# Mould in airlock



## dazza001 (Nov 4, 2006)

Help, I hope that my wine is not ruined.

I have just put my strawberry wine into bottles, after racking it 4 times.

Everything seems ok, tastes quite nice, smells ok, looks ok, but on cleaning out all my equipment afterwards I noticed that there was some mould in my airlock.

I constantly had it filled to the max line that is imprinted on it, and I put a campden tablet in the wine at every recommended stage, I also thought that I sterilised the airlock (though now I'm having my doubts) before I put it on.

So I'm not sure how this has happened.

Anyway could my wine be ruined, especially as I have to let it age for about 9 months.

Cheers


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## Caplan (Nov 4, 2006)

If it still tastes good and you've used campden at each stage of syphoning you should hopefully be fine. 
The only real risk is when you've taken the airlock off that some of it's water may have been sucked back into your wine.
You've just had the scare that sanitising is the one thing you can't skip on with homebrewing. I'm sure you'll be twice as thorough in your approach on your next batch! 
It could however have been that the mould spores entered your airlock after you put it on the fermenter and not due to an unsuccessful sanitation. If you're using the one piece 'S' airlocks may sure you put the little red cap on or a bung of cotton wool in the top. This will stop any airborne 'nasties' falling into your airlock. I also put a solution of campden and water in my airlocks and top up regularly with more solution rather than straight water.


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## dazza001 (Nov 5, 2006)

yeah, it does tatse good, so I guess I have got away with it, but definatley I will be really careful next time to avoid this. 

I have thrown the airlock away because I do not want to risk using it again and they are only 99p so its not worth chancing it.

I will use a solution in the airlock also next time rather than just water, that may be why it has happened.

Cheers for your advice.


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## OGB (Nov 9, 2006)

I'm new to winemaking, (or at least I will be in January) though I have been making beer for a while. I would assume that the same processes apply, albeit, more steps involved with wine. When I use the 1 piece airlocks, I fill them with vodka as that tends to keep the nasties from growing. Another thing to remember is not to fill them to the very top line. All you need is enough to block an airflow into the fermenter. Any more than that and you run the risk of air pressure changes (big storms, quickly opening a door in the house, etc.) drawing your solution into the fermenter. Other options are using a hose instead of an airlock and running it into a separate container of sanitizing solution or bleach+water, or you could use the one way valve airlocks that are sold with the Better Bottle Carboys.


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## dazza001 (Nov 12, 2006)

*vodka*

vodka in airlock, thats a good idea, cheers, no nastys will get past that.

cheers


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