Topic: Fermentation
Sulfite Timing Question
MEMBERS ONLYThat’s a great question with a very simple answer. You should not add postassium metabisulfite (SO2, or sulfur dioxide) to your wine between primary and secondary fermentation. Because the SO2 will inhibit
Fantastic Fermentations
MEMBERS ONLYCareful attention must be paid to fermentation to achieve great wine. We gathered experts from four different yeast laboratories to glean advice on selecting yeast strains, co-inoculation, optimal fermentation conditions, and more.
Wine Fermentation 101
FREEFermentation is a chemical reaction that takes place when yeast turns sugar into carbon dioxide and alcohol. Obviously, this is a critical part of the entire process. A yeast cell will turn
Malolactic Fermentation
FREEMalolactic fermentation (MLF) is a secondary fermentation occurring when malolactic (ML) bacteria become active in the presence of malic acid. Bacteria may be present naturally in fresh grape juice or wines. It
Controlling Fermentation Temperature
MEMBERS ONLYMany hobby winemakers believe that fermentation temperature control is beyond their reach — but this isn’t so! Discover how to keep temperatures in the proper range.
Fermentation Temperature Control
MEMBERS ONLYThis cooling setup keeps wine must within just a few degrees of target temperatures.
Why The Tiny Bubbles?
MEMBERS ONLYThere are so many microbes that can produce tiny bubbles in new wines that perhaps your question should be, what microbes will not produce tiny bubbles in dry must? Everything from (of
Refermentation Questions
MEMBERS ONLYIt’s hard to tell exactly what may be the issue because wines that just finish fermenting and are so young often have “funny” smells and do indeed not smell like the finished
Fermentation Dynamics
MEMBERS ONLYThere are temperature ranges advisable for fermenting all wine styles, but how does each end of that range affect the aroma, taste, and body of your wine?
Malolactic Fermentation Timing
MEMBERS ONLYI’m a little old school when it comes to malolactic fermentation, but it’s always served me well. There are some winemakers who try to get a jump on malolactic (ML) completion and
Fermentation and Aging Containers
FREEOak, Glass, Plastic, and Stainless Steel wine container must be sturdy enough for the purpose and not likely to introduce negative changes to the wine quality. Size is important, depending on the
Yeast Nutrient Strategies
MEMBERS ONLYGrape juice is a pretty tough environment if you’re a yeast cell. The pH is low, there’s high osmotic stress (stress from the environmental conditions being such that the flow of water
Fermentation Temperature Control
FREEFor those that would like to start getting a better handle on the fermentation temperature of their wines, you’ve found the right spot.
Fermenter Options for any Size Home Winery
MEMBERS ONLYWhen setting out to make wine from grapes, one of the first major decisions is what you will use as a fermentation container. For most winemaking, you will need a primary fermenter
Wild Yeast Fermentations: Tips from the Pros
MEMBERS ONLYNot every winemaker makes wine with commercially-cultivated yeast strains. In fact, lots of commercial winemakers let their wines ferment with wild yeast from the grapes and in the winery. Here we have
Choosing Your First Fermenter
FREEExplore the options for your first fermentation vessel.
Malolactic Fermentation Timing
MEMBERS ONLYHome Winemakers, Let’s Take a Vote: Those of you who put your wines through malolactic fermentation only after the alcoholic fermentation is complete, raise your hands. Now those of you who do
Fermentation Troubleshooting with Wine Kits
MEMBERS ONLYThe failure rate of wine made from kits is very low. Looking back at my database for the last 14 years and eliminating the weirder stuff (you simply would not believe how
Using Variable Volume Wine Tanks
MEMBERS ONLYOver the past few years I have made larger and larger batches of wine, and as a result the number of carboys I use has really added up. Each year I try
Malolactic Fermentation for Beginners
MEMBERS ONLYA quick explanation of what malolactic fermentation is, and how/when you may want to do it.
Stopping Fermentation
FREELearn how to stop fermentation before reaching dryness, plus when and why a winemaker may wish to do so.
Co-Inoculation with Wine Yeasts and Bacteria
MEMBERS ONLYAsk 5 winemakers and you may get 6 opinions about co-inocculation. But what does the science say?
Fermentation Troubles
MEMBERS ONLYHi Lauren, great question. There are so many steps along the way where a fermentation can get into trouble, or “go pear shaped” as my interns from New Zealand used to say.
Wild Yeast Fermentation
MEMBERS ONLYWild or native yeasts, according to a general definition, occur naturally in the air or on surfaces. While the word, ‘wild’ might give the romantic impression that winemaking’s native yeasts come from
Modern Malolactic
FREEThere once was a time when MLF only happened spontaneously in winemaking. These days, however, winemakers have more choices when it comes to performing MLF.