Belvino 7 day california white wine kit 23 litre

[pepper442]

Hi, I have had one of these going for 7 days now, but a bit concerned as to whether it has stopped fermenting or just gone bad.

Has anyone done one of these, as it has stopped "blooping" but I was expecting the dried fruit etc to sink to the bottom of the bucket, but it is all laying on the top.

It says in the instructions to take hydrometer reading 2 days on the run to see if stopped, but I'm not sure how, without breaking the surface of the fruits etc.

Any help would be most appreciated.

Alison.

[goldseal]

Hi Alison,

Do you have a 'trial jar' for your hydrometer (i.e. a tall tube in which your hydrometer can float)?

Do you have a 'wine thief' or a Turkey Baster (i.e. something to draw wine out of the fermenter? If not, do you have a syphon tube?

If the answer to the above is 'yes' .... sanitise the hydrometer, trial jar etc etc - put your hydrometer in the trial jar, and add wine (careful if syphoning - you don't need much).

Once you have taken your reading, put the wine back into the fermenter.

Alternatively, is the neck of the fermenter wide enough to get at a floating hydrometer? If so, give the wine a gentle stir to disperse anything on the surface, or just make a hole with a (sanitised) spoon. Float the hydrometer directly in the wine. This won't be as accurate as using a trial jar, but it should be good enough.

Having said that, I wouldn't expect anything to be floating on top in a white kit.

Leave the top off your fermenter for the absolute minimum amount of time to reduce the risk of spoilage. Sanitise ANYTHING which will come into contact with your wine.

Once you have your reading, can you post it here? It would be useful to know the temperature of the room your fermenter is in (even in basic terms - hot, warm, cool etc.).

Personally, I would wait 3 days between hydrometer readings, just to be sure.

[pepper442]

Hi, thanks for getting back to me.

The reading at the start, last Tuesday was 1065, will do one later and post it up.

I am new at this, but after reading loads of posts, I was amazed that no air lock was to be fitted, I could understand about the fruit blocking it, but reading loads of other posts, as far as I could gather, you always airlock the demijohns, buckets etc.

I have, very carefully, steralised everything, and the room temperature has been approx. 20 degrees for the week.

Would you expect the dried fruit mix to have "sunk" to the bottom of the bucket?

Will post hydrometer reading later.

Thanks. Alison

[cpfan]

Pepper:

Personally I NEVER air-lock my primary fermenters. I do air-lock my secondaries (ie carboys, jugs, demi-johns, ...)

It's a matter of personal choice.

Steve

[Duffbeer]

Hi, thanks for getting back to me.

The reading at the start, last Tuesday was 1065, will do one later and post it up.

I am new at this, but after reading loads of posts, I was amazed that no air lock was to be fitted, I could understand about the fruit blocking it, but reading loads of other posts, as far as I could gather, you always airlock the demijohns, buckets etc.

I have, very carefully, steralised everything, and the room temperature has been approx. 20 degrees for the week.

Would you expect the dried fruit mix to have "sunk" to the bottom of the bucket?

Will post hydrometer reading later.

Thanks. Alison

Hi Pepper & welcome,
check the gravity like goldseal suggests, but , dont panic, it is quite normal for the fruit to float, during fermentation it will have absorbed co2 which will keep it floating and protecting your wine.
Once you are happy ferment is finished, simply rack the wine from below the pulp.

[Duffbeer]

Having said that, I wouldn't expect anything to be floating on top in a white kit.

These kits come with a dried fruit pack, I put it in a muslin bag for easy removal

[pepper442]

Hi, just done a reading, in the bucket, by distrubing the top.

Reading was 1010, which as far as I could gather is too high (still fermenting?)

Whilst disturbing the top, there was like a layer of white "bubbles" and under that the fruit.

Is this white "crust" normal.

Will do another reading in a couple of days and post again.

Sorry to be a pain.

[pepper442]

These kits come with a dried fruit pack, I put it in a muslin bag for easy removal

That's a great tip. Will do again in future if use one of these packs again.

[cpfan]

I continue to be intrigued by the different kits available in the UK. I tried searching for the Belvino kits without success. I was wondering what dried fruit were included with the kit.

Can somebody please let me know what fruit it is, and possibly a link to a description of these kits.

Thanks, Steve

[pepper442]

I continue to be intrigued by the different kits available in the UK. I tried searching for the Belvino kits without success. I was wondering what dried fruit were included with the kit.

Can somebody please let me know what fruit it is, and possibly a link to a description of these kits.

Thanks, Steve

Hi steve,

I got mine of ebay, but here's a link to who also sells them

http://www.thebrewshopuk.com

[pepper442]

Just to keep you updated, did a sg reading Thursday & today, and it was 995 so have carried on with the next stage. Thanks for all your help etc.

[Duffbeer]

Yay, hope it turns out great!

[spritzer]

Are these kits any good ?
I seen one last week whilst in the HBS... and wondered, but didn't buy

[pepper442]

Just a final note, bottled this last week. Tried 1st one last night, really good.

Thanks for all your advice.

Alison.