Wine/juice pail stall?

[whoaru99]

Got a juice pail with yeast already added two weeks and two days ago. Transferred it to fermenter two weeks ago Saturday then went away for the long weekend.

Got home and there was not much activity showing, just very light bubbling on the inside surface of the fermenter. But, there is evidence there must have been decent activity and foam as there is residue ring about 3" wide above the wine level.

Problem is it appears to be stalled. The OG was 1.094 and has dropped only to 1.064. There is no visual activity... no airlock bubbles, not even any light bubbles on inside surface of the fermenter. No bubbles on top, no nothing.

I've ordered some things I saw recommended to try a restart like yeast hulls, Go Ferm, Fermaid, and a few different yeasts, EC-1118, K1-V1116, Uvaferm 43, and I have some CBC-1 on hand.

This is (was... ?) going to be an unoaked Chardonnay.

Odds it will get started again?

Recs on which yeast to hit it with first?

 

[Maylar]

You're at the 1/3 sugar break point and it should be OK to add a dose of nutrients.

 

[whoaru99]

The Fermaid finally arrived after a couple days USPS delay.

Added the Fermaid mix (8g + 1/4 cup distilled water) and stirred it into the wine last night. There is now a little airlock activity this morning.

Wondering if I should dose it with Go Ferm+yeast as sorta had been thinking to do, or just leave it alone?

 

[Maylar]

leave it.

 

[whoaru99]

Today I stirred it and took a sample.

Now at 1.032, which is a nice move, but sorta looked like not much was happening again.

Aside from today's stir, should I be doing anything else to try ensuring it keeps going down?

 

[whoaru99]

Stirred and sampled again today. Down to 1.010.

Hoping another 14-ish points will come off...

Seems like forever.

 

[Bobby_M]

I don't really understand the concept of buying/selling pre-yeasted juice. When does it get added? What strain is it? How much yeast is it? How does it not ferment before you get it home? How is this NOT selling "wine".

 

[whoaru99]

I can only answer one somewhat definitively. I believe it is frozen or at least super chilled after the yeast is added. Little to no alcohol then so not wine. Far as the rest you'd have to ask the sellers of such things for more detail, if really interested (which I presume not really).

They are pick up on a specific day only. I was told when it would arrive and that is the day you have to get it. Mine was still really cold when I picked it up.

Example follows. Not mine, but it's the same type of order and pickup arrangement for the juice pail I got.

Important Pickup Information: This Chilean Wine Must is available for pre-order and must be picked up in person at The Savage Tap (12925 Eagle Creek Pkwy, Savage, MN 55378) on May 15, 2025. You must enter The Savage Tap's address as the shipping address to facilitate in-person pickup and ensure correct sales tax calculation.

 

[whoaru99]

0.998.

Probably rack it to secondary in the next week or so.

 

[whoaru99]

In the past I did only kits using the included ingredients. They had the Super Kleer KC - type finings in them.

Now I bentonite, Sparkolloid, and some of the KC-type finings.

Would I use bentonite or Sparkolloid now (meaning when I rack) then the KC stuff before bottling, with clearing time of course, if still not cleared out by then?

 

[Maylar]

I would use the KC fining before racking and give it a week to settle out. That should be enough.

 

[whoaru99]

Looks like it's done at 0.994. Tastes fairly dry.