Welch's and foam...

The amount of foam depends entirely on what yeast you used. It has nothing to do with the recipe.

I've seen some yeasts produce virtually no foam at all, and I've seen other strains produce foam like an exploding volcano.

I believe Champagne yeast was the least foamy.

Greg

Hi Quixote.

I haven't made the wine your method, but I've made it following Jack's recipe using Gervin No.2 montrachet red style yeast and it didn't foam significantly. I've one foam over using Gervins No.3 champagne style with a rhubarb wine, but I put that down to the strange large particles which formed when I racked to secondary rather than foaming.

Thanks for the info on that Greg I'd not refined my observations to determine that it was how different yeasts will react to a must, it makes perfect sense once you know it!

Jim

Great, thanks for that info. I can handle the foam then and just go to the secondary when it calms a little, which I believe it already has. The yeast was Red Star Pasteur Red. It was either that or Flor Sherry, as they are the only 2 strains my local shop carries. I know I need to branch out and learn to match yeast strains to the project, but I am still just getting my feet wet...

Quixote

I am very much a newbie myself. I wouldn't feel that you necessarily had the wrong yeast for the job just because it went foam crazy with this recipe :)

I like to think of it like this: Till the day I die there'll be a whole load of trial and error in my winemaking. Hopefully as time goes on the ratio of trial to error will increase.

Good luck!

Jim

secondary when it calms a little, which I

that or Flor Sherry, as they are the only

match yeast strains to the project, but I

It is more of a case of having no idea whether it was the right or wrong yeast, but simply using what's at hand. My total experience so far is 1 gallon of straight mead, and 2 separate gallons of prickly pear wine using 2 different recipes. All are in last racking now and just waiting to clear a little (or for me to clear them) and bottle. We won't talk about the 5 gallons of wild mustang wine that spilled across the table onto the floor from a cracked carboy... (that was tasting incredible btw...).

Quixote

Ha ha no sure. The recipe only calls for 'wine yeast' if I recall anyway!

Jim

yeast, but simply using what's at hand. My

of prickly pear wine using 2 different

for me to clear them) and bottle. We

table onto the floor from a cracked

wrong yeast for the job just because it

of trial and error in my winemaking.

secondary when it calms a little, which

that or Flor Sherry, as they are the

to match yeast strains to the project,

As already stated some yeast are low foaming, others aren't. However, I have seen different amounts of foam from kits using EC-1118, so there must be something else.

Also, next time don't scoop off the foam. I think you just threw out some perfectly good wine.

Also, you have learned why I would never start a wine in a carboy or secondary vessel.

Steve

I initially was going to leave the foam. I even tried gently folding it back into the must, but it was very peristent and just came right back up. After leaving it alone for a day or so the top of it started to dry, become gummy and look bad. That is what I scooped off. Anyway, I stuck it in the secondary with an airlock just this evening and all looks fine.

Quixote

I've given this some more thought, and I suspect you are correct. While I still think the yeast is the main culprit, I suspect that the availability of oxygen and/or nutrients might also play a role.

Greg G.

The amount of foaming has a lot to do with the viscosity of the liquid.. . the thicker the liquid, the easier to trap CO2 bubbles and cause foam. Also, the higher the fermentation temperature, the more foaming, because more rapid fermentation gives off more C02.

Gene

snipped-for-privacy@testeng>> As already stated some yeast are low foaming, others aren't. However,

Jack Keller has an new wineblog entry on this very subject.

This is too funny.... I hadn't seen Jack's blog. I really like the way Jack elaborated on it. That's part of what makes him such good a teacher. :-)

Gene

shbailey wrote:

Nice find... This went pretty well with what I just experienced also, and is pretty much exactly how I handled it. A bit reassurring... :^)

Quixote