Temperature drop.

[bryanandjudie]

As we have had a temperature drop in the last couple of weeks I founf my DJ's had slowed right down. I bought an electric blanket from the car boot sale for 50p wrapped it around the DJ's turned it on and within a few hours they were all off again. The blanket is on it's first setting...doubt its very safe but it works.

 

[bobsbeer]

Just make sure the temp doesn't go above 25 c. Not sure I would want to trust an electric blanket from a car boot left on all the time though, but they have improved over the years.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

As we have had a temperature drop in the last couple of weeks I founf my DJ's had slowed right down.

I found as i started brewing before the summer it has got a lot faster, my kitchen was around 15c when i started so as you say fermentation is slower, the good news is (as i was told here when i asked a similar question) the longer it takes the better it is so i have not bothered buying anything to make it speed up.

 

[bryanandjudie]

Just make sure the temp doesn't go above 25 c. Not sure I would want to trust an electric blanket from a car boot left on all the time though, but they have improved over the years.

We are keeping a close eye on it. 8 days now..no probs..fingers crossed. :

 

[bryanandjudie]

As we have had a temperature drop in the last couple of weeks I founf my DJ's had slowed right down.

I found as i started brewing before the summer it has got a lot faster, my kitchen was around 15c when i started so as you say fermentation is slower, the good news is (as i was told here when i asked a similar question) the longer it takes the better it is so i have not bothered buying anything to make it speed up.

Be careful how long you wait. I am not going to leave my kids my wine. I want to drink it all before I go. In fact I don't mind if it's the reason I go. :party:

 

[Chippy_Tea]

To be honest it only adds a day or so to fermentation and as i always leave it another week after that it doesn't bother me.
I have found the best way to keep a good supply going is make more DJ's, i started with two glass ones and now have 3 glass and 3 home made water bottle ones, i too am pushed for space but found if you use the wilco handy airlocks instead of the standard bubble type ones the DJ's will fit in the gap between the work top and cupboards above in the kitchen so now i have plenty of space. :thumb:

 

[divingdavey]

Hi have two wines on the go... one of Chippy Tea's Pomegranate WOW variant and one crab apple wine which I'm making from the fruit. Both have been fermenting for a good few weeks (about 4 I think but I was too lazy to make notes and date them), but bubbles are still going through the airlock, so I assume this is normal. I have them in a water bath that I've knocked up so they're at a constant 20-21 degrees.

I plan on just leaving them to it until bubbles cease to pass through the airlock, does anyone have any experience of this?


Cheers :drunk:

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I have found pomegranate takes longer than orange based wow but 4 weeks seems excessive, mine is usually clear and in the bottles by day 16.

 

[divingdavey]

Cheers Chippy Tea..... I'll just leave it as long as it takes I guess :)

 

[Chippy_Tea]

If you don't have one get a hydrometer they take all the guess work out of winemaking. :thumb:

http://www.wilko.com/home-brew/wilko-hy ... nt=Default

 

[divingdavey]

Hi have one, but didn't take an OG reading, I guess I could still take a reading now but both wines are still making tiny bubbles at the surface so I'm sure they're still going :)

:

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Edit to add - X posted.

 

[divingdavey]

Thanks Chippy Tea I'll get a reading asap but I'm away this weekend so it might take until Monday.... What sort of reading will let me know it's close to finishing?

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Anything below 1000 mine usually finish between 995 and 990 - 990 is very dry.

It does not matter about the OG unless you want to work out the alcohol % when finished.

Did the pomegranate juice have preservatives in it? i ask as the slow fermentation reminds me of the many threads/posts about Ribena cordial wine in the forum.

Ribena cordial takes many weeks to ferment and usually fails before it has finished.

 

[divingdavey]

I'm not 100% sure about preservatives to be honest, I know I should have checked......

Thanks for the heads up on the readings, I don't really care what the final %age is hence the laziness with the hydrometer (as long as it's not too strong or really weak).

 

[bryanandjudie]

Anything below 1000 mine usually finish between 995 and 990 - 990 is very dry.

It does not matter about the OG unless you want to work out the alcohol % when finished.

Did the pomegranate juice have preservatives in it? i ask as the slow fermentation reminds me of the many threads/posts about Ribena cordial wine in the forum.

Ribena cordial takes many weeks to ferment and usually fails before it has finished.

A Ltr of Ribena added to a red wine kit makes for a lush full bodied red wine,but as you say it does add to the fermenting time and also to the clearing time,but well worth waiting the extra few days.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I don't really care what the final %age is hence the laziness with the hydrometer (as long as it's not too strong or really weak).

If you aim for a sugar total of 1100g per DJ you will end up with around 13% :thumb: