TOP 10 REASONS FOR FERMENTATION FAILURE

This is our David Letterman approach to helping you avoid having a

fermentation failure. The following list is the top 10 reasons for having

a slow or non-existing fermentation. They are listed in order from most

common to least common.

1. THE FERMENTATION TEMPERATURE TOO HOT OR TOO COLD:

Yeast like to ferment between 70-75 degrees Fahrenheit--72

degrees being ideal. Fermentations that are too cool may become

very sluggish and quite often will not ferment at all....  More >>>

2. ADDING TOO MUCH SUGAR:

Yeast needs sugar to produce alcohol, but too much of a good thing

can be bad. When sugar concentration levels are too high, the sugars

stops acting as a food source for the yeast and....  More >>>

3. IMPROPER YEAST STARTING METHOD:

Many packets of yeast instruct the user to re-hydrate the yeast in

warm water for a few minutes before using. When following these dir-

ections perfectly there are no problems. But....  More >>>

4. SEALING UP THE FERMENTER AFTER ADDING SULFITES:

Most wine making recipes instruct the winemaker to add sulfites such

as Sodium Bisulfite or Campden Tablets to the juice 24 hour before

adding the yeast. This is to.... More >>>

5. USING AN AIR-LOCK DURING THE PRIMARY FERMENTATION:

During the first few days of a fermentation, the yeast is in a
multiplying stage. It is devoting a significant portion of its
energy to reproducing itself. On average, the yeast.... More >>>

6. LACK OF NUTRIENTS:

There are certain types of musts that present a real challenge for a

wine yeast. When making wines from grapes and other fruits that are

very similar to grapes such as berries.... More >>>

7. FERMENTATION IS ALREADY DONE:

In a twisted way, you may not be getting a fermentation because
the fermentation has already completed. Many ask, "how could this
be?" It's almost like experiencing an unbelievable magic trick... More >>>

8. YEAST HAS REACHED ITS LIMITS:

One thing that must be understood when making wine is that
alcohol is a preservative. By definition, a preservative is
something that helps a perishable to remain.... More >>>

9. USING DISTILLED WATER:

Using bottled water when making your wine is fine, and in some
cases preferred, depending upon what's in your tap water. But,
not all bottled waters are the same.... More >>>

10. YEAST IS TOO OLD:

If you have a must that has started fermenting very slowly or
hardly at all, one of the many things you need to ask yourself
is, how long have you had the yeast, and.... More >>>

I hope this helps you out. There are many more potential reasons

why a fermentation won't start, but in my experience these 10 reasons

cover over 95 percent of the situations we run across. Also, realize

that it may be a combination of more than one of the above.