks for the help

 

[saramc]

No MLF occurring in those kits, just use of word 'secondary'. The fermentation in the video looks like fermentation is supposed to in general.
I looked at the instruction set from RJS website and do not seem to see what you are referencing word wise about secondary fermentation or SG 1.02 or less...though they tweak instructions sometimes from one year to the next and maybe I am looking at new instructions or need more coffee...but definitely no MLF happening. http://www.rjscraftwinemaking.com/products/brand/Cellar-Classic-Winery-Series

 

[wittymonkey]

I thought the secondary fermentation meant malolactic fermentation. Interesting. So it's just more of the same , sugar to ethanol but in a carboy ?

 

[wittymonkey]

Indeed, very misleading :
http://www.winemakersdepot.com/Tutorial-on-Wine-Making-Lesson-4-of-6-W94.aspx

So it's not malolactic, it's just more of the ethanol fermentation.
But I guess, the question remains , am I ready to go to the next stage ( clarification and stabilization) or should I wait another 2 weeks ?

Thanks

George

 

[saramc]

Indeed, very misleading :
http://www.winemakersdepot.com/Tutorial-on-Wine-Making-Lesson-4-of-6-W94.aspx

So it's not malolactic, it's just more of the ethanol fermentation.
But I guess, the question remains , am I ready to go to the next stage ( clarification and stabilization) or should I wait another 2 weeks ?

Thanks

George

Can be misleading indeed...

People will say things like 'transfer to secondary' vs 'add MLB'. Just remember kits are already balanced so MLF is not included, and typically not done (can cause flabby, stripped wine). Once read a thread, not necessarily here, where people were actually arguing about the word 'secondary'. But non-kit winemakers typically acknowledge secondary fermentation as malolactic, not moving to a secondary container for whatever the reason. If that makes sense?
But according to the instruction sheet I reviewed if you are within the SG range noted then you can move to stabilizing/clearing phase.

 

[wittymonkey]

Thanks

 

[novalou]

I thought the secondary fermentation meant malolactic fermentation. Interesting. So it's just more of the same , sugar to ethanol but in a carboy ?

Primary, secondary fermentation are both creating alcohol. The difference being is the presence of oxygen in the primary (aerobic) and the lack of oxygen in the secondary (anaerobic).

As others have said, kits do not go through MLF, they are already acid balanced.