[doganjo]

I put a demi john of grape juice on to 'cook' about 10/12 days ago and I just noticed it has stopped bubbling.  Any idea what has gone wrong or is that OK?  It started slowly and within a day or so was bubbling merrily.  Have I put too little yeast in?  It was difficult to measure out as it was in a sachet and had to be put in in teaspoons.  Can't remember how many but i followed what it said on the sachet.  Maybe not enough sugar?  Can't remember how much of that I put in.  Will ti be OK or should I start it off again with more yeast?

[Brucklay]

Going back a wee bit to my wine making days but if I remember - 1. your right too little yeast. 2. temp down or 3. try adding a wee bit more sugar to get it going again - but this is from memory and the wine I drank then did kill off a few brain cells!!

[doganjo]

I'm thinking it's the sugar.  Pretty sure the yeast was the correct amount and it's on a heat pad, so I'll add more sugar - I think, if I remember right, that I had almost run out so maybe was a bit skimpy

[Crofter]

If it was working, you have not put in too little yeast. The yeast feeds on the sugar and multiplies, the waste products of this are alcohol and CO2 (bubbles).
There are really only 3 things that will stop it.
1. If it gets too cold it will slow down to a point where you'll think it's stopped, warm it and off it goes again.
2.The yeast may have used up all the available sugar and will start to die off. This means you have as much alcohol as possible from that sugar and you'll get a dry wine.
3. If there is a lot of sugar in the wine the yeast will carry on working until a point where the amount of alcohol in the wine kills it off. You'll then get a sweet, strong wine.

As a guide, about 2lbs of sugar to the gallon usually gives a dry wine of "table wine" strength.  If you're not sure taste a drop. If it's dry but too weak, add more sugar a bit at a time.  If it's sweet, and not stopped because it's cold, then you will have a sweet wine and there's not a lot to remedy it except blending.

Hope this helps

Dave

[doganjo]

Thanks, Dave.  I haven't sampled it yet, but it's on a heat pad so not cold.  Yeast was reasonably correctly measured so I think it'll probably be the lack of sugar.  Also not sure what date I started it - how long would it normally bubble for?  I put in a bit more sugar yesterday and it bubbled a bit more but it's more or less stopped again.

[Crofter]

If you have it on a heat pad, a dry wine could be finished in a week so. As long as you've put in at least a pound and a half of sugar it will now probably be a drinkable dry wine (when it clears!).
Just taste a teaspoonful, it won't hurt you, and see if it's a) strong enough and b) not still sweet.
If it's strong enough and fairly dry it's time to turn off the heat and let it clear.

Dave

[deepinthewoods]

id be amazed if 2lb odd of sugars been fermented in less than 2 weeks sounds like not enough sugar still.
as above, taste is the best way to tell.
 that reminds me id better go taste last yrs elderberry and while im there my mixed fruit special, and maybe my banana and apple could do with checking.....

[doganjo]

OK, you've convinced me - I'm going through to taste it.  ........................  I may be gone sometime...........................