Beano for Vino

I know nothing about the use of Beano in beer/wine, but it sounds to me like you have a stuck fermentation. Stuck fermentations can be cured in a number of ways (stirring, adding nutrients, adding energizer, pitching in a new yeast packet, etc.) so it might be that adding beano is yet another way to unstick a fermentation. Out of curiosity how much beano did you add? Ken

So far I've added 9 tablets to my 32 liter barrel (brewers typically need just 2-3 per 19 liters to get their beers dropping) and 4 to an 11 liter carboy. The barrel is "up" to a spectacular 75 seconds per burp, carboy (which has been sitting longer so probably less life in the yeast) is pretty much burpless.

I only ever get these finishing gravity issues with kits. My grape wines generally hit -1.5 to -2 Brix, without hesitation. I use plenty of nutrients during the fermentation. Superfood initially, then a DAP addition a couple of days later. The yeast has been stirred up, and it's mostly all there still, since I want to do sur lies aging. Both yeasts I used are known to have excellent alcohol tolerance and should take 24.5 to dryness.

I think I will try adding some fresh K1-V yeast to the barrel. I'll pull some wine off, dilute it and see if I can get a good active starter going before sending it into the fray.

Brian

I haven't done these kits but several white kits from Spagnol's. I nver had any problems getting down to -2B. In fact, the 2 driest whites I've ever got were 2 white kits that ended at around -2.5B.

In terms of yeast nutrients, kits should have these blended in already, so it might not be a good idea adding more.

What temperature did you ferment at?

I'd suggest you contact Winexpert directly and ask them about what the ending gravity should be for this kit - that should give you an idea whether nonfermentable sugars are involved and they might have some suggestions too what to do. It does sound weird.

Pp

18-20C

Just as a followup, a friend of mine reminded me that Clinitest tablets will give me an accurate determination of remaining fermentable sugars, and from that standpoint, 3 different samples on a couple of scales gave me a reading of approx 0.5% fermentable sugars remaining. (I'm still working on attacking those via normal stuck fermentation techniques. The Beano has really done nothing to produce a more fermentable must).

Anyway, my hydrometers give me readings of 0.997 (wide range) and 1.000 (narrow range). A recent test of another wine yielded a .992 reading on the narrow range, so I know it is not reading abnormally high.

At a conservative estimate then, there must be at least 1% residual sugar in this particular wine kit in a form that Clinitest does not pick up as a fermentable sugar. That IMO is unacceptable in a higher end kit.

Brian

That's interesting. I'm wondering whether it's really the case that Clinitest only picks up fermentable sugars - I guess this is more a medical question. I'd still suggest you talk to Winexpert, it would be interesting to see what they have to say. I know some of their (red) kits end up with a high sg, but perhaps this is not sugar but other solids... just a thought. I've only done Spagnols' Australian Chard and that was bone dry - 0.990.

Pp

I won't dare wade into that one. If you want to be fascinated for hours (days? weeks?), go to the Homebrew Digest web site

and do a search there on Clinitest.

I'd still suggest you talk to Winexpert, it would be

What I think I will do is post on the WinePress site and see if I can get a response out of Tim Vandergrift.

Brian

Tim replied. His explanation is that the pasteurization process bonds sugars to acids. How lovely. When will the world realize the benefits of irradiation?

He seems to feel their Premier Cuvee yeast does a good job of splitting off and reducing the bound sugars. Maybe it is better than other yeasts but I would say not good enough. Well, there's lots of yeast in there and it ain't going anywhere because it will be aged sur lies for many months. We'll see what happens over time.

Brian

Well, he must know, but does that really answer your question? If that was the cause of the high ending sg, then shouldn't _all_wine kits have the same problem? I've used EC1118, 58W3, D47, and CY3079 on kit wines (admittedly not Winexpert) and never had problems getting down to dryness.

Good luck with the lees aging, Brian, hope it'll help.

Pp

I've decided I'm going to get another kit for blending (and hope I can get that dry). I just haven't made up my mind whether to go with another Brew King or get an En Primeur Chardonnay (which unfortunately is $30 more unless I can talk the vendor down some).

Brian

You could try the Cru Select Platinum from Spagnols - that should be the same price as the Winexpert and same quality level. I've done the Aus Chard this year and it's looking pretty good, likely the best kit white I've done. That was the one that went down to around 0.990 - think it was CY3079 and am not sure right now, would have to check my notes.

Pp

At the bottom of this web page,

, about finings is the mention of something called Rohament P. It contains some other enzymes to release more flavors from fruit pulp, from the same source as the enzymes that are in Beano. So there's plenty of people interested in using new things to get a different flavor.