Help! have I killed it?

[BrideXIII]

My wine making kit.
today is the day that I was supposed to siphon it out of the fermentation bin into the demijohn, and add the airlock.
so I did all this, and ........nothing. It doesn't seem to be doing anything at all, no blipping.
I used the hydrometer on it and it read 0.990 !!! isn't that supposed to be what it finishes at?

what have I done wrong? Surely it can't be cooked already in just 8 days?

tasted a bit from the test jar, tastes yummy

[shirlthegirl43]

Could well be fermented out - what kit did you use and what does it say about fermenting time? One of the Youngs kits is done and ready to drink in a week and I have experienced that being ready in 5 days!

I would however, wait a couple of days before deciding it is finished. It can take a wee while for it to recover from being moved. Keep and eye on the air lock and see what happens.

[BrideXIII]

it's the kenridge classic one, looks like 28 days, need to do the de-gassing stabilizing and clarification stuff on day 14 which is another week!
then you bag it up ( or bottle it) on day 28.

[shirlthegirl43]

What hydrometer reading does it say for finishing? As I say, it might just take a day or so to recover. Are you fermenting in a fairly warm place? That can make it all happen a bit more quickly too.

[BrideXIII]

It doesn't give a finishing reading, or a starting one to be honest, as it's an intro kit I guess they assume you are too thick thus far to know what a hydrometer does ( which I barely do thanks to CJJ), it wasn't VERY warm where it was, just up on the landing, neglected, my central heating is always set to 68 degrees, so the most it would have been is a couple above that for being upstairs.

should I go by the hydro reading? or just leave it until next week anyway?
I am not a very patient person, I am just worried I have killed it off somehow, but if it's reading .990 surely that means its cooked off ok so far at least?

[shirlthegirl43]

What was the starting SG? If it tastes nice then all is well anyhoo. So long as you finish up with something you are happy to drink then the exercise is successful in my book (easily pleased me)

[BrideXIII]

I didn't do a starting SG, my hydrometer hadn't arrived, and as it was a kit I just trusted the instructions, so now I don't know what to do, should I move to the next step now, or wait even though it seems to have stopped fermenting? I don't want to ruin it entirely.

besides, if it drops any further my hydrometer wont show a reading anyway, it only goes down to 0.990.

[shirlthegirl43]

LOL, give it a day or so and see if there is any activity in the airlock. If none, then proceed to the next stage.

[BrideXIII]

will do, i think i need a book called 'zen and the art of wine making' might help with the patience issue, I was all set to wait 28 days and now it looks like its going to be done sooner, must have got to know me

[FionaH]

As long as it tastes good......

[BrideXIII]

LOL, give it a day or so and see if there is any activity in the airlock. If none, then proceed to the next stage.

I am considering removing the airlock, and sticking a balloon on, that way even if I can't see any activity, if there is any the balloon will inflate?

[Hilary B]

If the SG really is below 1, it may well have finished. Check that when you put the hydrometer in plain water it reads 1 (cold water), and that if you use salted or sugared water it reads MORE than 1, just in case the hydrometer is faulty. Once you are sure of that, I'd give it a week, test again, and if no change, get on with the next bit.

[BrideXIII]

I made the tea recipe after I did the wine, that has loads of sugar in it and the hydro read 1.020 , I did check it in water and it floats nicely at a steady 1, so it looks like it's accurate.
the balloon is VERY slowly inflating a little, so it looks like it is still going, but nearly finished, so I will give it a few days, then check it again.
Just hope it doesn't drop any lower, or it's going to be very dry, not sure what a red wine should finish at to be honest, and the kit doesn't mention measuring it at all.

[HayleyB]

Sorry Bridie had to laugh, hovered over the title, thinking "crikes what' she killed" and it came up with "the wine making kit" gave me a right giggle - sorry

[shirlthegirl43]

If it finishes too dry for your liking, you can back sweeten it with artificial sweetener to avoid any further fermentation.

On the airlock front - you should be able to see activity in the form of bubbles through the airlock, not sure why you would use a balloon instead