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Help! My cranberries are not fermenting

I started a batch of cranberry wine following Jack Keller's recipe. After mixing all the ingredients, the specific gravity was 1.092, the TA was 0.52%, and the pH was 2.85. I thought that the pH was way too low, and I was afraid that the yeast wouldn't work, so I added 2 more cups of water in an attempt to increase it. I added 100 g. of sugar along with the water in order to maintain the sugar level. It's now been 36 hours since I pitched the yeast (Pasteur Champagne) and there is no activity. I increased the room temperature from 70 F to 75 F, and I've been stirring the must every several hours. What's going on? Is the low pH killing the yeast? Should I increase the room temperature some more? Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Reply to
Igor
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what volume of wine are you making? Adding a couple cups of water will not significantly change pH because pH is a logarithemis scale (so a wine with a pH of 3 has 10 times the number of protons in solution as a wine with a pH of 4). You look to be a full pH unit below the optimal pH range for yeast (3.7-4).

that would be my first guess at your sluggish ferment. Did you pitch the yeast directly into the wine or did you rehydrate? that low of a pH could be fairly lethal to a yeast that you pitch directly into the must.

My first guess is that the low pH is inhibiting yeast activity. I would add 1/4 tsp of calcium carbonate (or potassium bicarbonate) to the batch, test the pH (try to get it above 3 at least) and then pitch fresh yeast.

Reply to
Droopy

The recipe that I'm following is for one gallon of finished wine. I mixed the yeast with lukewarm water (100 F) and then poured that into the must.

Reply to
Igor

Yeah i a guess that the pH was jsut to low. You used nutrient and all that right?

Reply to
Droopy

Igor,

Check the similar thread of 2/9/06. Cranberries contain natural Benzoic acid, which is a preservative & inhibits yeast growth.

Try making a starter and adding your cranberry must to it in small, increasing increments. Say, a cup of must to a quart of active starter, then a pint when it's fermenting well again, then a quart, etc. Keep adding 50% of your fermenting volume, if it will tolerate it. This method works well for a lot of stuck fermentations, and may work here too.

Reply to
Mike McGeough

Reply to
Roger McGinnis

Update:

This morning I started another packet of Pasteur Champagne with a little warm water. Then I mixed it with 1/2 cup of the cranberry must plus another 1/2 cup of plain water. A couple of hours later it was fermenting. Then I started adding one cup of must per hour. I have now transfered about half of all the must and it's still fermenting vigorously. Anyway, thanks for the suggestions, which saved the day.

Reply to
Igor

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