# Wine expanded up into airlock.... is this bad?



## MinVin (Jun 8, 2011)

I have a Pinot Grigio that had about 1 inch of headspace in the carboy, but now it has expanded up into the air lock. This wine finished fermentation and was degassed, stabilized and racked into this carboy around May 8. There is still air space between the wine and the water in the air lock and there is no leaking around the bung. I have this wine divided between a 5-Gal carboy and a 1-Gal jug - the jug wine has expanded similarly, but it hasn't gone quite as far up into the air lock. 

My basement has warmed up to 75*F (unfortunate, but normal in the summer with the dehumidifier running). When originally racked into the carboy, the basement was around 60*F, but none of the other carboys (neither glass nor Better Bottles) are doing this. Over this past weekend we replaced our old dehumidifier with a bigger, more efficient one, so the humidity has also decreased over the last few days.

Is it a problem? Do I do anything or just wait and see? Any guess why only one out of 4 carboys (all different wines) under airlock are doing this?


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## robie (Jun 8, 2011)

Is it foaming into the air lock or is the wine level itself up into the air lock?

If it is foam, it is either needing more degassing or it has started fermenting again.

If it is liquid, the change in temperature has changed the volume of the wine. Take a little out.

I can't say why it would happen to only one out of four.


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## MinVin (Jun 8, 2011)

No foaming or bubbling, this is the wine itself.

In that case, I think I'll try setting it on the cold concrete floor for a while to see if it will chill down enough to reduce the volume and not make a mess (or waste wine!) when I pull the air lock/bung out.


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## robie (Jun 8, 2011)

Take enough out to fill a 375 ml wine bottle (or a beer bottle) and safe it.
You don't want your wine up in the air lock.


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## robie (Jun 8, 2011)

Or, take just enough out to give yourself an inch or more head space... drink the extra wine. If you let it set in a decanter for a couple of hours or freeze it for a couple of days, it will be tolerable.


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## MinVin (Jun 8, 2011)

I've moved it down to the floor which is a bit cooler than the air. I'll let it stay there overnight and check it tomorrow. Then I'll remove some wine, whether it has gone down by then or not.


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## MinVin (Jun 8, 2011)

In the past few hours, since I moved the wine to the floor, it has already cooled enough to be nearly out of the airlock. I should be able to open it up and remove some either later tonight or sometime tomorrow. All will be fine with the wine! 

The sage advice from Douglas Adams comes to mind: DON'T PANIC


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## ibglowin (Jun 8, 2011)

Sounds like the temp change and perhaps degassing on its own may have pushed up the volume and into the airlock. 

You got it right, don't panic, pull the airlock out rinse, refill and drain the carboy down an inch or two and reseat the airlock.


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## Flem (Jun 8, 2011)

Could the expansion be due to a barometric pressure change?


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## MinVin (Jun 8, 2011)

I thought that at first, because I have seen slight fluctuations before that I attributed to baro press changes, but never this much and it lasted for a couple days - through our weather system changes - that's when I posted here.


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## ibglowin (Jun 8, 2011)

Overall temp changes upward will cause the carboy to contract inward and squeeze the levels higher in the carboy and up the neck.


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## Runningwolf (Jun 8, 2011)

I agree with Mike. The warming temperature does play a factor. When I cold stabilize and bring the carboy out of the freezer there is always an increase in pressure.


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## MrTaylor (Jun 8, 2011)

Wow I was just about to start the same thread when I came across this. Same Issue. I poured a little off the top. It didn't go to waste.


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## Lurker (Jun 9, 2011)

I have the exact same conditions in my cellar. The temp now is up to 73. It is a good time to taste or test SO2. Tasting is more fun.


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## MinVin (Jun 9, 2011)

I have plans to address the basement temperature issue later this year. After I finish putting in a patio, I intend to insulate the basement as the first step toward finishing it. It should make a huge difference. Considering this product vs standard framing and insulation: http://www.refiticf.com. Anybody else familiar with it?


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## robie (Jun 9, 2011)

MinVin said:


> I have plans to address the basement temperature issue later this year. After I finish putting in a patio, I intend to insulate the basement as the first step toward finishing it. It should make a huge difference. Considering this product vs standard framing and insulation: http://www.refiticf.com. Anybody else familiar with it?



That colder temperature is perfect for aging. Maybe you could make a special closet/small room next to an outside wall and not insulate inside it. That way when you close the door on that closet, it will stay very cool inside.

I have a basement closet that, though it is insulated, it is on an outside wall; the temp is in the 50's in the winter and in the mid 60's in the summer. I age everything in there.


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## ibglowin (Jun 9, 2011)

Very nice! 



robie said:


> I have a basement closet that, though it is insulated, it is on an outside wall; the temp is in the 50's in the winter and in the mid 60's in the summer. I age everything in there.


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## robie (Jun 9, 2011)

ibglowin said:


> Very nice!



Earlier, from Sams Club I bought one of those wine racks, which you had recommended. I had to put the rack together inside that closet, cause it wouldn't fit through the closet door. It's a nice setup for me, so thanks for the recommendation.


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## ibglowin (Jun 9, 2011)

Glad to help a friend spend $$$! I have 3 of them now and I have only the top shelf's left to fill, either I need to drink more or make less!


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## jowine (Jun 9, 2011)

*Airlock going the wrong way*

I've had the wine go into the airlock and did as was suggested earlier, took some of the top and everything seems to be fine.

ON another note: I would like to know how you guys would handle an airlock going the wrong way. Fermentation is long over and I'm using an "S" airlock on a 53 gallon barrel. Air is being pulled back in to the barrel (after the barrel already pulled some of the sulfite solution out). I've topped it off the barrel and the airlock a number of times and plan on continuing to do that, but would it be best to just put a bung in the hole now and forget about the airlock? My concern there is that the bung may get pulled in so tight that I'd have to drill it out.

Any ideas would be appreciated? 

Thank you.


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## ibglowin (Jun 9, 2011)

Get a silicon bung sized to fit your barrel. You will always be able to pull it back out.


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## jowine (Jun 9, 2011)

Thanks, Mike. I love a cheap and easy solution.

Joe


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## Tom (Jun 9, 2011)

Most likely its because of temp changing and difference in air pressure.


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## robie (Jun 9, 2011)

ibglowin said:


> Glad to help a friend spend $$$! I have 3 of them now and I have only the top shelf's left to fill, either I need to drink more or make less!



If I would just bottle more of what I have already in carboys, I too, would need at least one more big rack rack. I seem to put off the bottling part. The carboys are aging on the other side of the same closet.


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## MinVin (Jun 9, 2011)

robie said:


> That colder temperature is perfect for aging. Maybe you could make a special closet/small room next to an outside wall and not insulate inside it. That way when you close the door on that closet, it will stay very cool inside.
> 
> I have a basement closet that, though it is insulated, it is on an outside wall; the temp is in the 50's in the winter and in the mid 60's in the summer. I age everything in there.



While you're right, part of the trouble is on the side of the basement where I have all the wine making, the top 3 feet of the foundation wall are exposed to sun and warm, not below grade. I'll at least leave the floor un-insulated in that area (likely using ceramic tile). I will certainly have to consider a "closet," where maybe the lower portion of the wall that is below grade is still exposed.

I've also got estimates to put Cultured Stone veneer finish on the exterior, which should further reduce temp fluctuations. Who knows, we may even use the stone veneer inside to give a more authentic wine cellar aesthetic.


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