How to stop wine from fermenting at home: 5 best ways

Experienced winemakers know how to stop the fermentation of homemade wine, everyone uses their own way. The process of a chemical reaction involving enzymes is necessary in the manufacture of alcohol from grapes, fruits or berries. At the same time, special substances are released that decompose sugars into carbon dioxide and ethyl alcohol. To get a quality alcoholic drink, you need to know at what stage and how to forcibly interrupt this process.

When should wine fermentation be stopped

Interrupting the fermentation process at a certain time is required to obtain a wine of the required strength, rich, sweet taste. Experienced winemakers advise to slow it down after removing the wine from the sediment, before the corking stage.

After the filtration procedure, more sugar is added to the drink for taste. At the same time, the wine begins to ferment again, if this is not interrupted, the product will turn out to be dry and very strong.

In addition, it is necessary that microorganisms, lactobacilli, yeast fungi do not become active and do not harm the quality of the finished homemade product.

Fermentation is an important factor in obtaining a quality drink.

Fermentation is the conversion of sugars (glucose and fructose) into ethyl alcohol and carbon dioxide, an essential biochemical reaction, the basis of winemaking. Yeast fungi that are part of the drink cause a violent reaction during its production. At this time, the taste, aroma, color, quality of the future wine is laid. To make an intoxicating drink, wild wine yeast or sourdough is used. The following conditions are also necessary: a warm, dark, dry place, where the optimum air temperature is +20 … +22 °С, but not lower than +16 °С and not higher than +30 °С.

The process begins in the workpiece after 6-12 hours, subject to all the technology, there are several stages:

Zapirovanie - yeast begins to multiply in a container with prepared raw materials.
Stormy - yeast occupy the entire volume of the liquid, release alcohol, foam forms on the surface, you can hear a characteristic hiss. Duration - 4-8 days.
Quiet - the basis of the future wine ferments until all sugar is processed, the period depends on its content, on average - 20 days, the number of yeast decreases.

After the wine is poured into a clean container, tasted, sugar is added to obtain a sweet or semi-sweet drink and put on fermentation. It lasts 30-40 days. During this period, it is required to pay increased attention to the future product for its best quality. Therefore, it is important to know how to interrupt fermentation in young wine.

How to stop wine from fermenting at home

There are several different ways to stop the fermentation process of a grape intoxicating drink at home.

Alcoholization

One easy way is to stop the alcohol fermentation. It is known that at its high concentration - 16% or 17-18%, the yeast dies. It is advised to use this method in exceptional cases.

It is important to correctly dose - usually use such calculations. To increase the wine material by 1 degree, add 2% vodka or 1% alcohol from the volume of the drink. Vodka needs 2 times more alcohol, since its degree is weaker.

For example - 10 liters of wine, where the strength is 10 degrees, you need to increase it to 16 degrees. So, you need 2.4 liters of vodka, and 1.2 liters of alcohol.

Having measured the right amount of alcohol or vodka, pour it into the wine, mix thoroughly. In order for both liquids to be thoroughly mixed with each other, the product is allowed to stand for 10-15 days. After a while, the resulting drink is removed from the sediment, bottled for storage.

Disadvantages of the method - the wine becomes strong, the smell of vodka is felt, the taste changes.

Cryostabilization

Chemical reactions of sugars before the appearance of alcohol proceed at a high temperature. The method of cryostabilization or stopping fermentation by cold suggests putting the drink in a room where the air temperature is lowered to +2 … +10 ^{С. But a lower temperature is not recommended, it will spoil the taste of young wine. They keep the drink there for 5 days, during which time the activity of wine yeast stops, and they settle at the bottom of the dish. In this case, the yeast does not die completely, but goes into a state of anabiosis or "hibernation".}

Then the alcoholic drink should be drained so that the yeast remains at the bottom. Store containers with wine at a temperature not higher than +16 ^C.

Pluses of cryostabilization - taste shades, color, a smell of drink do not change, and it is clarified. Cons - the procedure does not guarantee complete sedimentation of the yeast, perhaps a small amount will still remain in the wine.

Pasteurization

Pasteurization - the next method to stop fermentation, is the heat treatment of wine material. During heating at a high temperature, more than 50 ° C, the yeast dies and the risk of resuming fermentation processes is eliminated. The method also allows you to disinfect the drink and prevent diseases. The procedure at home is carried out in a large container, wooden planks are placed on the bottom, water is poured, and a container of wine is placed. It is important that the liquid covers the level of the bottled wine.

The drink is heated to 50-60 °C and counted for 15-20 minutes. Before the procedure, the wine is cooled to 10 ° C. At home, the wine is heated in a water bath. Install bottles with closed caps in a container with cold water, lower the thermometer there, heat from 15-25 minutes.

Temperature should not exceed +68 °С.

After holding for a few minutes, remove the pan, cool to +35 ° C, remove from the container. Then let cool to room temperature and remove. During the process, it is important to control the temperature so as not to boil the drink.

Disadvantages of heat treatment in deteriorating the taste of the drink and reducing its aroma.

Using Potassium Sorbate

Stop fermentation with the help of potassium s alt of sorbic acid. This method is more suitable for wineries.

Potassium sorbate renders yeast inactive but does not kill it completely. In this case, the substance acts in such a way that the awakening or reproduction of yeast cells is excluded. After removing from the sediment, the drug is added together with sugar for a better taste.The substance is often used in conjunction with sulfur dioxide.

Using potassium bisulfite or Campden tablets

Preservatives are also used by winemakers to stop fermentation, but do not completely stop the activity of wine yeast. They are able to kill foreign bacteria, prevent diseases.

At the same time, there is a danger that the remaining living cells will multiply, then fermentation will resume. When using these drugs, the exact dosage of the drugs must be observed. A large dose leads to a deterioration in the taste and quality of alcohol.

Is it possible to drink homemade wine during fermentation

The use of young wine in small doses improves metabolism, increases appetite, helps to cope with sleep disturbance, stressful situations. The drink contains many useful substances, this refers to a fully ripened product.

Unfermented wine is only allowed to taste a little to determine the taste, degree of fermentation, strength. Drinking is not recommended until the drink completely withstands all stages of preparation. There are still many fusel oils and other impurities. It can harm the liver, gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular system, cause allergies.