My nephew found a hoard of pawpaws. we peeled and mushed 29 pounds last night.. I poured in hot water.. added pectic enzyme... citric acid.... yeast nutrient and energizer.....wine tannin...... everything but sugar and yeast. wife came in the house tonight ( I was gone) and thought the dog had vomited in her crate. My whole house smells like vomit. I can move this outside to the ferment room but it smells LITERALLY rotten. I know some wines stink but THIS bad? I have not added yeast or sugar and don't wanna waste em if this is bad... any ideas guys?
pawpaw wine
- Thread starter OHIOSTEVE
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OHIOSTEVE
Well-Known Member
upon research.. this may be normal HOWEVER I had not added the yeast yet.. May have a wild yeast.. either way it stinks ... I have been trying to figure the smell...sulpher mixed with shame and regret.
OHIOSTEVE
Well-Known Member
Imagine a banana a kiwi and pear had a baby.... custard texture. I did not like the texture. (First ones I ever saw were last night). Nephew loves em so I am gonna ride this out. BUT I had to move it out to the ferment room in the brew shed. I could not handle the smell.
AkTom
Well-Known Member
Might need some nutrients.
Mallerstang
Let it go
Did you add any Campden or potassium metabisulphite at the start? It's supposed to prevent wild yeasts from doing peculiar things in the 24 hours before you add the yeast.
I've had a couple of bad smells in the primary fermentation that eventually resolved themselves - a pulp mill smell* from blackberry wine, and an acetone smell from strawberry. So don't be too quick to give up on a batch.
*aka rhino farts in case anyone wants to research it!
I've had a couple of bad smells in the primary fermentation that eventually resolved themselves - a pulp mill smell* from blackberry wine, and an acetone smell from strawberry. So don't be too quick to give up on a batch.
*aka rhino farts in case anyone wants to research it!
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OHIOSTEVE
Well-Known Member
Yes potassium metabisulfite. I had to move it outside to the brew shed.
RPh_Guy
Bringing Sour Back
The vomit smell (butyric acid) is from bacteria.
Since you had unwanted bacteria growing at an unknown pH level ... I would say it's not safe to drink.
Chalk it up as a learning experience and what not to do.
You need either low temperature and/or low pH and either sulfite and/or healthy yeast to prevent dangerous contamination (and horrible off-flavors and terrible smell).
You had none of those things
Brettanomyces could possibly clean up the aroma, but the possibility of toxins is still a significant problem, specifically botulism (food poisoning).
On the other hand, a sulfide smell (rotten eggs, "rhino" farts, burnt matches) by itself is less concerning, but I think you'd recognize a vomit smell as it is quite distinct.
Since you had unwanted bacteria growing at an unknown pH level ... I would say it's not safe to drink.
Chalk it up as a learning experience and what not to do.
You need either low temperature and/or low pH and either sulfite and/or healthy yeast to prevent dangerous contamination (and horrible off-flavors and terrible smell).
You had none of those things
Brettanomyces could possibly clean up the aroma, but the possibility of toxins is still a significant problem, specifically botulism (food poisoning).
On the other hand, a sulfide smell (rotten eggs, "rhino" farts, burnt matches) by itself is less concerning, but I think you'd recognize a vomit smell as it is quite distinct.
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Eewwww
madscientist451
Well-Known Member
My idea: dump it and start over
Starting a fermentation with a must that smells like vomit actually sounds like an interesting project, and I could regurgitate some recipe links, but swallowing your pride and dumping it will be better than the flavor of fermented puke.
Starting a fermentation with a must that smells like vomit actually sounds like an interesting project, and I could regurgitate some recipe links, but swallowing your pride and dumping it will be better than the flavor of fermented puke.
It seems the discussion is pretty much over, but just FYI and in case others come along: Jung Seeds, Gurneys.
RPh_Guy
Bringing Sour Back
Using hot water was the root of the problem.
The heat encouraged microbe growth and quickly drove away the sulfite, combined with the lack of yeast it's a paradise for Clostridium and the other wild microbes.
i'm a huge fan of pawpaws and have been socking as much as i can away in the freezer as i collect them. the flavor and perfumy-ness are pretty strong and rich - i've had good results with mead with just 2 or 3 lbs per gallon in secondary.
OHIOSTEVE
Well-Known Member
Apparently......I NEVER leave my wines set overnight with no yeast, but followed kellers recipe and left it set. .. won'tdo that again... the issue with pawpaws is that they are get ripe then rotten in about a day I think. You pretty much have to be standing there waiting.
Could you elaborate? Are you having issues picking enough in one day that you have enough to make wine with before they go bad?
OHIOSTEVE
Well-Known Member
These were the first ones I have ever seen.... my nephew brought a 5 gallon bucket full. I read up on them and they ripen and fall FAST and rot quickly......and apparently wildlife love them.
RPh_Guy
Bringing Sour Back
A lot of his practices are really questionable even from my limited understand of winemaking.
That's too bad though, sorry man.
Another failure:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/paw-paw-wine.428843/
a five-gallon bucket is a lot to deal with at once. the last few weeks i've been getting ~20lbs at a time and processing them directly into the freezer. trying to reach critical mass before starting brewing with them. that's those that i can keep from the wife - though i'm not complaining. this household is firmly in pawpaw pie season.
