To stir or not to stir?

[Polcho]

I started my first kit wine yesterday.

Followed the instructions, but it did not mention anything about stirring or mixing the juice.

Well, it did, it said not to, but that was for the pitching of yeast.

My problem is this:
I put the concentrate in the fermenter.
Added water to 23lts.
Took a sample, set it aside.
Added yeast.
Closed the fermenter.
Checked the OG.
1022
Thought ‘that’s queer’
Took another sample from the bottom tap.
It lifted the hydrometer out of the tube.
So clearly, the concentrate and water didn’t mix during the filling process.

My question is:
Should I risk opening and stir, or will the yeast find the juice by itself?

I started around 1700 yesterday, about 12 hours or so ago.
The fermenter has been a steady 23 deg all night.
Nothing moving at all at this point.
I’m not keen to open it, but I will if people think I should.
Thanks.

 

[buddsy]

What wine kit are you doing?

Mine have always said make sure you mix thoroughly before taking a reading. I think they even say if you are not with in arrange around 1.090 mix again.

buddsy

 

[Polcho]

It’s from Solomon Grundy.

 

[Polcho]

I’ll have a look tonight when I get back.

 

[Stevieboy]

I'd leave it alone, it will mix itself when the fermentation starts. But always mix your concentrate and water in the future.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I have made a few SG kits and always stirred to get to juice and sugar well mixed.

 

[Bubbleyjugs]

Did you put sugar in?

 

[Polcho]

It said it included. I did look for it, but I resigned to thinking it must be in the concentrate. Pretty sure it was, the sample from the bottom tap literally pushed the hydrometer out of the tube.

 

[Bubbleyjugs]

Yeah it needed a good stir lol. I’ve just done a Solomon Grundy red and mine needed 4kg. It was very nice and drinkable. I might have a look at the gold boxes next.

 

[Polcho]

It says it’s ready to drink in 7 days. That can’t be right?

 

[Stevieboy]

It says it’s ready to drink in 7 days. That can’t be right?

No wine will be ready in 7 days! In my experience you'll need 2 weeks fermenting, a week clearing down/ degassing, then bottling.

 

[Bubbleyjugs]

It says it’s ready to drink in 7 days. That can’t be right?

I did leave mine a little longer because I didn’t have the heating on at the time so didn’t quite get upto the required heat. Maybe a fortnight, I wasn’t really in any rush then.

 

[Bubbleyjugs]

No wine will be ready in 7 days! In my experience you'll need 2 weeks fermenting, a week clearing down/ degassing, then bottling.

The kit comes with finings and was clear in a day. It is possible to be ready in 7 days if you have the right temp. They can’t sell a product if it isn’t advertised correctly or is misleading.

 

[Stevieboy]

I did leave mine a little longer because I didn’t have the heating on at the time so didn’t quite get upto the required heat. Maybe a fortnight, I wasn’t really in any rush then.

The best thing you can learn is patience!

 

[Bubbleyjugs]

The best thing you can learn is patience!

I agree. I bought the kit for the price £22 for 23lters and not the speed. Also it had good reviews too

 

[Chippy_Tea]

It says it’s ready to drink in 7 days. That can’t be right?

I don't get how they get away with that its false advertising as we all know it'll be done when the yeast cannot find any more sugar to turn to alcohol.
I don't know which kit it is but all the SG kits i made said to add sugar.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Finished on day 5 my a**e.
Looks like the platinum kits don't need sugar -




7 Day, 30 Bottle kit. Start the fermentation on day 1, it’s finished by Day 5, and cleared and ready to drink by Day 7.

Solomon Grundy Platinum is the latest addition to the hugely popular Solomon Grundy range of 7 day wine kits.
There is no need to add any extra sugar to these kits, and none of the quality from the original ranges has been lost.

Each kit produces 30 bottles of great tasting wine at very low cost!

https://www.biggerjugs.co.uk/produc...latinum is the,original ranges has been lost.

 

[Yellow Car]

My first wine kit was a Cellar 7 Pinot Grigio 7 day kit, and surprisingly fermentation was over in less than a week, and probably could have been bottled on day 7.

I'm sure it benefitted from a few more days primary and settling, but as the must is stabilized, degassed, and fined before bottling, you can get "something" in a bottle that won't be a bottle bomb in a week.

 

[Polcho]

Well I popped it up to 28c, it’s bubbling away steadily now. Steady, not flying away, so I’m happy with that.
I’ll stir it well next time

 

[ChrisT]

Personally I'd risk a stir and then take another SG reading, but leaving it alone should get it mixed eventually with normal yeast activity. I'd guess the fermentation will take longer, until the little yeasties have dug down to the bottom through all of their dead friends.