Is this wine fermenting?

[bobbyisstrange]

So I have only brewed beers and meads in the past...this is my first 5 gallons of wine I’ve ever done...this is also the first time my airlock has not had any activity...I read that if there is a lot of head room it won’t have register any activity...I cracked it open to take a look...is this active fermentation?

 

[kh54s10]

I would say that it is most definitely fermenting. Unless that scum was on the surface before you closed up the bucket.

Probably just a leaky seal....

 

[rickswine]

Looks like its going great! What kind of grapes?

 

[bobbyisstrange]

Looks like its going great! What kind of grapes?

Cabernet Sauvignon

 

[bernardsmith]

Why don't you take a hydrometer reading? That will show if the gravity is dropping or stable. Guessing is great for TV quizzes and crossword puzzles but it's not really very useful when it comes to wine making.

 

[kh54s10]

Why don't you take a hydrometer reading? That will show if the gravity is dropping or stable. Guessing is great for TV quizzes and crossword puzzles but it's not really very useful when it comes to wine making.

It's fermenting. Don't take a gravity reading yet. Leave it alone for a while. Anything you do now is non productive and possible detrimental. You risk infecting for a useless gravity reading.

 

[bobbyisstrange]

How long would you recommend leaving it in the primary? I was thinking about transferring into a secondary in about 10 days

 

[bernardsmith]

It's fermenting. Don't take a gravity reading yet. Leave it alone for a while. Anything you do now is non productive and possible detrimental. You risk infecting for a useless gravity reading.

This ain't grain. It's fruit. What is going to infect the fruit? Pneumonia? If the yeast is doing anything then the pH is dropping and if the yeast are not working then some bacterial activity may help provide a more complex wine. Speak to authentic grape wine makers and you will see that they allow their fruit to sit without yeast for days to encourage all kinds of wild yeast, bacterial activity and tannin extraction. Wine making ain't brewing...
Oh ... and wine makers have no problem returning the sample they have taken to measure the SG back into the fermenter...

 

[kh54s10]

This ain't grain. It's fruit. What is going to infect the fruit? Pneumonia? If the yeast is doing anything then the pH is dropping and if the yeast are not working then some bacterial activity may help provide a more complex wine. Speak to authentic grape wine makers and you will see that they allow their fruit to sit without yeast for days to encourage all kinds of wild yeast, bacterial activity and tannin extraction. Wine making ain't brewing...
Oh ... and wine makers have no problem returning the sample they have taken to measure the SG back into the fermenter...

So that is why the directions in kits say to sanitize carefully? Whatever... I do believe the chances of infection is slim because of the alcohol content. But there is nothing to be gained by messing about and taking gravity readings at this point, except to confirm that yes, fermentation is occurring..... as is pretty evident by just looking in the bucket.

I admit that I don't know that much about wine making but I would suspect that wineries do not let things just go there way with wild yeasts and bacteria not knowing if they will get a great wine or vinegar.

 

[bernardsmith]

But to get vinegar you need 3 things - alcohol, oxygen and acebacter. Two out of the three means that you do not get vinegar - and so until the must has been transformed into wine and the wine has been exposed to lots of O2 and the oxygenated wine has been exposed to those acetobacter the most you can get is nothing very terrible. And if kits advise you to be sure to sanitize, they are not wrong but sanitization refers only to how you prepare your equipment before you use it. Sanitization does not mean sterilization and it does not mean that you need to keep a barge pole's length away from your fermenter. Sanitization does not prevent you from testing and tasting your wine as it progresses - wine ain't beer. . Failure to test is like the cook who fails to constantly taste. He might be a "cook" but that cook ain't no chef.

 

[kh54s10]

But to get vinegar you need 3 things - alcohol, oxygen and acebacter. Two out of the three means that you do not get vinegar - and so until the must has been transformed into wine and the wine has been exposed to lots of O2 and the oxygenated wine has been exposed to those acetobacter the most you can get is nothing very terrible. And if kits advise you to be sure to sanitize, they are not wrong but sanitization refers only to how you prepare your equipment before you use it. Sanitization does not mean sterilization and it does not mean that you need to keep a barge pole's length away from your fermenter. Sanitization does not prevent you from testing and tasting your wine as it progresses - wine ain't beer. . Failure to test is like the cook who fails to constantly taste. He might be a "cook" but that cook ain't no chef.

Now you are getting ridiculous. Sure it takes a lot to make a wine go to vinegar. But I still say that taking a gravity reading at this point will only tell you that fermentation has started. Something that is evident by just looking at it.

I suppose that you could "chef it" and take a gravity reading every day. But it is totally unnecessary. And making wine is not the same as constantly tasting while cooking. Unless you are adding ingredients, and tasting to see how much to add to get the taste from that ingredient, the wine will be done when it is done. There is no need for a gravity reading at this time.

 

[bernardsmith]

OK - but what is so obvious to you that the must was fermenting was clearly not obvious to the OP and despite what you say the only really valid method of determining whether the yeast is active is to observe a drop in gravity. That is something you can only do (for all intents and purposes) by measuring a change in the specific gravity or brix and so anyone who asks whether their wine is fermenting either does not know how to use an hydrometer or does not have an hydrometer and neither condition is good for someone making wine. That said, there is no good reason to take a reading every day, but taking readings "when needed" is something most wine and mead makers I know engage in. If you don't, you don't, but if you make kits (I don't) I have no idea how you know when to rack from primary to secondary.

 

[kh54s10]

OK - but what is so obvious to you that the must was fermenting was clearly not obvious to the OP and despite what you say the only really valid method of determining whether the yeast is active is to observe a drop in gravity. That is something you can only do (for all intents and purposes) by measuring a change in the specific gravity or brix and so anyone who asks whether their wine is fermenting either does not know how to use an hydrometer or does not have an hydrometer and neither condition is good for someone making wine. That said, there is no good reason to take a reading every day, but taking readings "when needed" is something most wine and mead makers I know engage in. If you don't, you don't, but if you make kits (I don't) I have no idea how you know when to rack from primary to secondary.

So far I only make kits.

I wait until it is a time frame when the yeast should have gotten the wine to the point that it should be ready for transfer. And that won't be the day after pitching the yeast... Then I take a gravity reading.

The OP asked, got two answers saying that it was good. Yes you can take a gravity reading as you suggested. But I still say he got an affirmative and taking a reading at this point is unnecessary.

 

[jgmillr1]

So far I only make kits.

I wait until it is a time frame when the yeast should have gotten the wine to the point that it should be ready for transfer. And that won't be the day after pitching the yeast... Then I take a gravity reading.

The OP asked, got two answers saying that it was good. Yes you can take a gravity reading as you suggested. But I still say he got an affirmative and taking a reading at this point is unnecessary.

It is just common practice to monitor the fermentation progress. This is especially critical when fermenting grapes on skins so as to provide information on when to press. And if dipping in a sanitized beaker to collect a sample out of a fermenting bucket gives you worries, you should see the process of pressing fermented grapes!

 

[kh54s10]

It is just common practice to monitor the fermentation progress. This is especially critical when fermenting grapes on skins so as to provide information on when to press. And if dipping in a sanitized beaker to collect a sample out of a fermenting bucket gives you worries, you should see the process of pressing fermented grapes!

OK, but that is very different than what is happening here. And I doubt the need for a monitoring at the very beginning of the process.

 

[jgmillr1]

OK, but that is very different than what is happening here. And I doubt the need for a monitoring at the very beginning of the process.

The point is that monitoring an active fermentation progress does not problems. Once fermentation nears the end, I agree there is risk of introduction of oxygen or microbes, and exposure should be minimized.

In the question posed by the OP, it was unclear what stage the fermentation was in and the wine will need to be moved to the secondary as it nears completion. No way of knowing without measuring.

As to whether it *needs* to be monitored, I would say that is good wine making practice to at least keep tabs on it. How else do you know whether the fermentation is beginning to stick? When I ferment juice, I make sure the fermentation successfully starts and progresses as expected. There's a sample tap on my tanks that makes it easy to check. When it finishes I drop the lid down onto the wine to remove the headspace before eventually racking it. I can only know whether it is ready for that step by monitoring it.

 

[bernardsmith]

And many - if not most - seasoned wine /mead makers don't seal their primaries (and don't use airlocks in the primary)- and indeed ferment in buckets loosely covered with a cloth to enable them (especially mead makers) to degas several times a day in order to reduce the stress on the yeast caused by the acidity caused by CO2 and the pressure of the gas on the yeast. And for those who follow SNA or TOSNA , to feed the yeast nutrients as the yeast depletes the sugar to specific levels (thus demanding routine monitoring of the fermentation process). Pitch it and leave is not considered good practice especially when fruit is involved. The last thing you want is a cap of fruit that allows a build up of CO2 that cannot escape except quite violently. And that can happen. But then wine making is not as anxiety -provoking as brewing seems to be for brewers.

 

[kh54s10]

OK, I'll take what you guys are saying regarding pretty advanced winemaking, If you accept what I am saying. This is more than likely a kit. The OP says he didn't see any airlock activity. From the looks of it I would say a couple of days. Unless he says different. So is it really important to take a gravity reading so soon?

 

[bernardsmith]

airlock activity is all but meaningless - a poor seal can mean no activity and changes in airpressure or temperature can make it seem as if there is activity with CO2 already produced and in solution and every yeast cell dormant.

 

[kh54s10]

No kidding? The OP mentioned that he didn't have airlock activity, that is why he opened the bucket, took the picture and asked if people felt it was fermenting.

Getting way now!!!

 

[bernardsmith]

Right ... and when anyone says that they don't see any activity in the airlock that tells seasoned wine/mead makers that the other person is very likely to be a rank novice. So simply telling them that there is/ or is no problem this time does is giving them a fish and is not teaching them how to catch their won fish so tomorrow they are going to be just as hungry again...I guess I believe in teaching people how to fish rather than simply providing enough fish for the next meal.

 

[bobbyisstrange]

Yea...I have no idea what anyone is talking about.

 

[bobbyisstrange]

The point is that monitoring an active fermentation progress does not problems. Once fermentation nears the end, I agree there is risk of introduction of oxygen or microbes, and exposure should be minimized.

In the question posed by the OP, it was unclear what stage the fermentation was in and the wine will need to be moved to the secondary as it nears completion. No way of knowing without measuring.

It was day 3...probably going put it in a secondary this Sunday. The directions said 5 to 7 days in primary.

 

[kh54s10]

Right ... and when anyone says that the
y don't see any activity in the airlock that tells seasoned wine/mead makers that the other person is very likely to be a rank novice. So simply telling them that there is/ or is no problem this time does is giving them a fish and is not teaching them how to catch their won fish so tomorrow they are going to be just as hungry again...I guess I believe in teaching people how to fish rather than simply providing enough fish for the next meal.

Yea...I have no idea what anyone is talking about.

That is what I thought. You advanced people are giving a post graduate course to a freshman. And to me a junior. We are not ready for all the advanced techniques you are spouting....

bobbyisstrange, I think you are on the right track the directions in my kits gave a gravity reading that you want to get to before transfer. The last one was .0998 if I recall. This is the time to use the hydrometer to get a gravity reading. If your directions give a gravity target, go with that. If you are not going with gravity, I would go with the long time that the kit suggests.

 

[bobbyisstrange]

She seems to be bubbling now...not much but is definitely working...is it normal for the room she is in to have a slightly fruity smell?

 

[Yooper]

Yes, and it should smell good (not like rotten fruit, but instead like fermenting fruit).

If you're making a kit, follow the directions exactly and it will turn out great. did you buy a kit, or start with frozen juice/grapes?

 

[bobbyisstrange]

Yes, and it should smell good (not like rotten fruit, but instead like fermenting fruit).

If you're making a kit, follow the directions exactly and it will turn out great. did you buy a kit, or start with frozen juice/grapes?

It wasn’t a kit per-say, we bought Cabernet Sauvignon juice and it had wine making directions on it...we went to the local brew store and bought everything else and went step by step.

 

[Yooper]

It wasn’t a kit per-say, we bought Cabernet Sauvignon juice and it had wine making directions on it...we went to the local brew store and bought everything else and went step by step.

Ok, that makes sense. Since you've got the juice fermenting, can you take a hydrometer reading at about day 5-7 and see where you are? You would sanitize the hydrometer, the testing jar, and a tester or turkey baster and pull out a small sample for the jar, spin the hydrometer in the liquid gently to get rid of bubbles and take the reading at eye level. If it's at 1.010 or less, it should be moved to a carboy.