[Becker]

I am new to wine making but I hace had some success. I recently started a batch of cherry wine. I followed the recipe to the letter but it does not seem to want to start fermenting. I noticed that the frozen cherries which I used in the recipe also contained .2 % erythorbic acid. This is used to preserve color but I am wondering if it is also a yeast inhibitor. Will it gradually dissipate from the must ? Will I have to add more yeast and nutrient ? Will this batch be a write-off ? I would appreciate any info and any solution to this problem.
Becker

[trben8]

Becker

Did these cherries contain sorbate also? I have never heard of erythorbic acid, but I am sure someone here has. Post your recipe word for word as some more info could help. Did your yeast have an exp. date? Tom

[Becker]

Thanks for the reply .
No there was no sorbate. Erythorbic acid is also known as iso-ascorbic acid which is another form of ascorbic acid or vitamin C. The recipe called for 7 campden tablets in 17 litres. I put 7 tablets in 23 litres but I think that may have made the SO2 level too high . It said to add the yeast as soon as the temperature was right but this may have been too soon after adding the campden tablets and it may have killed the yeast. According to whay I have read, I am aereating the batch occasionally by pouring it back and forth between primary fermentors to release as much SO2 as possible. When I am sure the SO2 is low enough I am going to test the must in a yeast starter before going any farther. Here is the recipe for a must volume of about 6.25 litres.
CHERRY WINE
RECIPE 7
¼ tsp, grape tannin
4 lbs. sweet cherries or 1 level tsp. yeast nutrient
3 lbs. sour cherries ½ tsp. pectic enzyme powder
3 lbs. white granulated sugar 1 Imp gal. (160 or) water
3 level tsps. acid blend Wine yeast
2 Campden tablets
Starting spccific gravity should be 1.090 - 1.095, acid .60%.
Use only sound ripe fruit and remove stems and leaves. Crush cherries and put all ingredients except wine yeast in primary fermentor. Add hot water and stir to dissolve sugar. Cover with plastic sheet. When must is cool (70-75 ‘F.) add yeast. Stir the must daily. Ferment for 5-6 days or until specific gravity is 1.040. Strain out fruit pulp and press. Siphon into gallon jugs or carboys and attach fermentation locks. Rack in 3 weeks and again in 3 months. When wine is clear and stable, bottle. Wine may be sweetened to taste at time of bottling with sugar syrup (2 parts sugar to 1 part water). Add 3 stabilizer tablets per gallon to prevent renewed fermentation.
Age 1 year.
Thanks agian.
Becker

[P Cuthbert]

Hi all;

I have forwarded this question to a manufacturer of this chemical in New York with a link to this post. I will add their reply when I receive it.

Pat

[Joel]

Better Yet Pat, get them to register and become a contributing member to the site!!

[P Cuthbert]

Joel;

I did include the link to the site, and hope that they will shortcut the process and become members and contributors.

Pat

[Jeff D]

Becker

I bet you pitched the yeast to quickley, I got excited with our last batch of peach and pitched the yeast too soon a couple of days later repitched and it took right off.

[Becker]

Jeff D
Right you are. I was wondering if that might have been the mistake I made. I aereated the must by pouring it back and forth between primary containers several times over 24 hours. Yesterday I prepared a new yeast starter and put it in the cherry must last night. Today everything is proceeding on track and fermenting nicely. It was a bit of a learning experience which I will definitely remember for the next time.
Thank-you to everyone for your interest.
Good luck .
Becker

[northern_wino]

Hey Becker - glad to hear things are going well now! Keep updating us as to how the batch progresses....

Janet

[Becker]

My cherry wine is doing fine right now. The yeast is working exceptionally fast because the S.G. was down to 1.032 this afternoon. I added 2 cups of sugar to the 5 gallons of must. I want to up the finished alcohol about 1 % so I don't have to add quite as much sorbate when I sweeten it after it's done fermenting. Right now I think it has about 6 % alcohol. Apart from the yeast flavour, it has a pleasant cherry taste with quite a bit of fizz, especially since I added the sugar. If it turns out the way I hope the final alcohol should be about 13 %. I want to sweeten it to between a 1 or 2 sweetness rating meaning an S.G. of about 1.000 to 1.005. A friend who has made this wine before says it is much too sour if not sweetened to about 1.010. I have tasted his cherry wine. It was aged 5 years and was excellent. I don't know if I can wait that long to sample mine. Well I'm being a bit long-winded here. I'll keep you posted on how it turns out, and thanks for your interest.
Becker

[Hippie]

A set amount of sorbate and sulphite is added per gallon regardless of how much sweetening you do. I hope this helps.