not sure what i should do now...

[mozzy]

As some of you already know, I'm making Pear wine using pears(obviously) from a Hedgerow kit..

instructions said:

After sieving out Pears, transfer juice into another DJ, add rest of sugar(mixed with warm water) and top up to 4.5 litres with tepid water and ferment for 3 weeks..

I did that and it was bubbling really well, had lava lamp effect etc and it has visible sediment at the bottom... thing is it has been 1 week today since i topped up and the last 2 days there has been no bubbles in airlock and there's no 'fizz'/ little bubbles at top of wine, the froth has gone and there's sediment at bottom

has it fermented already?? or has it just slowed right down?? its only been 1 week , not 3 like instructions says

 

[markp]

The vigourous fermentation will slow down....it is quite normal.
It will still be fermenting very slowly......did you take any gravity readings??

 

[mozzy]

erm.. no the instructions didnt tell me to at the start only said what it should be at the end :|

 

[oldbloke]

If the gravity's 1.000 or under, it's done. Seems a bit quick though. If it's not, give it a shake and a warm. I had some wines I'd put in the garage in the warm weather and forgot when it got cold that it'd slow it right down - picked up when I brought it back upstairs.

 

[mozzy]

ok thanks I will take a reading in the morning

 

[mozzy]

helloooooo

Quick update:

Took reading and its about 0.998 (was lower than 1.000 but not on the 0.990 mark) and in the blue markings at the top (hyrometer from Wilkinsons)

Does that mean its done? Instructions didnt say to do a reading at the start but the recipe was 1.6kg pears and 1.4kg white sugar (but I put 1kg from Moleys advice as i wanted about a 13%abv dry wine not 15%+ wine )

It has been fermenting for 1 week and 1 day,after pears had been sieved out and rest of water& sugar added (not including the 3 days prior with the pears & yeast in before hand) Instructions said it will take about 3 weeks.. so its 1 week 5 days sooner... :wha:

Is it really done???

what should I do now?

it smells nice

 

[Marrsy86]

You can take 3 readings over a few days, if all 3 are the same then it's safe to thunk it's done, you can degas and bottle up while having a few cheeky drinks :)

Cheers

Marrsy

 

[mozzy]

hi Marrsy.

I will check reading over 3 days, would it be better to syphon from the sediment then stabilise and CT and degass??

Sarah

 

[mozzy]

update 2:

took 2nd day reading and its the same as yesterday, have noticed the colour looks different now, less cloudyish and sort of seems like its clearing (i know its not because have NOT added ct & stabilised, degassed, racked, finings yet) but thats what it looks like to me..

is it safe to carry onto next step or shall i wait for day 3's reading?