Started fermenting again in bottles

[JonC]

I found a few other post about this but none that really answered my question.

I made a strawberry kit wine. Just wanted a quick batch of wine. Fermented to Dry (0.996).
Back sweetened with about 17oz wine conditioner and also added 4oz of strawberry extract just to bump the flavor. Then bottled. About 1 week later they are popping the corks. (Just glad it happened when I was home) Got 27 bottles back in the fermentor and it bubbled for a couple days then quit. So now what do I do? It still has a high SG reading from back sweetening but quit fermenting. I've never had a problem using wine conditioner before. Could maybe the strawberry extract be the problem? I'm afraid to bottle again as there are small bubbles on top of the wine just along the side of the fermentor like its trying to ferment but yet it dont seem to be. Also, before anyone asks, I did not add Sodium Metabisulphite, wine conditioner is suppose to take care of that
Thanks

 

[bernardsmith]

Hi JonC - Never used wine conditioner myself but I wonder how old some of these might be. I think the "conditioner" typically has K-sorbate among the ingredients rather than K-meta, but I am uncertain and I suspect that K-sorbate has a shelf life when in solution. Is there a "use by" date on your bottle, or a date of manufacture?

 

[Yooper]

I think the wine conditioner by itself would have been ok- at least that's my thinking. But adding additional sugars in the form of the extract probably overwhelmed the amount of sorbate in the wine conditioner.

When the SG stops changing, it will be ok to bottle (again).

 

[jgmillr1]

Since the sorbate only inhibits yeast growth and does not kill yeast, it sounds like there were enough yeast still viable in the wine or strawberry extract when it was back-sweetened and bottled that they were able to work on the added sugar. Also, the conditioner does NOT contain sulfites, so you must add sulfites along with it.

I would add sulfites now, let the wine finish fermenting and allow it to settle for like a month. Rack it and look at fining options, such as super kleer. Rack again and re-dose with wine conditioner (sorbate+sugar) + sulfites, then back-sweeten with simple syrup if desired. Probably be ready to bottle again in 2 months.

 

[JonC]

Hi JonC - Never used wine conditioner myself but I wonder how old some of these might be. I think the "conditioner" typically has K-sorbate among the ingredients rather than K-meta, but I am uncertain and I suspect that K-sorbate has a shelf life when in solution. Is there a "use by" date on your bottle, or a date of manufacture?

Nope, no date of any kind on the package. Just a mfg number. I'm sure with that number I could call MFG and get date of packaging. But with no dates at all it does make me wonder if there is a "best by" period of time with this stuff.

Yooper, being that this is the first time I have had a re-fermentation problem and it's the first time I used an extract, I'm gonna agree with you and go with the extract was the problem. probably should have added extra sorbate.

jgmillr1, I'm also agreeing with your thinking. Just because it fermented dry dont necessarily mean the yeast is dead, just nothing left to ferment. Adding the extra sugar of the extract was just to much I guess. As far as sulfites, I've used them in the past but not always. The sulfites are like a preservative, to my understanding, if you plan on drinking it and not storing it a long period of time, sulfites are not necessary. When I make a wine from kit, its for drinking now, while the good stuff (with Sulfites) is ageing.

Thanks for the answers and suggestions. Think I'm gonna let it sit about three more weeks While i'm out of town a while and and check it when I get back. If the SG is the same its going back in the bottle at that time.

 

[bernardsmith]

I think the wine conditioner by itself would have been ok- at least that's my thinking. But adding additional sugars in the form of the extract probably overwhelmed the amount of sorbate in the wine conditioner.

When the SG stops changing, it will be ok to bottle (again).

But would the extract have any fermentable sugars? I make my own extracts using vodka and I have a hard time thinking that any sugars available would still be fermentable. Mind you, I don't make fruit extracts. I make mine from herbs and spices and nuts and the like... But have never experienced any refermentation after I have added an extract or two before bottling..

 

[Yooper]

I would be willing to bet that four ounces of commercial strawberry syrup is loaded with sugar or high fructose corn syrup or something like that.

 

[bernardsmith]

Syrup - yes, of course, but I thought the OP wrote "extract" , not "concentrate".

 

[jgmillr1]

As far as sulfites, I've used them in the past but not always. The sulfites are like a preservative, to my understanding, if you plan on drinking it and not storing it a long period of time, sulfites are not necessary

The sulfites are added to prevent bacteria spoilage and protect from oxidation. The oxidation can be a slower process and if you plan to drink the brew soon then you could potentially skip or lower the sulfite addition. However, the bacterial threat can be faster and turn your wine into vinegar within weeks. When you add any sorbate (such as wine conditioner), bacteria can chew on it and produce a pungent geranium taint in the wine. Bottom line is that adding the proper amount of sulfites is good winemaking and will keep your wine protected from spoilage risk.

 

[JonC]

Just wanted to give an update. I let it sit for about three weeks. I went back to it last week to see if I could save it. The SG hadn't changed at all and the air lock had no movement at all. I decided to add a little potassium metabisulfite and potassium sorbate since I did not do it earlier. I was gonna mix it up, let it sit a few more days then start taste testing and see if I could re bottle. So no, I did not taste it at this point. That was a mistake! Had I tasted it I would have realized it had carbonated!!! So I added these items, put my drill powered mixer in, and started stirring. Yep, volcano explosion. You wouldn't believe the mess a 6 gal carbonated wine can make when you mix it with a power mixer!!! Lesson learned. You taste at every stage of the process otherwise you wont know what you have. It was all a good learning experience. If you want to figure out how to do something great, sometimes first you have to learn how not to do it.
Yes I poured out what remained after the eruption, but I know have two more fermenting. Never give up. Just learn.