Red wine temperature (fermentation)

[Kyral210]

What temperature should I ferment my red wine. Right now it is 23 degrees c, but I’ve read online I should be up at 29!

 

[DavieC]

Hi, the kits or Wows I've done it's usually room temperature in summer, so maybe 20'-23' ,DJ will heat up a bit during fermentation as well but only a degree or so. As a matter of interest,what are you making?

 

[Chippy_Tea]

If you need to get it warmer and don't have a heat pad or belt wrap the FV or DJ in a beach towel folded over a few times or an old coat anything that will keep the heat in will do.

 

[Kyral210]

I have a heat pad below the fermenter, a thermostat taped to the outside, and everything wrapped in insulation blankets. The setup is good at regulating the temperature.

I’m just wondering if 23 deg Is too low?

 

[Chippy_Tea]

To be honest i have never bothered too much about temperature i have had wines ferment at15c in winter in my kitchen (well wrapped up as above) and they never failed they just took a lot longer to finish (buying the heat pad sorted that), i don't imagine 23c will do any harm but i don't make red wine so someone else may correct me.

 

[Guzzie]

I am fermenting all of my country wines and my kit wines red/white/rose at 22C in autumn /winter and at kitchen/garage temperature in summer. I have just checked a Beverdale Nebbiolo kit I have and the instructions say 20 to 25 but keep as close to 20 as possible. I have seen online articles which say use a higher temperature but this looks like they are referring to a particular yeast - they all appear to be the same article but reworked on different websites !! Are you using a kit or a country wine with a particular yeast ?

 

[Stevieboy]

Room temp is fine - don't get hung up about it. Too hot is your enemy. Better a long slow cool ferment than a fast hot one.

 

[ChrisT]

Going on my skill at reading, rather than wine making, Red wine ferment higher than white wine, but the range in all the intructions I've read and tried, stick to 20-24C to keep your yeast happy.

Too low and your yeast will slow or even go to sleep. Too high can produce some nasty flavours and spoil your wine.

I've found 20C produces very fine results for red and white kits, WOWs and hedgerow.


Chris