what should it smell like

[Paulinuke]

Ok, here it is. I started a batch of wine from a kit about 5-6 days ago. I haven't noticed any airlock activity but I think my primary bucket has a bad gasket in it that is letting the CO2 out by another means. Anyways, I have the primary in the officer closet where it is out of the way and when I opened the door today to check on it thesmell of very cheap wine filled the whole office. This is my forst batch of wine and I have no idea what to expect, is the cheap wine smell normal? I was thinking about checking the SG to be sure that it is fermenting. Any thoughts? Paul

 

[Yooper]

Sounds normal to me! Sometimes you'll get unusual odors with fermentation, but if it smells like wine, that's a good thing. If it smells vinegar-y or sour, then you can start to worry. Otherwise- you're good.

 

[Evan!]

Like...low tide.

 

[Paulinuke]

would I be wise to check to gravity to confirm fermentation or should I use my better judgement and leave it alone? I

 

[Yooper]

You should probably check the sg and get ready to move it to secondary. The kit should have directions on this step. If it's fermenting and you're not seeing airlock activity, it's probably got a leaky lid and you'll need to protect it from o2.

 

[Paulinuke]

I was pretty sure the lid was leaking, my last batch of beer didn't have any airlock activity while in the same primary. The beer came out fine due to the blanket of CO2, I thought wine was the same. I think from here on out I will be doing primary in glass. Too many leaking bucket covers. My concern is that the wine has only been in primary for about a week, it seams a little early to be moving it already. Paul

 

[gonzoflick]

Mine has been in the primary for 48 hours now and I just came home to a nice sufurish smell.....and I love it

 

[Yooper]

Well, usually with wine you keep it in primary for 3-5 days, until the sg hits around 1.010 give or take. Then you rack it and keep it covered and use an airlock. There is plenty of co2 up until that point. Wine undergoes a true secondary fermentation, unlike beer, in that there truly is fermentation going on in that secondary carboy!

You don't want to primary in an airlocked container anyway (see the last few threads about this) because sulfited musts really need o2 and you stir at least daily in primary.

I'm sure your kit has all these instructions, and they make their kits according to the way they should be done. Each kit is different, so you should follow your manufacturer's instructions.

 

[CBBaron]

Well, usually with wine you keep it in primary for 3-5 days, until the sg hits around 1.010 give or take. Then you rack it and keep it covered and use an airlock. There is plenty of co2 up until that point. Wine undergoes a true secondary fermentation, unlike beer, in that there truly is fermentation going on in that secondary carboy!

I did my first wine a 1 gal batch of mixed berry wine based on Jack Keller's recipe. I think I waited too long to transfer it to the secondary as it measured 0.996 when I transfered it last night. Is this going to be a problem? It was in the primary about 10 days. I didn't really smell pleasant but there were fruity and alcohol aromas.

Craig

 

[Cap'n Jewbeard]

Eh, you should be fine. Unless you were going to sulfite it when you transferred it, it would probably have kept fermenting down to that final gravity anyway. I think you're cool.

 

[Smurfe]

I have found most wines emit a yeasty aroma. It can smell like cheap wine as well. Don't worry about the air lock and gasket. As others have said it isn't needed. Don't worry though if you did ferment under an airlock though, It does work. If I am making a kit I normally sir the must when I add water to rehydrate the must. This adds a lot of O2 to the must. I sprinkle my yeast on and just set the lid on. Once I have an active fermentation going I normally snap the lid on tight and add an airlock.

In regards to the SG below 1.00 you will be fine, just get it in glass, topped up and an airlock. You probably won't have anymore fermentation but if you haven't added sorbate and K-Meta you may stir up some yeasties and have a bit more fermentation. Go ahead and follow the direction by time frame. This give the wine time to drop it lees and finish any fermentation if a "miscalculated" SG reading were obtained. As long as it is topped up under glass there is no issue.

I am never on time to complete a step of a kit wine and am normally a week behind. I do try to get the wine racked to glass at the proper time but admit I have had a few ferment to dry in the primary and they turned out great. A couple award winning. I personally believe many wine kits directions are rushed and devised to help the anxious winemaker get the wine into the bottle to the glass in the shortest amount of time possible. If you take your time and be patient, you get a 100% better glass of wine in the long run.