fermation

sleepyhollow3518

hi third time brewing from a ready made can of ale. did everything right,but always the airlock and bubbling stops after one day, the second day is great, then just stops, brown ring around bucket, its in 7 days now, is this right? it never has great froth like everybody else? never hear bubbling?

 

HBO_Staff

Hi there, it varies from kit to kit, and also fermentation speed and how active it is can depend on the temperature amongst other things. It is often the case that a brew will ferment quite vigorously for a while and then slow down, especially if it is warm, and from then until completion things are much slower. The initial bubbling and brown ring on the vessel are signs from the ferment, and if you take hydrometer readings after the recommended timescale it will confirm that the brew has finished it's fermentation. Different yeasts act in different ways, some of the latest kits on the market are supplied with different yeasts designed to give a much slower ferment which is intended to improve the brew.

What we recommend is that you use your hydrometer after the brew has been in for the time that particular kit states (as long as the brew is kept at around the suggested temperature) and take a reading. The reading should be around the minimum the manufacturers recommend, and then you can also take a second reading a day later, which should be the same. If the reading has gone down further then it has not quite finished - a low, stable reading that does not change is a good sign it has completed primary fermentation.

The last test is taste - the results will speak for themselves, and whilst they are drinkable after the minimum timescales, always try and leave them in the bottles or keg for a few weeks longer and the taste and usually head will improve

super6one

Hi, just giving wine making a try for the first time with one of your kits (Shiraz).  I have follwed the instructions as they were written but there is no bubbling coming from the airlock.  Is this normal?  It certainly looks like fermentation has begun as a thick layer has formed at the top.  I am presuming that the red cap should be off the airlock?  Any help is much appreciated. 

HBO_Staff

Hi there, the signs of the fermentation taking place are good as the thick layer shows that there is plenty of action going on in the vessel. The airlock can have the red dust cap fitted, it is just to keep anything out, and will not stop it working correctly. Just half fill the airlock with water. Sometimes the reason an airlock is not bubbling is because the gases inside find another, easier way out, because to push through the water in the airlock is harder than to escape from a tiny hole or gap somewhere else. If the lid is not fully sealed somewhere, or if the hole that the airlock pushes in to is slightly mis-shaped, or the stem of the airlock itself is not perfectly smooth and a slight ridge causes the grommet not to seal 100%, then the gases will escape through them rather than moving the weight of the water in the airlock. This is not something to worry about though, as the holes will be so small that the risk of anything contaminating the brew is highley unlikely. Some brewers choose to just loosely cover the fermenter, and not use an airlock.

We recommend you do brew with the lid on and the airlock in place to keep any foreign bodies out and stop contamination, but the lack of bubbles should not be a concern as the other signs are there that the fermentation is going well. The proof will be the hydrometer readings, which will confirm that the brew has fermented with its final gravity reading

super6one

Much appreciated.  I am now convinced that it's fermenting as its bubbling on the surface.  One last question and it's maybe a stupid one.  Once all the grape juice and additional water had been decanted into the fermenting container, it was still not close to the brim.  I was loathed to add too much additional water.  Is it the case that the less additional water that is added, the better the taste of the wine, albeit with less final product?      

HBO_Staff

Sounds like it's fermenting like a good 'un so don't worry about that, it's just a waiting game now, and then use your hydrometer to make sure it's finished in a few days time. With the wine kits just use the amount of water it recommends to add to the grape juice, which will make it up to the 6 bottle or 30 bottle volume depending which size you're making. We don't think it's a good idea to add any additional water, as the manufacturers have made it to be diluted to a set amount for it to taste as they intended, if you were to add more water it would affect the taste. So yes, the ideal quantity is achieved by adding the amount of water they recommend, which will produce the taste they intended like you rightly say, more water would create more volume, but the quality of it may be reduced and lack taste

royster

hi all making wine for first time from kit cellar 7 merlot been going just over a day now seems to be fermenting froth on top really strong smell is this normal ? airlock not bubbling so think gas is escaping somewhere else although bucket top is bulged and if you push on it it bubbles through airlock cheers Roye

HBO_Staff

The Cellar 7 range is very popular and makes a great wine, this is why we have it as the wine range in our own 30 bottle wine making starter kit. The froth and strong smell are signs of fermentation, so just leave it to ferment away on it's own. The airlocks don't always bubble, but the domed lid is a good sign it is holding pressure, although it is not vigorous enough to push past the water in the airlock. Sometimes the gases will escape from a tiny gap anywhere on the lid, but this is nothing to worry about, many people including us ferment without an airlock and just loosely cover the fermenting vessel. It often varies on how vigorously brews ferment, it can be due to the kit, or temperatures, etc. The best way to monitor the progress of the wine is to use a hydrometer and check the readings