how long should it take?

Thebigeasy · May 17, 2017

Started the supermarket wines about 3 weeks ago and still waiting on the first two fermenting out, would've thought at 2 1/2/ weeks it wouldve been finished now, but still getting a bubble every 10 secs and its still showing as sweet on hydrometer. I did use a bit more sugar than I was supposed too and it was showing a potential 17% alcohol so not sure if wilkos yeast is enough to ferment it out. Any idea how much longer it will take, had to buy some from the shop last week and it broke my heart paying that much for a bottle now

Tau · May 17, 2017

You'll be lucky if it ferments dry if a potential 17%, wilkos yeast might be a gervin mix and you'll be lucky and get 17% (which might make it a tad to strong) a rack might be a good idea to lower alchol level and top up with cooled boiled water. What was your orginal gravity?

chewie · May 17, 2017

If you add to much sugar you can encourage the yeast to suicide as the amount of alcohol it can generate will kill it, what is the current reading on your hydrometer?

Thebigeasy · May 17, 2017

Original reading was between 1.100/110 they now sit at about 20. I can taste the alcohol but its still very sweet, I added more yeast to both along with nutrient to see if it would speed it up but still pretty much the same there is still activity with frothy bubbles at the side and the mango one has lumps moving up and down the DJ. I will still drink them but prefer a dry wine, I also have another two on the go they were reading a potential 13% so hopefully they should ferment out quicker.

Chippy_Tea · May 17, 2017

If there are frothy bubbles and lumps moving up and down its still fermenting are you seeing airlock activity and what reading are you getting?

Tau · May 17, 2017

Well that's around 15-15.5% less if og 1.110. If racked (not mango- strain and rack if fruit still in there it will keep going for weeks more) not using camden now you could drop abv 1-2% and end up with a dry wine.

Thebigeasy · May 17, 2017

@ chippy yes slight frothing at side not as much as there was at start and only some lumps moving in the mango on the reading is at 20 jusbove the medium dry. There is airlock activity a bubble about every 10 secs.

@tau no mango fruit it was a juice from aldi, don't follow you about the Camden, is this a way to force it to become drier?

Chippy_Tea · May 17, 2017

Can you give more details as i don't get the 20 just above the medium dry you refer to.

Tau · May 17, 2017

Thebigeasy said:
@tau no mango fruit it was a juice from aldi, don't follow you about the Camden, is this a way to force it to become drier?

No camden would stop or slow greatly the ferment. By racking now you will make room for water top up, which will lower the abv and allow the yeast to ferment out the remaining sugar.

Thebigeasy · May 17, 2017

Chippy_Tea said:
Can you give more details as i don't get the 20 just above the medium dry you refer to.

the number 20 just below the small numbers 1014.

Thebigeasy · May 17, 2017

Tau said:
No camden would stop or slow greatly the ferment. By racking now you will make room for water top up, which will lower the abv and allow the yeast to ferment out the remaining sugar.

Ah get you now how long would that takes, its looking like am buying more.wine from the shop this weekend.

Chippy_Tea · May 17, 2017

the number 20 just below the small numbers 1014.

Jeez mate that is a mile off finished most of these wines will get down to dry at .990 and .995 is the highest i would stop one an anything above is too sweet for our taste.

chewie · May 17, 2017

Thebigeasy said:
Ah get you now how long would that takes, its looking like am buying more.wine from the shop this weekend.

Making beers, ciders and wines at home is a slow process, anything you make expect 6 weeks minimum before it's in a decent enough state to drink as they all improve with some ageing, yes it can be done sooner but starting out expect a minimum of 6 weeks, all manner of things can effect the fermenting time.

As you start to make more you will soon realise that some are best left untouched until a year or more has passed. I now have red wines that are at 2 years old and add one new 30 bottle red kit every year to build up aged stocks.

Thebigeasy · May 17, 2017

chewie said:
Making beers, ciders and wines at home is a slow process, anything you make expect 6 weeks minimum before it's in a decent enough state to drink as they all improve with some ageing, yes it can be done sooner but starting out expect a minimum of 6 weeks, all manner of things can effect the fermenting time.

As you start to make more you will soon realise that some are best left untouched until a year or more has passed. I now have red wines that are at 2 years old and add one new 30 bottle red kit every year to build up aged stocks.

Bit disappointed as the range kit takes about 2 weeks start to finish for 30 bottles, oh we'll guess I will just keep adding to the four I have on the go just now.

Thebigeasy · May 17, 2017

Chippy_Tea said:
Jeez mate that is a mile off finished most of these wines will get down to dry at .990 and .995 is the highest i would stop one an anything above is too sweet for our taste.

Do you think wilkos yeast will be strong enough to finish the fermentation?

Tau · May 17, 2017

Thebigeasy said:
Do you think wilkos yeast will be strong enough to finish the fermentation?

Wilko does not specify the abv tolerance of their yeasts, so no idea, but it should reach 14% abv.

Chippy_Tea · May 18, 2017

chewie said:
Making beers, ciders and wines at home is a slow process, anything you make expect 6 weeks minimum before it's in a decent enough.

I guess it depends on what you are making, all my supermarket juice wines are fine to drink as soon as they are bottled and do not benefit from ageing, the orange based wine was not and was not much better after a couple of weeks, I never made that one again.

Chippy_Tea · May 18, 2017

Thebigeasy said:
Do you think wilkos yeast will be strong enough to finish the fermentation?

If you water it down as suggested I cannot see why not.

Thebigeasy · May 18, 2017

Chippy_Tea said:
If you water it down as suggested I cannot see why not.

Apologies for the stupid question, would I clear the wine first then top up with water?

Chippy_Tea · May 18, 2017

No it won't clear while it's still fermenting.

how long should it take?

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