wine clarity & extraction question

[djd3mon]

Hey guy I some questions.
Im very new to wine making.

I fermented some blackberries.
7 days later I noticed it is starting to make small bubbles from the bottom constantly.

On the very bottom there is about 1/4 inch layer of what appears to be sugar.
3-4 inches of what appears to be a peach/pink liquid/wine and about 1-2 inches of blackberries mixed in bubbles/foam at the top.

This is the first day I smelled it and I can tell it smells very alcoholic.

my questions are

1. how would I go about extracting the middle clearer portion
2. Will it get clearer then do I extract it?
3. or do I just pour it all through a mesh strainer and cheese cloth like it is?




4. After I strain it and put into a bottle how long do I let it age before drinking?


thank you guys. Great forum.

 

[JohnCarter]

You could use an actual syphon or just a bit of plastic tubing and start from 1 inch above the sediment. You could syphon it that way or even a a coffee filer while it's syphoning threw.

From then on you could freeze it to kill all the yeast or let it age for a month or two, if you are going to age it make sure when you syphon it, you don't let it splash into the other container and that the other container is very clean and sanitized!

If you have anymore question I'll try my best to answer them.

 

[djd3mon]

You could use an actual syphon or just a bit of plastic tubing and start from 1 inch above the sediment. You could syphon it that way or even a a coffee filer while it's syphoning threw.

From then on you could freeze it to kill all the yeast or let it age for a month or two, if you are going to age it make sure when you syphon it, you don't let it splash into the other container and that the other container is very clean and sanitized!

If you have anymore question I'll try my best to answer them.

thank you sir!

 

[joey210]

Could somebody please help me out? Iv been h.brewing now for 8wks and every single batch I try and make, wheather wine or cider smells of farts!!... or Rhinofarts as ther known... I clean, sterilize and always use yeast nutrigent.. what is the reason? My beautiful blackberry wine suddenly smells like farts now its in the demijohn, it smelt wounderful when in the brewing bucket.. and I keep the temp to whatever the recipe says.. is ther something I can do to stop this stink? Cheers

 

[jensmith]

What yeast are you using? Does the wine smell like the stopper? Are you shure it is a stinky yeast farty smell and not just the normal fermenting wine?
Stressed yeast smell can also be from the wine left on the the lees too long. You racked it off the fruit/first sludge between a week and ten days. Rack a second time in 4-6 weeks. Or whenever you get a build up of lees on the bottom. If not that would cause off smells. Is the wine dry?
Have you tried splash racking?

 

[WilliamSlayer]

Could somebody please help me out? Iv been h.brewing now for 8wks and every single batch I try and make, wheather wine or cider smells of farts!!... or Rhinofarts as ther known... I clean, sterilize and always use yeast nutrigent.. what is the reason? My beautiful blackberry wine suddenly smells like farts now its in the demijohn, it smelt wounderful when in the brewing bucket.. and I keep the temp to whatever the recipe says.. is ther something I can do to stop this stink? Cheers

This sort of smell often comes from a stressed yeast. To prevent this problem in future batches you should try to add nutrients to keep the yeast happy. Don't panic about the brews that are currently exuding that smell, a vigorous fermentation will usually expel all of the gas containing that sulfur dioxide.

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[joey210]

What yeast are you using? Does the wine smell like the stopper? Are you shure it is a stinky yeast farty smell and not just the normal fermenting wine?
Stressed yeast smell can also be from the wine left on the the lees too long. You racked it off the fruit/first sludge between a week and ten days. Rack a second time in 4-6 weeks. Or whenever you get a build up of lees on the bottom. If not that would cause off smells. Is the wine dry?
Have you tried splash racking?

Hi jensmith, iv used lakeland genearl wine yeast with this batch of wine.... .. At first it was happening with my cider batches which I use champange yeast, iv racked th cider of the lees a few times and the smell was still strong.. my blackberry wine is on the go its lightbodied sweet, it smelt fantastic in the bucket for the first 4 days then when moved into the demijohn after 1 day the fart smell had taken over..(

 

[joey210]

This sort of smell often comes from a stressed yeast. To prevent this problem in future batches you should try to add nutrients to keep the yeast happy. Don't panic about the brews that are currently exuding that smell, a vigorous fermentation will usually expel all of the gas containing that sulfur dioxide.

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Hi WilliamS. I have added yeast nutrients to every batch iv made so far but the smell is still strong.. iv read that with time it should go but some of my ciders have been sitting in a DJ with no lees and they still smell.. I have seen videos of ppl drinking ther ciders after a few wks, no mention of fart smells. I wouldn't mind trying one of my ciders after its rested in the secondary for just a couple of wks but how can I, this smell is so ofputting. Thanks for the feedback guys

 

[WilliamSlayer]

Ok. It will dissipate a bit more, but to help the process along you can try racking to a new vessel. As you do so, run the brew over/past a piece of copper. I insert a piece of copper into my racking tubing when I do this. Contact with the copper will chemically change some of the sulfur dioxide to a less smelly state.

Of course be careful not to oxidize the brew as you do so!

Hope that helps!

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[jensmith]

Smells good in primary, nasty in secanday.... Any chance you have an infected secandary? Or infected bung? Befor you try racking threw the copper pipe sanatise the crap out of the carboy and bung, also the racking cane and pipe. Then rack threw the cooper pipe into the supper clean stuff. At this point I would use a bleach soulution. Let air dry five minutes. Rinse supper well. Then sanatise with reguler sanatiser. Let air dry another five minutes. Most sanatisers kill bad things as they air dry. You need to give the stuff time to work befor using.
Have you added campton at any point? At this point I would add some after you rack your wine. It will help kill any leftover bugs, if that is the problem. It will help protect the wine from the air as well.
I had a rubber cork nasty smell once. Nothing worked. Untill I simply left the airlock off. The smell went away after a few months. It may have been sooner, but I did not check before then. It did not oxidise or turn to viniger. I was hopping for the viniger to be honest!!! Try leaving a glass full of the wine overnight. Just to see if the smells disapates. Its worth a try if nothing else works and its only a glass full anyway. If the smell goes away maybe try degassing or the splash racking. If its still smelly try the copper pipe.
If all else fails, drink it when you have a stuffed up nose!

 

[joey210]

U guys have been so helpful.. Jensmith the blackbrry wine I'm making does have one crushed camdpen tablet init.. I added one and left overnight before adding yeast etc. But the pong from the airlock now its in the secondary is pretty dam bad..i think I'll try to air the brew before racking, or splash racking seems to be a good way.. the cooper is a little tricky as I'm new to h.brewing.. I'm also going to leave one batch of cider for as long as I can in the secondary and see if the smell clears with time.. maybe I'm just being to impatient, all good brew takes time to mellow and iv only been brewing 8wks thanx again

 

[joey210]

Please could somebody help me out ASAP? Im following cjj berrys 1 gallon blackberry wine recipe. The must has been sitting overnight in the brewing bucket, so today when I went to add the yeast I noticed iv only got half a tespoon of yeast remaining, not the full teaspoon required.. I can only order wine yeast online, so it will take a wk to get a new packet. What can I do? Is it ok to add the second half tspn after a wk with blackberry wine? I'm so upset, no way this small amount of yeast will work with all that sugar(.. any help what be great. Cheers

 

[RegarRenill]

Try making a starter to increase the yeast count?

 

[joey210]

Try making a starter to increase the yeast count?

Hi RegaR I have my friend, added a pinch of yeast nutrient, tspn of sugar and half tspn of the yeast to warm water, left it for couple hours and added to the must. But I'm still going to add more yeast when its delivered.. any ideas what will happen by adding it a wk later?

 

[WilliamSlayer]

Hi RegaR I have my friend, added a pinch of yeast nutrient, tspn of sugar and half tspn of the yeast to warm water, left it for couple hours and added to the must. But I'm still going to add more yeast when its delivered.. any ideas what will happen by adding it a wk later?

I would only add more yeast after a week if you feel like fermentation has not taken off. Even adding half of the recommended amount will begin fermentation. It will simply be slower at the outset. Fermentation often restarts with far less yeast than you can imagine. The point of pitching the recommended amount is to assure that YOUR yeast is the dominant one doing the fermentation!

Hope that helps.

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[joey210]

I would only add more yeast after a week if you feel like fermentation has not taken off. Even adding half of the recommended amount will begin fermentation. It will simply be slower at the outset. Fermentation often restarts with far less yeast than you can imagine. The point of pitching the recommended amount is to assure that YOUR yeast is the dominant one doing the fermentation!

Hope that helps.

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Hi WilliamS. I checked the busket this morning and fermentation has started, so much so its warped my lid. So I guess ill be ok not to add any more yeast, like you said. Cheers for the help. If anyones ever made this cjj berry blackberry wine recipe could you tell me why my lid has warped during the first stages of the must fermenting in the bucket? It says to cover for 4 to 6 days.. is it ok not to cover it so tightly and allow air to get into the must? I don't want the bucket to explode,!!!

 

[jensmith]

Cover with a towel. Not a sealed lid! After the active fermentaion is done you can rack it off the fruit and then airlock it. For the first week I stir twice daily. The fruit floats to the top and needs to be mixed back in. This also alowes the yeast farts to escape. ( they were pushing your cover up. Explosion possible! )

 

[joey210]

Cover with a towel. Not a sealed lid! After the active fermentaion is done you can rack it off the fruit and then airlock it. For the first week I stir twice daily. The fruit floats to the top and needs to be mixed back in. This also alowes the yeast farts to escape. ( they were pushing your cover up. Explosion possible! )

Hiya Jensmith, thanx you have been so helpful to me over these last 2 months.. iv replaced the lid with a towel like you said.. hopefully itl be ok!! thanks again

 

[joey210]

Cover with a towel. Not a sealed lid! After the active fermentaion is done you can rack it off the fruit and then airlock it. For the first week I stir twice daily. The fruit floats to the top and needs to be mixed back in. This also alowes the yeast farts to escape. ( they were pushing your cover up. Explosion possible! )

Hi Jensmith, if you are avaliable could you please help me out?... iv just sieved the must from my blacberry wine batch into the DJohn after leaving in the bucket for 7 days.. I just checked the fermentation but the foam is about to overflow into the airlock!.. I filled up to the neck of the Djohn just like the recipe says, but this keeps happening to me. I don't get it, I sieved to make sure no bits of fruit got in to the djohn and followed everything to a T. Why does my brew keep foaming to much and reaching the airlock? Your help would be great cheers

 

[jensmith]

Its still fermenting, thats why it foams up. Some wines need longer then 7 days in the open bucket. You can just take out some of the wine and put it in a secend jug. Leaving headspace in both jugs to allow the wine to finnish foaming. If you do not have a second wine type jug any clean jug will do. After the wine fisnishes foaming you can put the small amout in the odd jug in with the big jug. With plenty of headapace you can leave the airlocks on.
Have you used your hydrometer to take the sg reading? It should be 1.000 or lower when it is done with the foam causing fermentaion. Below 1.000 it may still ferment, but it will be slower and genteler. No foam ups
Recipies are great. However your wine does not always follow the given time line. Yeast is a living thing and will do as it pleases some days. The good thing with wine is that waiting or delaying is a good thing.


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[WilliamSlayer]

Great advice Jen! +1

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[joey210]

Its still fermenting, thats why it foams up. Some wines need longer then 7 days in the open bucket. You can just take out some of the wine and put it in a secend jug. Leaving headspace in both jugs to allow the wine to finnish foaming. If you do not have a second wine type jug any clean jug will do. After the wine fisnishes foaming you can put the small amout in the odd jug in with the big jug. With plenty of headapace you can leave the airlocks on.
Have you used your hydrometer to take the sg reading? It should be 1.000 or lower when it is done with the foam causing fermentaion. Below 1.000 it may still ferment, but it will be slower and genteler. No foam ups
Recipies are great. However your wine does not always follow the given time line. Yeast is a living thing and will do as it pleases some days. The good thing with wine is that waiting or delaying is a good thing.


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Hey Jensmith, thanku so much I took out some juice like u said and it seems ok now. Have just ordered a hydrometer online so I'll follow your advice from now on with future brewing! Youv been great once again. 5 star advice cheers

 

[jensmith]

You're welcome! Glad all is under controle now

New toys are out freinds


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[joey210]

You're welcome! Glad all is under controle now

New toys are out freinds


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Hey Jensmith, I wanted to ask your advice on corking wine bottles... there seems to be different views on how to treat the corks before corking them. Should I be soaking the corks in sanitizer before I cork? If so do I wait for the corks to completly dry out or cork them whilst they are still damp with the sanitized liquid( I use crushed campden to sanitize ).. some people say to just cork without cleaning or getting the corks wet because you can destroy the wax coating by cleaning, but I would rather sanitize everything at this late stage and not take a chance when bottling.. your advice at this stage would be fantastic.. ps. I have the hydrometer now, it makes life so much easier cheers

 

[jensmith]

I think wet corks go in better. I do soak my corks is a sanatizer before using. I put them in to "soak" maybe five minutes before I start to cork. No need to get them soggy. The corks float so I stir them every so often to get all sides wet. Most corks are "clean" when you first open the package. If your corks have been laying around for some time You can soak them a little longer and let them slightly air dry. Most sanatisers work during the air dry stage.
I also keep the last bottle for drinking right away. It is almost never full and any sedament left will be in it. I cork with a tasting cork or screw cap.


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[joey210]

I think wet corks go in better. I do soak my corks is a sanatizer before using. I put them in to "soak" maybe five minutes before I start to cork. No need to get them soggy. The corks float so I stir them every so often to get all sides wet. Most corks are "clean" when you first open the package. If your corks have been laying around for some time You can soak them a little longer and let them slightly air dry. Most sanatisers work during the air dry stage.
I also keep the last bottle for drinking right away. It is almost never full and any sedament left will be in it. I cork with a tasting cork or screw cap.


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Hiya Jensmith great to get your advice, every step iv followed has worked a charm thanks again!

 

[Tarik]

You could use an actual syphon or just a bit of plastic tubing and start from 1 inch above the sediment.
Let air dry five minutes. Rinse supper well. Then sanatise with reguler sanatiser. Let air dry another five minutes. Most sanatisers kill bad things as they air dry. You need to give the stuff time to work befor using.

 

[jensmith]

You're Welcome!


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[joey210]

I think wet corks go in better. I do soak my corks is a sanatizer before using. I put them in to "soak" maybe five minutes before I start to cork. No need to get them soggy. The corks float so I stir them every so often to get all sides wet. Most corks are "clean" when you first open the package. If your corks have been laying around for some time You can soak them a little longer and let them slightly air dry. Most sanatisers work during the air dry stage.
I also keep the last bottle for drinking right away. It is almost never full and any sedament left will be in it. I cork with a tasting cork or screw cap.


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Hiya Jensmith. I used the hydrometer on my last 1 gallon batch of cider, made with a few crushed blackberries and apple juice.. the SG was 1.048 and the FG was 1.002. Would you say this is a FG that will allow me to bottle? I also added half litre of water to the secondary demijohn.. my idea is to cork the bottles and have a nice mild cider/wine drink hope all is well

 

[jensmith]

If you used a wine yeast or wild yeast then a sg of 1.002 is not done. It should be closer to .995 or .990. Unless you stabalized it at the .990 and then backsweetened it to the 1.002.
If you used a beer yeast it may be done at 1.002. I have never used a beer yeast, but they don't make as much alcahol as wine yeast do. Reg bread yeast will go higher as well.

So, no. Its not safe to bottle! Unless you are planning on keeping it in the fridge untill you drink it. Just let it sit for another month and recheck the sg. If still the same, then stabalize and bottle. Or you can get the fermentaion back going.

If you like it now there is no reason not to just drink it as is. I often drink my one galleon batches without botteling them When it gets a big headspace I rack it to a smaller jug. They have drilled stoppers that fit wine bottles. I put the wine in a bottle and airlock it instead of corking it. No need to keep in the fridge that way



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[joey210]

If you used a wine yeast or wild yeast then a sg of 1.002 is not done. It should be closer to .995 or .990. Unless you stabalized it at the .990 and then backsweetened it to the 1.002.
If you used a beer yeast it may be done at 1.002. I have never used a beer yeast, but they don't make as much alcahol as wine yeast do. Reg bread yeast will go higher as well.

So, no. Its not safe to bottle! Unless you are planning on keeping it in the fridge untill you drink it. Just let it sit for another month and recheck the sg. If still the same, then stabalize and bottle. Or you can get the fermentaion back going.

If you like it now there is no reason not to just drink it as is. I often drink my one galleon batches without botteling them When it gets a big headspace I rack it to a smaller jug. They have drilled stoppers that fit wine bottles. I put the wine in a bottle and airlock it instead of corking it. No need to keep in the fridge that way

Hi Jensmith it was champange yeast I used and I just plan to let it ferment fully without adding anything to sweeten, etc. I'm going to order the wine bottle stoppers and follow what you said, I didn't know they made them but it will be perfect for storing my brew. Thanks so much again for your help