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Making Shiraz wine at home.......Egg smell???? - Printable Version

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- Steff - 04-17-2002

I am making wine for the first time at home. I have read many books and searched many a web-site for tips on making good wine at home. I purchased 10 boxes of Shiraz grapes, crushed them, added So2 during crush stage, added 80grams tartaric acid (ph level showed 3.7 initially) Specific gravity showed 1.095. Following day added yeast and allowed fermentation for 6 days. Pressed on the 6th day, stored juice (approx 115 litres) in plastic water storage containers fitted with fermentation locks. A couple of days later I noticed a rotten egg smell. Read the books and discovered it was due to the presence of Hydrogen Sulphide. Fermentation is still not complete.....air locks are still bubbling. What do I do to get rid of it? It was recommended that I transfer the wine to another container through a copper pipe....I tried this but it still smells a little....

Please help me!!!

Steve.


- Thomas - 04-18-2002

You need to stir it up. Get a lot of oxygen in the wine. If that doesn't work your options become dangerous, as in copper, which is not allowed in commercial winemaking because it is a dangerous substance. And also, no matter what the books say, never add SO2 before fermentation; that is why you have the problem now. SO2 is not to be taken lightly. There are specific reasons and times for SO2 additions, and it relates to the condition of the juice and/or wine.


- Steff - 04-19-2002

Hi and thanks for your reply. I now have several questions as a result of
your response. Why is copper so dangerous??? Is it dangerous used in the
form I mentioned???? That is running the wine through a pipe? Secondly,
why do so many references talk about the importance in adding SO2 when
crushing to prevent oxidation? If not before fermentation, when should I
add SO2? I have got a pack of Tannisol tablets........should I add any when
I rack for the first time (it will have been 2 weeks since crushing this
weekend, and I plan to rack the wine then)????

Many thanks...


- Thomas - 04-19-2002

As I said, you add SO2 before fermentation, you run the risk of hydrogen sulphide, which you have got. It is a highly technical matter that has to do with the acidity and ph of the juice, and I cannot get that technical here; for that, you need to get a book or two. Also, you have no idea what the grapes were subject to in the vineyard, which could also have included liberal sprays of sulphur, and that is problematic.

Any oxidation that occurs in the juice before fermentation is generally cleaned up during fermentation, unless the juice was so mishandled it is beyond repair.

As for copper--also too technical to get into here, but it is a mineral that in high concentrations isn't much good for the human body and brain. Plus, injudicious contact with copper will make wine taste metallic and possibly form a haze that runs right through its middle (top to bottom).

Winemaking at home is easy so long as you both understand and limit the use of chemicals. You really need to get some books that are a step above general home winemaking books. Since you are not in the U.S. (and I am) I have no idea which books are available to you.


[This message has been edited by foodie (edited 04-19-2002).]