Do I need to repitch?

Winemaking
1

I started the Cellar Craft Showcase Red Mountain Cabernet on 11-26 and fermentation took off. Used BDX yeast. It was bubbling like crazy for several days. But it seems to have stalled out. While I haven’t taken gravity readings everyday, it was still at 1.035 today. OG was 1.093. While I do have in fermentation bucket in the house, I have it covered with blankets to make sure it stays fairly warm. Too cold for the garage.

This is my first go at wine making but have experience making beer. According to the instruction, I shouldn’t be racking to a secondary until it is at 1.000. I am NOT even close. Should I leave it? Should I warm it up somehow? Should I repitch? Any ideas?

Thanks
Robert

2

One thing to remember about wine is that it likes to ferment much warmer than beer. Usuallly around 70 degrees. The first thing I would try would be to warm it up to about 70 or so then give it a good swirl to stir up the yeast. Hopefully they’re just dormant. If that doesn’t work you may need to pitch but a stuck fermentation is pretty rare. :slight_smile:

3

I actually have done tons of Cellar Craft kits. The only one that should have any issues with fermentation is the Amarone. 1.035 after 2 weeks does seem like a problem though. Get a heating belt or something on it for the time being and keep an eye on any movement in gravity.

  1. What was your fermentation temp? Anything below 22 C at this time of year will give you issues.

  2. What was your starting volume before adding the grape skins. Most of these kits are designed to be at 23l before adding the skins. A little less should be OK with the Red Mountain Cab (slightly above 23 with the skins) but if the volume was too low to start it could very well be an issue.

  3. Hopefully you won’t have to repitch at all because getting a stalled wine to start at this point in the game is very tricky. Already enough alcohol in there to give the yeast serious issues.

Post back over the next few days and let us know of any progress.

4

Moved the fermenting bucket to the bathroom as this is the warmest place I have. Heating belt has been on since Wed night at this point. Stirred it up last night really good using a sanitized spoon.
As of this morning I haven’t seen any air bubbles out of the airlock but will take a gravity reading tonight. If it hasn’t moved i will repitch tomorrow.

I spoke to my LHBS store about this and they confirmed that I should not repitch the same yeast I started with. You use something else which I can’t remember at this point.

Will update with my gravity reading tonight.

Thanks
Robert

5

Update:

Went in an spoke to one of the guys at my LHBS. Asked about yeast for repitching… :oops:

I have since transfered to a secondary and am moving forward with my first wine batch.

Robert