Hello all!
Please be kind if this is a really ‘dumb’ question - but I am new to winemaking, and starting with kits as I learn more about the process (eventually I will venture into making wine from fresh fruits and veggies, but for now, the kits are a great way to learn).
I have made three full-size fruit wine recipe kits (one bottled already, one finishing/clearing now, one actively fermenting). All three of those had noticeable airlock activity within hours of pitching the yeast, and, that airlock activity remained pretty vigorous until tapering off between days 10-12 or so for the first two kits; the third kit is still doing fine one week in.
One week ago I also started my first ‘Small Batch Cabernet’ using the recipe/ingredient kit that came with the starter equipment set. Followed the instructions exactly and set it up to ferment, applied a fermentation heat wrap to keep temp steady at about 74-76 degrees F (and monitoring that every few hours). Airlock activity did not start nearly as quickly as with the fruit wine recipe kits - after one day I did not note any; however, there were other signs of fermentation including clusters of bubbles on the surface of the must. By the end of that second day we had airlock activity, though, still not as frequent/active as what I have noted with the fruit varietals.
Today we are at the one-week mark. Last night I noted some airlock activity, but, several minutes between each ‘bloop’ of rising bubbles. Today, nothing, after hanging out near the fermenter for a good 15 minutes to watch. I also noticed that the water/sulfite solution in the airlock (the double-bubble “S” style model) is now starting to level off, as opposed to the water being pushed largely to one side (as happens when CO2 is regularly pushing its way through).
I have not taken a hydrometer reading yet - though I suppose that is the next step. Before I remove the airlock and expose the contents to air, though - is it normal for the airlock activity to be more or less vigorous, based on the type of wine/must? (e.g. my batches of Very Black Cherry, Green Apple, Pineapple Pear Pinot Grigio, have all had very robust airlock activity, the Cabernet Sauvignon a lot less/subtler). Is it simply different due to the small batch size?
Holly
Not sure. About. Wine. But more sugars. Fermenting. More airlock activty. Its co2 as well what escapes. Depends as well on your head space. In your fermentor
Yes every fermentation is different. Type of fermentables as well as type of yeast. What are you fermenting in? You may have an air leak. I start my wine in buckets and then rack to carboys
Hi all -
So… I am fermenting in the ‘Little Big Mouth Bubbler’ that came with the Small Batch winemaking kit. The vessel is stated as holding roughly 1.4 gallons when full; before I started the batch, I poured in a gallon of water and marked the side so I would know where the 1-gallon mark was for starting the batch. So… I presume there is about .4 gallon of headspace remaining.
After posting this I went to where this particular batch is fermenting (on our wet bar counter, wrapped in a towel to keep light out - fermenter wrap beneath) - and I gave the jar a couple of gentle ‘twists’ to stir up a bit of sediment. Returned to that area of the house a bit later and voila - activity in the airlock again. The water has been displaced mostly to one side of the S-shaped airlock again and CO2 bubbles now coming through several times per minute.
I’m a novice at this - but could it be that simple? Too much settling, preventing the yeast from doing its thing?
Holly
Yes that simpel
Welcome to the forum. There are no stupid questions and best of all no trolls on this forum.
As @brew_cat said every fermentation is different. It can be due to yeast strain, amount of yeast pitched, temp of fermentation, yeast health, amounts of readily fermentable sugar.
Some yeast will flocculate early and leave residual sugars.
Relax Hollyhock. THERE ARE NO DUMB QUESTIONS.
Everyone starts at the beginning, and every answer raises 5 more questions.
Not sure I fully understand what you are asking but will take a swing at it.
Ambient temperature affects the speed of fermentation. Warmer room and the yeast will ferment faster. Too cold and the yeast will go dormant
Sometimes the airlock bubbles after the fermentation has ended. Here the wine is off gassing CO2
