I've tried makign wine out of 100% pure grape juice, yeast, and sugar. I've let it sit for a few days, and it looks like it's done fermenting, but it gets a bit of murky colour, and smells/tastes a bit vinegarish. Any ideas on how to make it taste a little better? How long does it need to age after fermenting?
2007-02-05 16:16:07 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Food & Drink ➔ Beer, Wine & Spirits
It sounds like you're allowing air into your fermentation. This allows bacterial contamination and oxygen to propagate the bacteria.
Acetobacter is the particular strain that converts the alcohol into acetic acid (vinegar) in the presence of oxygen. Make sure your airlock is sound and the only escape route for the CO2 generated during fermentation. Also, make absolute sure that your fermentor and all tools used are properly sanitized prior to use.
Finally, "a few days" is not nearly enough time to judge the completion of fermentation. Give it at least 2 weeks for the primary fermentation. Then rack it to another sanitized vessel to continue fermenting. You should be fermenting along the lines of weeks or months, not days.
2007-02-05 18:55:13 · answer #1 · answered by Trid 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
you may have started making vinegar my friend. if there is any air in the compartment where you aging it that part will start to oxidize and that is how you make vinegar. aging the wine longer will mellow this initial flavor as well as clear it up a bit as the sediment starts to settle to the bottom. i usually dont touch it after i start it for at least a month. the alcohol content is what determines when its done fermenting, so from that point on its aging, but the flavors can only be altered by the type of grape and the barrel that its aged in. if you age it it a metal or glass container then it wont pick up any flavor and youll taste just the grape. i suggest a little more patience.
2007-02-06 00:29:04 · answer #2 · answered by ricardo suave 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Is your aging container airtight and filled to the top? If not then bacteria in the air is likely to turn your wine into vinegar. Also, did you filter your wine? After the Saccharomyces (yeast) has finished fermenting it dies and leaves sediment at the bottom of your wine. Filtering also clears out other residual matter and brightens your wine. And just because I'm interested, what grape juice, yeast and sugar did you use, and how much of each?
2007-02-06 22:16:01 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
volatile acidity or vinegar taint
can be contributed by many wine spoilage yeasts and bacteria
Bad yeast, bacterial contamination, yeast spoilage. Just buy cheap wine if that's what you want to drink.
2007-02-06 00:34:43 · answer #4 · answered by LAUGHING MAGPIE 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋