Ferment simulator FAQ

Q: Can I clear a sluggish or rapid ferment warning if I’m not concerned about it?
A: Not specifically. The best way to deal with this is to adjust the desired duration of the ferment so it reflects what you now expect. There are certainly cases when the ferment may deviate from the desired duration without specifically having a problem.

Q: Can I use units of nitrogen instead of DAP?
A: You can set the DAP grade to 100% in the Simulator Setup which will effectively change DAP additions to N additions. The Actions box will still read DAP addition so you just need to remember how you have set the simulator up.

Q: Why doesn’t the prediction match my measurements?
A: The simulator assumes a nitrogen-limited model, which will hold true for most ferments, but in some cases the ferment may have another issue which the simulator is unable to predict, e.g. oxygen deficiency, thiamine deficiency, excess sulfur dioxide, etc. A poor simulation may indicate that one of these other issues are present. The system will flag these for specific winemaker attention. You can also try retuning the model by changing the Climate switch. This may produce a better result.

Q: My grape varietal, yeast type or region isn’t listed. What can I do?
A: Send an email to helpdesk@awri.com.au to request that it be added to the list.

Q: Why can’t I change the Ferment Type?
A: Ferment Type determines the sampling frequency of the data table (either once or twice daily). This switch is locked once a ferment profile is selected, as this prefills data into the table, or once Baume values are entered into the table. You must select the Ferment Type appropriately before entering anything into the data table.

Q: Can I use the Blend Code as my primary ferment identifier instead of the Wine Name?
A: Yes you can. The Ferment Simulator uses the Wine Name field as its primary ID for ferments. But if you’d like to use the Blend Code or any other ID instead, you can rename the Wine Name field in Simulator Setup. To avoid then having two Blend Code fields, you can hide the second Blend Code.

Q: Can the simulator predict stuck ferments in the Baume and Residual Sugar stages?
A: The simulator isn’t designed to work well in residual sugar and cannot be used to predict or respond to problematic ferments in the residual sugar stage. However, if the ferment appears to be tailing off in the Baume stage, it may indicate that there will be problems in the Residual Sugar stage which are worth keeping an eye on.

Q: Can I use the Ferment Simulator from outside Australia?
A: The Ferment Simulator is designed and intended for the Australian wine industry. At this stage, users from other countries are not locked out; however, there are sections of the site that are specific to Australia. If you would like to use the Ferment Simulator in another country, please contact us to discuss your requirements.

If you have any other questions which are not answered by this FAQ, please send them to helpdesk@awri.com.au or call 08 8313 6600.