i have just started my first 6 bottle wine kit, i followed the instructions to the book, after a couple of hours i noticed that already there was a good foam on top and plenty of action in the airlock, i went out and returned a few hours later to find the wine had gone flat inside the demijohn, alothough still bubbles in th airlock, i also have a heater towards the top of the demijohn.
is this flatness normal????
my first go at wine
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Reg
- I do it all with smoke and mirrors
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Wine usually goes nuclear to start with. Although I wouldn't expect things to go completely flat, there is usually a rapid settling down into a slower fermentation. Typically your wine will ferment for alot longer than a beer 
Heating will not do any great harm, as wine yeasts are partial to a warm climate, as you might expect.
One note of caution, did you check the sell by date on your yeast sachet?
Heating will not do any great harm, as wine yeasts are partial to a warm climate, as you might expect.One note of caution, did you check the sell by date on your yeast sachet?
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pongobilly
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maxashton
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Reg
- I do it all with smoke and mirrors
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Most wine yeast is bottom fermenting and forms a pretty solid paste at the bottom of your demijohn. There is typically only a foamy head at the beginning of fermentation.pongobilly wrote:just had a look and on a close look and allthough the liquid looks flat its not cos theres bubbles rising to the top rapidly, but there no foam on top like i had with me beer, the airlock is going crazy, maybe it is ok????
Your best measure of the ferment's progress aside from a hydrometer is the bubbling rate in the airlock. 
Reg
Last edited by Reg on Mon Feb 26, 2007 2:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Reg
- I do it all with smoke and mirrors
- Posts: 2119
- Joined: Fri Dec 17, 2004 1:00 pm
- Location: Knebworth, UK
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I personally have never bothered with kits and never been caught out with a sluggish ferment.maxashton wrote:Is it wise to make starters for wine in the same way you'd make one for beer?
The concentrate is practically sterile and as long as the yeast is reasonably recent, wine yeast gets going pretty quickly in grape juice.Your issue becomes a little bit more complex with your own pressed fruit juices. Fruits come with natural yeasts in their skin, not all of which may be suitable to a pleasant fermentation of the must. Whilst commerically, some producers will rely on the natural yeasts to promote fermentation, I have tended to introduce a small active culture quite quickly to ensure the domination of my chosen yeast strain.
This also allows for quite alot of fun in your final choice of wine style. Elderberry Cava anyone? Reg
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Tufty
I've made wine from fruit, vegetables and from kits.
I find that there is usually a visible fermetation (surface frothing) within the first 3 or 4 hours and this usually goes away after 8 hours or so...depending on the temperature.
I have tea wine and Black Cherry wine on the go at the moment and the tea wine is still bubbling away after almost 2 months. Cherry wine has just been started (from frozen black cherries bought last year) and is still very active after a week. There is no 'froth' on the surface but the airlock is bubbling about one every second.
Rhubarb wine is next on the list
I find that there is usually a visible fermetation (surface frothing) within the first 3 or 4 hours and this usually goes away after 8 hours or so...depending on the temperature.
I have tea wine and Black Cherry wine on the go at the moment and the tea wine is still bubbling away after almost 2 months. Cherry wine has just been started (from frozen black cherries bought last year) and is still very active after a week. There is no 'froth' on the surface but the airlock is bubbling about one every second.
Rhubarb wine is next on the list
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Tufty
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Tufty
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Tufty