When to do aerobic or anaerobic?

Mead, wine, beer, and any other form of alcoholic beverages, as well as vinegar.

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When to do aerobic or anaerobic?

Postby sbjforumman on Tue Apr 01, 2014 4:47 pm

From my understanding the fermentation begins without a closed lid and then at some point the lid is put on. When should we make the process anaerobic? Also for flower wines can I add frozen raspberries for the fermentation source or must the berries be fresh to work properly?
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Re: When to do aerobic or anaerobic?

Postby FermentingYeti on Mon Apr 21, 2014 12:32 pm

My technique is to open ferment for about a week and a half. Once active fermentation has obviously started, you don't need air any more. Place a loose fitting lid over it and if you want to age long-term, switch to a carboy with an airlock.

If the berries are organic/unsprayed, thaw them out or cook them on low heat in some un-chlorinated water to make a syrup and then add them in. I froze some apples I picked for a few months and then juiced them when they thawed out. I got one of the most active wild fermentations I'd had yet. If you're doing a mead with raw, unprocessed honey, you'll be getting plenty of yeasts from the honey anyway. Also, flowers will provide their share of yeast.
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Re: When to do aerobic or anaerobic?

Postby sbjforumman on Wed Jul 23, 2014 3:57 pm

Thank you so much for your reply. This site is such a great resource!
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Re: When to do aerobic or anaerobic?

Postby MarkR on Tue Jan 06, 2015 2:57 pm

It depends on your hydrometer readings. I usually start a batch of wine an original gravity of 1.09. I leave the container open, except for cloth, until the specific gravity reaches 1.04 (usually in 3-5 days). At that point I switch to anerobic and install an air lock.

The reasoning behind this is that the first phase, the majority of yeast activity is to multiply itself. In the second phase (anerobic) the yeast activity is producing alcohol.

I usually use wine yeast and nutrient. As you are using wild yeast (or so i assume), it may take a little longer to get to a specific gravity of 1.04. A hydrometer is a useful tool, as final alcohol depends on the amount of sugar in a mixture. Most fruit wines need at least 10% alcohol to work as a preservative,
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