Watermelon wine stuck spoiled
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cjeanean
Well-Known Member
How long has it been going? Did you use real fruit or pasteurized juice? Everything I've read says that you should get it off the fruit before funky tastes set in (eg: rotten fruit). Once primary is done, rack to secondary. You might try that and see if it helps, maybe it'll improve with age.
cjeanean
Well-Known Member
Looks like watermelon is prone to spoilage
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/question-about-watermelon-wine-spoilage-and-campden.484744/
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/question-about-watermelon-wine-spoilage-and-campden.484744/
cjeanean
Well-Known Member
Do you have fruit sitting in the bottom?
Its not overly offensive but it is slightly. I didnt know if maybe aging it as a low wine is a good idea or not. Maybe a suppliment that makes the flavor compliment eachother. I havent had this happen with such a simple wine b4 with this recipe. The only thing different I did was I accidentally added too much nutrient during fermentation
cjeanean
Well-Known Member
I'm not sure about that part, but if I were already considering just tossing it, I'd at least try racking it to secondary to see if it helps first. It's my understanding that the spoiled or rotten taste is the result of natural bacteria, so perhaps future attempts may include pasteurization prior to fermenting. Whatever the case, if bacteria are causing the smell and taste, eliminating them is the only way to stop further breakdown.
If the abv is high enough for you, you could end the ferment early, right? That's a bit out of my limited experience, so maybe someone else could shed some light.
If the abv is high enough for you, you could end the ferment early, right? That's a bit out of my limited experience, so maybe someone else could shed some light.
Well I just found seeded watermelons for sale (nobody sells them here anymore) so I'm just gonna toss it. No biggie really. I think the nutrient overdose did something and let any wild organisms thrive. I did boil everything a full 10 min but who knows.
cjeanean
Well-Known Member
Good luck!
cjeanean
Well-Known Member
I wonder if quick fermentation is better for watermelon stuff, like if the quick formation of alcohol would help prevent bacteria from taking hold. Perhaps starting with a high-sugar strawberry must and adding the watermelon a few days into fermentation might help? This isn't my area of brewing, but it would make sense. Sugar helps retard bacteria growth along with alcohol, so just an idea.
Side note, depending on what bacteria causes the spoilage, boiling may not be enough. I frequently sterilize things in my kitchen, and 250F is required to get rid of the nasties with the higher heat tolerance. This can be done in a pressure cooker at 15 psi for 30 minutes (I usually go 45 to an hour). Pasteurization may work for plain juice with added preservatives (like asorbic acid), but whole fruit may add extra bugs that resist lower temps. Spores, for example, definitely need the high heat, which is why pressure canning is required for low-acid foods to prevent botulism. I have absolutely no idea what effect sterilization might have on a brew, but just a bit of information on boiling to kill everything. Also, I believe processing juice at high temperatures sets the pectin or whatever it is that causes permanent haze in the finished product.
All that aside, I'd suggest thoroughly washing and sanitizing the outside of the fruit before you break into it. The inside should be naturally clean, but exterior contamination may introduce problems.
Side note, depending on what bacteria causes the spoilage, boiling may not be enough. I frequently sterilize things in my kitchen, and 250F is required to get rid of the nasties with the higher heat tolerance. This can be done in a pressure cooker at 15 psi for 30 minutes (I usually go 45 to an hour). Pasteurization may work for plain juice with added preservatives (like asorbic acid), but whole fruit may add extra bugs that resist lower temps. Spores, for example, definitely need the high heat, which is why pressure canning is required for low-acid foods to prevent botulism. I have absolutely no idea what effect sterilization might have on a brew, but just a bit of information on boiling to kill everything. Also, I believe processing juice at high temperatures sets the pectin or whatever it is that causes permanent haze in the finished product.
All that aside, I'd suggest thoroughly washing and sanitizing the outside of the fruit before you break into it. The inside should be naturally clean, but exterior contamination may introduce problems.
I wonder if it started spoiling early on. The pH needs to drop drastically to prevent intruders from taking hold, before the yeast does. It may take dry yeast a bit too long to get there by herself. Maybe pitch an active yeast starter, acidifying the must, and/or treating it with Sulfites (K-Meta) may have given it the hard-needed odds?
It's surprising that it spoiled after boiling, though. Boiling or even pasteurizing (10' at 150F?) fruit or juices doesn't do anything for their flavor, but it should kill any bugs.
I've added fresh (not boiled or heated) watermelon juice from a Starsaned (glass) kitchen blender to a Saison, at pitching time. About 10% of juice, IIRC. The batch was kegged.
I paid lots of attention to sanitation, washed the whole fruit with soap and Starsan, cut and cubed on a Starsaned ceramic plate with Starsaned knife, etc.
The results were mixed:
It's surprising that it spoiled after boiling, though. Boiling or even pasteurizing (10' at 150F?) fruit or juices doesn't do anything for their flavor, but it should kill any bugs.
I've added fresh (not boiled or heated) watermelon juice from a Starsaned (glass) kitchen blender to a Saison, at pitching time. About 10% of juice, IIRC. The batch was kegged.
I paid lots of attention to sanitation, washed the whole fruit with soap and Starsan, cut and cubed on a Starsaned ceramic plate with Starsaned knife, etc.
The results were mixed:
- At first taste, yes!
- A few weeks later, <ugh>, please no more! Bottled the remainder.
- Totally forgotten about it. 5 years later (in 12oz bottles)... Wow! Nice and dank, and crystal clear yellowish, no pink tinge left, with a good layer of trub on the bottom!
Seamonkey84
Well-Known Member
Watermelon will have a funky odor to it even if it’s not spoiled. To me, it smells the way a melon rind tastes.
This is how I processed my watermelon for the batch I made. I made a yeast starter and chilled the watermelon overnight first. As fast as you can, scoop the watermelon into a container with a strainer bag, squeeze to free up the liquid. Get all the juice into a bucket or into pitchers, add sulfite, wait 12 hours then add peptic enzymes. 12hrs later, pull from fridge, mix in your sugars, nutrients, and oxygenate it. pitch the yeast starter and let it go.
This is how I processed my watermelon for the batch I made. I made a yeast starter and chilled the watermelon overnight first. As fast as you can, scoop the watermelon into a container with a strainer bag, squeeze to free up the liquid. Get all the juice into a bucket or into pitchers, add sulfite, wait 12 hours then add peptic enzymes. 12hrs later, pull from fridge, mix in your sugars, nutrients, and oxygenate it. pitch the yeast starter and let it go.
Seamonkey84
Well-Known Member
I did save some of the original juice and froze concentrate it to add at the end.
I wish it smelled like a rind tastes. I like watermelon rind. Pickled rind is the best lol.
Nah, this tasted like rotten fruit picked out of the compost bin. If there was an infection I couldnt tell by looks alone.
Actually regarding waiting 12 hours I've found that only makes things worse the first few years attempting it. Seems its better to ferment it fast and hard with nutrient and for some reason I haven't figured out, in low acid. I've used d47, 71b, nottingham, ec1118, ec1116 effectively.
I did use cote de blanc this time. It didn't really get vigorous ever.
Nah, this tasted like rotten fruit picked out of the compost bin. If there was an infection I couldnt tell by looks alone.
Actually regarding waiting 12 hours I've found that only makes things worse the first few years attempting it. Seems its better to ferment it fast and hard with nutrient and for some reason I haven't figured out, in low acid. I've used d47, 71b, nottingham, ec1118, ec1116 effectively.
I did use cote de blanc this time. It didn't really get vigorous ever.
