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Expecting a "stuck fermentation" - what to do next?

We've had a very late harvest in my neck of the Northwest, so I've jsut pressed my Syrah grapes. I'm using Wyeast Bordeaux yeast, which claims it will survive to 14% ABV, but I just redid my calculation and realized that I should end up with about 15.5% ABV (I started with

27.2 Brix).

So, now that I'm at about 5 Brix remaining (by hydrometer) and I want it to go dry, do I start a batch of yeast that can survive up to 18% ABV and pitch it on now, or wait until the current yeast dies off and pitch then? And I'm going to do ML on it - any comments on timing that?

It's so much easier when you're used to 22-23 Brix..

Rob

Reply to
Rob
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I'd do the first - start a strong batch of EC1118 or something similar and pitch at this stage. It might not take off if you wait until the wine is dry.

ML might be hard at those alcohol levels - there is a Hansen strain CH-16 that has alcohol tolerance up to 16%, so that might be your best option. If you use EC1118, make sure to add ML nutrients because that yeast isn't friendly to ML bacteria.

Pp

Reply to
pp

I'd agree with Pp - get some EC1118 in right away. I'd not worry about MLF just now - focus on getting the suigars fermented. Once that is done, then make some decisions. If it were me, depending on total acid (by titration) and which acids (based on a paper chrom test) I might consider suppressing MLF completely with lysozyme and get some SO2 on the wine, or I might pitch some ML bacteria and try to get it done at those alcohol levels.

Reply to
AxisOfBeagles

Thanks, all. I threw 1118 on it immediately, since the local store doesn't carry any yeast that isn't Red Star or Lalvin, and the fermentation continues. The last hydrometer reading I made was at 2 Brix, which puts it well over 14% alcohol already. With the pH at

3.2, I can maintain a low sulphite level and still keep it protected, so I put some ML bacteria on it, just in case it decides to do something about it.

Again, thanks for the help. I think we're OK now.

Rob

Reply to
Rob

OT - (kinda). Maybe dumb question (kinda). Are the single scale BRIX hydrometers some folks use calibrated for sugar/water solutions ?? (eg. No compensation for the acid found in wine musts) Or are they calibrated for winemaking by incorperating an allowance for acid in the BRIX calculation thus making them a "direct read" instrument ?? TIA

Frederick

Reply to
frederick ploegman

As I understand it the scales were developed using pure sucrose and pure water so unless they specifically state it I would say no compensation is made for any other dissolved solid (such as acid).

Table sugar is at least 99.5% pure sugar as a FWIW. The reference I use is from the US NBS (now NIST). Polarimetery, Saccharimetry and the Sugars by Bates et al. NIST refered me to it when I asked a similar question of them; it's what they used at the time. Joe

Reply to
Joe Sallustio

Thank you Joe

Gotta see if I can find that reference..........

Frederick

Reply to
frederick ploegman

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