Rhubarb Wine problem!

[Beckybex]

Hello,

I have got a batch of rhubarb wine on the go, following the dry sugar recipe posted on here. Its been in the demi john for a week now but there's no sign of life at all. This is my first ever brew so I'm not sure what to expect but I'm worried something has gone wrong! After the first day there was a thick type of scum on the top but this has since disappeared. There's been no bubbling at all in the airlock, there's definitely no signs of fermentation. Can anyone advise what I should do next? Or am I just being impatient?!

[rustylady]

I just found and read the recipe, as I hadn't seen it before. I see that you add the yeast to the demijohn with the rest of the ingredients. I always start my fermentation in a bucket, but either way the first stage after adding yeast is for the yeast to feed on the sugar in the brew and "grow". This may not produce many bubbles for a day or so. Are you sure your airlock is tight in the bung? If not, the gas will escape round the sides and not through the liquid in the airlock.

[ohbeary]

As Rusty says start your ferment in a bucket covered with a cloth, yeast needs oxygen in the initial stages, ferment on pulp for 5 days then strain into DJ leaving a good space for exuberant bubbling, save any spare liquid in another container and add when things slow down a little.

[Beckybex]

Ah interesting! I left the fruit and sugar in the bucket for a week and then strained into demijohn, topping up the liquid and then added the yeast. Its possible gas is escaping from the airlock, I didn't have a bung so tightly wound kitchen paper around it to seal (I was 'reliably' informed this would be o.k!) but I was still expecting to see some signs of life in the actual mixture! Any ideas what I could do to save the situation? I'll get hold of a bung today. Should I add more yeast or nutrient?

[rustylady]

I would tip the whole lot out into a sterilised bucket, give it a good stir and cover with muslin or a clean teatowel. If, after a couple of days there is no sign of bubbles then add some more yeast. What sort of yeast did you use?

[Beckybex]

I used a whole sachet of white wine yeast sold to me in the local brew shop. Off to Wilko's now so will get a bung for the airlock and try putting it back in the bucket, guess it wouldn't hurt to add a little more yeast and nutrient. Thanks for the advice!

[Hilary B]

If it seems totaly 'stuck' mix your new yeast with a little water (I always use 'wine yeast compound', which also has enough nutrient to get it going a bit, not sure whether sachet yeast is the same sort of thing), put in a small jar somewhere warm, and wait for it to get going, THEN add to the 'wine' mixture.

[Two_Sheds]

I left the fruit and sugar in the bucket for a week and then ...added the yeast.

That's different to how I do it. I put everything into the bucket for about 4 days for the primary fermentation, then syphon it into a DJ for the slower secondary fermentation

[burnie]

You mention you put in yeast,did you use a nutrient?also what sort of temperature is the place you are putting your demi-john,too cold it wont start,too hot and you could have killed the yeast.What did you use to sterilise your demi-john?,some chemicals can also kill yeast.

[Beckybex]

I hadn't put any nutrient in, but have now! Sprinkled in a quarter teaspoon on Sunday. Have to say that I think it may have been working all along, but because I didn't have a bung I couldn't see any evidence. There's now plenty of activity in the airlock. I guess the bubbles were so tiny I couldn't spot them. Thanks for all the advice everyone!

[Beckybex]

Just thought I'd report that I had the first bottle at the weekend and it was delicious! Think the addition of a few strawberries had really helped. Lovely strong rhubarb smell and you could tast the fruit too. No idea how alcoholic but def had a kick! I'll be making more as lots of rhubarb in freezer. After inital hiccup can't believe how easy it was!