airlock strangeness

[user 39926]

Hello all,

Anybody seen anything like this ? I've got some banana wine, now I'm (almost, hence this thread) confident it's ready to bottle - taken hydrometer readings couple of weeks apart just under 1 and they are consistent.

No airlock activity, the wine tastes dry and also no CO2 type smell (you know the faint acrid tang when directly snorting active and sometime semi-active home-brew). The brew is crystal clear too.

But after the last reading, I refit the airlock and activity starts and lasts for a few days then stops. Checked the reading again. no change - am I looking at trapped air that I've just introduced? It shouldn't need anymore degassing - I went through a week of swirling.

At this point in time, I'm thinking about sulphating, which I was trying to avoid on this batch, just to be on the safe side.

 

[johncrobinson]

All is well.
Fermentation often will stop-start as the yeast find new sugar sources to use.
Its one of the joys of "the old ways".

Eventually the wine will stabilise and should be racked at regular intervals every time a deposit forms,
this may take some months.(no kidding).

The eventual resulting wine will be stable and far superior to the sorbated and bottled alternative.

OR you could dose it up and drink it now.
Your choice.

 

[user 39926]

hmm. Thanks, there's only a v.thin layer of sediment - so I'll rack off and give it another month or so. It's just odd that the act of removing the airlock seems to start the thing up for a few days.

 

[johncrobinson]

As will a bit of a shake.

Banana wine is what I would call a country wine and will benefit from a bit of age,So I am glad you are not being too impatient with it.

I often use bananas in my wine,But I have to confess I have never made a banana only wine.
However I understand its quite delicious.
Good luck.