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My apricot wine is coming along fine, but I have some questions...

I recently started an apricot wine from dried apricots -- this was my first non-kit wine. Fermentation is progressing nicely, but some doubts have popped into my mind so I turn to the experts for some advice.

I did not use a nylon bag to hold the dried fruit since the recipe didn't mention it, but now I'm thinking I perhaps should have. I'm making a 2-gallon batch, and at the top of my fermentor is about a

2-3" layer of "puffy" fruit. It is very pale in colour and when I stir my mix this puffy layer floats back up within seconds. When I smell the wine without stirring the smell of alcohol is enough to knock you on the floor (far far stronger than I've ever experienced). I suspect this puffy stuff is soaking up the alcohol.

Should I have used a nylon bag? Should I strain the solution through one now? Should I skim off that layer? Is this normal? Anything I should look out for?

Thanks in advance, Harry

Reply to
Harry Colquhoun
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It would help if you posted your recipe? What was the OG? How long ago did you start this batch...

With a 2 gallon batch you could easily strain the fruit out when you rack to a secondary container.

Steve

Reply to
Steve Thompson

Sorry, recipe from Jack's page

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"Apricot Wine(3)".

According to the instructions, I leave it in the primary for 10 days, of which I just started day 3.

I've taken several pictures which I hope will help. The layer of pale stuff looks like this:

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It seems to be an even mix of the chopped raisins and dried apricots. Underneath that layer is still some "normal" looking fruit (i.e. not pale).

Here's a picture of the primary, and I've marked how thick the layer is:

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With 7 full days to go with that stuff in the primary, I'm wondering if I should get it out of there...

Thanks, Harry

Reply to
Harry Colquhoun

Reply to
A. J. Rawls

Harry:

Looked at the pictures. I'm a total noobie at this, ok, but I think yo need to try to chew your food a little more. :-)

Serioulsy, it looks like your fruit is floating on the must. The fruit may be wetted, but the little CO2 bubbles the yeast makes might be carrying to the top of the must. Usually my fruit is in a strainer bag which floats! and in addition I get lots of foam on the must.

In any case, if I don't get a pile of crud on my yeast I start to freak out, like the yeast isn't doing anything. 2 times (or more) a day push it back into the liquid. Rack it into the secondary when the recipe tells ya, ~10days. Isn't this great!

Steve - Noobie Oregon

Reply to
spud

You've gotten some good advice. What you are seeing is quite normal, the fruit will rise to the top of the solution suspended by the CO2. Stir it back into the must one to two times a day, as long as no mold is starting on top their is nothing to worry about. Keep the top of the bucket covered with a muslin or cloth cover to keep the little beasties out.

In 7 to 10 days, strain the fruit on top with a strainer and rack to a glass container and place an airlock on it.

Steve

Reply to
Steve Thompson

Steve is right. What you describe is perfectly normal. I never use a bag for any of my wines. The fermenting fruit will rise to the top and form a "cap". This is normal. The CO2 is forming on and in the fruit as the yeast works and causing the fruit to rise. In fact this is not only normal but it is an wine indicator. After 5 to 7 days, the cap will sink. This means that fermentation is slowing down and indicates it is time to rack off the fruit and move the wine to secondary. I pour it through a back and squeeze it out. This is when it should be under an airlock.

Ray

Reply to
Ray

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