What should my watermelon wine not smell like?

[Clasi]

This is my first attempt at making wine so please be gentle...I just finished a 3 days primary ferment of a watermelon wine, the colour is light yellowish pink and it smells like watermelon but also sour and ever so slightly mouldy...is that OK or not?

 

[Yooper]

It should smell good, not moldy. It shouldn't be sour, either. How's it taste?
Watermelon is a very hard fermentation to get going and get going well.

 

[Clasi]

Thanks, it tastes like watermelon, also sour and a bit moldy...similar to the smell. Should I chick it or is there a way to rectify the situation?

 

[Seamonkey84]

Melon wines tend to have a funk to them. I find it similar to the aftertaste after biting into a melon rind, or one that is not juicy or sweet at all.

 

[Clasi]

Thanks, what is your take on the moldy and sour smell?

 

[bernardsmith]

Hi Clasi- and welcome. In my opinion watermelon is one of the most challenging fruits to ferment for wine largely because the juice tends to begin to spoil before the yeast are able to out-compete spoilage organisms and oxidation of the fruit.

That said, I am not certain that you can salvage what you've got. The larger problem may be oxidation of the juice and I think of oxidation in exactly the same way I think of rust except that with wine there is no way I know to mechanically (or chemically) remove this rust.

What you might do if the problem is spoilage organisms is add enough K-meta to kill all the bacteria and the yeast in the juice and then after 24 hours re-pitch the yeast, but before re-pitching the yeast I would create a starter (perhaps by adding the yeast to a cup of orange juice or a cup of spring water into which you have dissolved a tablespoon of table sugar. After three or four hours when you see that the yeast is really active and there is a great deal of foam and froth then add the yeast ...

 

[Clasi]

Hi Clasi- and welcome. In my opinion watermelon is one of the most challenging fruits to ferment for wine largely because the juice tends to begin to spoil before the yeast are able to out-compete spoilage organisms and oxidation of the fruit.

That said, I am not certain that you can salvage what you've got. The larger problem may be oxidation of the juice and I think of oxidation in exactly the same way I think of rust except that with wine there is no way I know to mechanically (or chemically) remove this rust.

What you might do if the problem is spoilage organisms is add enough K-meta to kill all the bacteria and the yeast in the juice and then after 24 hours re-pitch the yeast, but before re-pitching the yeast I would create a starter (perhaps by adding the yeast to a cup of orange juice or a cup of spring water into which you have dissolved a tablespoon of table sugar. After three or four hours when you see that the yeast is really active and there is a great deal of foam and froth then add the yeast ...

Wow, that is really great advice. I bet I will remember this always. I will see if I can find K-meta and get back to you if it works.
Many thanks for your attention and detailed answer.

 

[DoctorCAD]

Feet!