Pear Wine - Beginner - Help!

[Johnny8718]

Dear All.

I have been brewing wine and beer for some time, always from kits and with good results. in fact, I'm drinking a 21 day red now as I type away. Very clear, very flavoursome, VERY STRONG!!!

Last week, I decided that after years of contemplating, I should make some wine from scratch instead of what I have always thought was cheating.

Using a 1970's book, I have cut some pears up, added enzyme, camden tablets, yeast, sugar, nutrient, sultanas etc - all at the required interval over a 24 hour period. For four days - with a cloth cover on top of the bucket (whilst using a fish tank heater to keep a constant temp), I have stirred the concoction daily as it has bubbled and frothed slightly.

Excitedly, I have then transferred the strained liquid to my fermentation I drum and have placed the heater inside before sealing with an airlock.

The liquid smells good - definitely shows the right signs. However, there does not appear to be any 'life' in it. No bubbles, no fizz, no action. Is this normal at this stage?

I normally make kits at 20 litres a time. I always ensure that everything is sterile and usually do not have an issue.

Do I need to be patient or have I gone wrong? The recipe states that I should rack the wine in 6 to 8 weeks from now, dependant on the SG and/or once bubbling and frothing has ended? Bubbling? Frothing? Help!

Thanks, John.

[ToulouseLePlot]

The important missing bit is the SG. If it's below 1 you've gone all the way. If you'd like to tell us your OG & SG there's more of a story to unravel.

[Rich]

Well, TLP has hit the nail on the head there.. What was your starting SG, then your SG when you transfered it, and what is the SG now?

Also, could you let us know your entire recipe? it may help. (It also may not, but might make interesting reading )

What sort of temp have you got the heater at?
What yeast are you using?

Decent yeast, and a week later there may be no more signs of an active ferment, especially after being racked. It may either take a while to get going again, or it may slowly eat away the last few sg points. Also, it may be done already.

[Johnny8718]

Decent yeast, and a week later there may be no more signs of an active ferment, especially after being racked. It may either take a while to get going again, or it may slowly eat away the last few sg points. Also, it may be done already.

Funnily enough you mention hitting the nail on the head!

I type this thread here and then go to bed.

I get up to check for answers and the damn thing is bubbling away!

Once every 15 seconds or so. Looks like we are off again!,

Thank you for the help though!

[rjb222]

It is not unusual to rack a wine and have a lag in between what many consider an active fermentaion by looking at it. Sight is a very unreliable method to use for evaluation of a ferment. The more reliable method is to take a SG and follow that. The reason being when we rack a wine we knock off CO2 it then takes time to build back up to the stage where the airlock is obviously working as the ferment is starting to slow by the time it is time to rack the wine. Also when punching down we knock off more CO2 so there is less to make the air lock work right away again when we rack. I have seen what I term a silent ferment where there were no obvious signs of ferment until taking a hydrometer reading.

[Cellar_Rat]

It is not unusual to rack a wine and have a lag in between what many consider an active fermentaion by looking at it. Sight is a very unreliable method to use for evaluation of a ferment. The more reliable method is to take a SG and follow that.

100% Agreed.

The reason being when we rack a wine we knock off CO2 it then takes time to build back up to the stage where the airlock is obviously working as the ferment is starting to slow by the time it is time to rack the wine. Also when punching down we knock off more CO2 so there is less to make the air lock work right away again when we rack.

Sorry. The airlock is a gas valve - co2/oxygen/nitrogen (all gaes) all make it bubble. The bubble is the equalization of a pressure imbalance between inside and outside the DJ. CO2 doesn't need to build up again. It is not being produced therefore the airlock is not moving.

I have seen what I term a silent ferment where there were no obvious signs of ferment until taking a hydrometer reading.

Sorry again - this was most likely airlock in a fitting that was not airtight or to be precise 'gas tight' and the co2 was get away elsewhere by an easier route.

You are absolutely right - use a hydrometer!

[Johnny8718]

Thanks All.

I left the wine a few days more and hey presto, it started to bubble again.

Now that the specific gravity has been reached, I have racked the wine into a container only to find that it is very cloudy. Furthermore, it does not seem to be clearing.

The wine has some taste, but not much. Nice enough to drink though, although I am steering clear whilst it is cloudy. Any ideas?

John.

[Cellar_Rat]

Cloudy does not mean undrinkable. Particularly with pear and apple wines as there is a not of fruit solids. Scrumpy is cloudy!

I think you am find it will settle out given time - or consider finings and then it you want is clearer still filtering. I would pop it somewhere cool and wait personally.