# Rubber bung taste!!!



## Samh200 (Apr 1, 2012)

Does the Rubber bung taste ever go away? All my wine is about 2 months old and seems to me it taste like the bung, smells... Am I crazy or is this normal?


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## Runningwolf (Apr 1, 2012)

I have heard of this before but never witnessed it. Could it possibly be H2S.


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## grapeman (Apr 1, 2012)

Do you use the one gallons size? If so, go buy some different bungs. I have had a few before that made the wine stink like rubber and it definitely came from the bung. At the time I threw out the couple that got it bad. I don't know if it will ever go away.


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## Samh200 (Apr 1, 2012)

I have 4 (5 gallon) and 5 (1 gallon)... all seem to have that taste...


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## russfink (Apr 1, 2012)

You're not crazy. It's sulfur, and probably not from the rubber stopper. It's most likely hydrogen sulfide from stressed yeast. The bung almost never comes in contact with the wine, so how would it contaminate the wine with it's taste?


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## Samh200 (Apr 2, 2012)

Is there a fix for this or do I have to poor out the 25 gallons...


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## Julie (Apr 2, 2012)

Samh200 said:


> Is there a fix for this or do I have to poor out the 25 gallons...


 
Geez, where is Tom when you need him. Patience, Patience, Patience. I have never in ALL of my wines had a "bung" taste. Russlink did a pretty good job on an explanation. 

What you are tasting/smelling is a young wine, just be patient, it will go away. 2 months is a very young wine. Give it at least 6 months and you would be surprise at the wonderful taste you get from your wines when they are a year old.

Don't worry Sam you are fine.


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## Samh200 (Apr 2, 2012)

Julie said:


> Geez, where is Tom when you need him. Patience, Patience, Patience. I have never in ALL of my wines had a "bung" taste. Russlink did a pretty good job on an explanation.
> 
> What you are tasting/smelling is a young wine, just be patient, it will go away. 2 months is a very young wine. Give it at least 6 months and you would be surprise at the wonderful taste you get from your wines when they are a year old.
> 
> Don't worry Sam you are fine.


 


Even my skeeter pee has this smell/taste... Thats, normal?


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## koda_ky (Apr 2, 2012)

I had the same thing happen and I switched to the silicone type and it went away, as for what you have done all I can say is it will get better with age if it is coming from the rubber bung. hope this helps


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## grapeman (Apr 2, 2012)

Like I said before, I had a couple gallon "overflow" bottles that got the rubber smell and yes rubber taste. It was not hydrogen sulfide- that smells like rotten eggs. It was from the bungs. There were a few a couple years or so that one supplier had that gave off the smell and taste. The best thing to do if you suspect it is to replace them and see if the problem reoccurs after that. If not, you have solved the problem one way or another. Time will probably solve the current problem if you switch the bungs out. It will not cost much to replace them with silicone ones.


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## lloyd (Apr 3, 2012)

I only had this trouble when I bought new rubber bungs and did not wash them prior to sterilization. If I had it to do over I would wash a couple of times in the dishwasher


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## Samh200 (Apr 3, 2012)

Ok.. Thanks everyone for the info... I just hope it goes away with time!!!


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## Espoir (Apr 22, 2012)

just had the same problem with this...... with my pineapple wine.. thinking what I should to rectify this..

I am guilty of not washing them prior to sterilization though. just soaked them in the sterile solution.

Now it tastes like im drinking a rubber bung thats melted and blended into the wine. bleah


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## EdwardLongshanks (Apr 24, 2012)

I thought the same thing when my wine is very young, 2-4 months the wine starts to balance out. I thought it smelled like my bungs but it really was just the post-biochemical reaction in the wine that makes a sort of "fart" smell. It doesn't come from the bung itself it's just the natural process of the wine. I learned after a few batches that I really don't like green wine, and am now bottling at 90 days rather than 28, and Im trying to wait at least until 6 months to open the first one. My dad on the other hand thinks my wine tastes great the week after I bottle it lol.


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## jswordy (Apr 24, 2012)

I have an overflow gallon of apple with the same thing. It *IS* from the rubber bung, which was purchased from a reputable supplier, was new and in its first use, and was washed and sanitized carefully. These (expletive) bungs are coming from China now, and who knows what is actually in them? My original 5 gallons was fine.

Whether the taste will go away I don't know, but it is no fun to find it after 4-5 months of aging, I can tell you that! 

My deepest sympathies. If it had been 5 gallons, I would have been 

Thing is, you can't smell this until it has concentrated in your air gap in the carboy. Sniffing the bung will not reveal it. I really need to let the supplier know, too.


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## stujol (Apr 24, 2012)

All of mine that have had the "rubber" smell have lost it over time. One turned out to be the best batch of apple wine I have made so far. That one took about 10 months before it was good to drink.


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## winemaker_3352 (Apr 24, 2012)

Are you smelling this out of the carboy??

Mine smells that way - if you leave the bung off for a few mins - take another wife - it smells like your wine.

The rubber you might be smelling is just around the ring of the carboy.

Take a sample out in a wine glass - give a sniffy sniff and see if u get the same results.


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## jswordy (Apr 24, 2012)

Emailed my supplier. Even though I clearly told them I washed and sanitized the bung, their reply was wash it. Gee thanks!

BTW, thanks stujol but I do know about aging apple wine. Not my first rodeo.

I hope you are correct, Jon, cuz I am going to find out this weekend. It'll be bottled or it'll be drain cleaner, one way or the other.


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## oldwhiskers (Apr 24, 2012)

Stressed yeast can give a burnt rubber taste/smell. I had a similar problem on an apple wine recently that letting a copper wire sitting in the wine for two nights and a splash rack and some time cleared the smell/taste. To be sure it's the wine and not the area around the neck, remove a sample to a glass and smell/taste.

The Wine Maker's Answer Book pg 256 and the PDF article from Cornell University mention the problem and some possible cures.


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## jswordy (Apr 28, 2012)

Today, I opened the gallon jug of apple I mentioned and took a sample. It tastes exactly like the bung smells. Undrinkable as-is. As I said, this is a portion of a batch I made, the majority of which was finished in a carboy. The portion finished in the carboy does not have this taste or smell. Also as I said, this is not my first rodeo, so I carefully washed and sanitized the bung prior to use. 

As an experiment, I bottled two 720 ml off the gallon for the sake of science, to see if the rubber taste goes away after a few months. I highly doubt that it will, but maybe. I tossed the rest of it.

I'm going to take these new bungs, which are white in color, and put them in the dishwasher for multiple cycles to see if the smell can be washed away with hot water eventually. But I think it is in the rubber itself, so only time will diminish it. I rarely do gallons, and I won't buy those again!


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## Runningwolf (Apr 28, 2012)

Jim I love your You Tube video in your signature line. Can you tell me which rubber Bungs you're using, maybe post a picture. I use all types and never had the problem several others are having but I use mostly the universal ones. Also what is the practice most people use for storing these. I just thrown mine into an open drawer, no sealed container. This oder issue has come up numerous times over the years in several forums.


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## bg7mm (Apr 29, 2012)

had the rubber smelly monster visit here recently, got rid of those rubber demons and purchased a bag full of silicone stoppers, no more rubber smellys, i would keep the rubber ones in a sanitizing solution also but it didn't help rid the smell

on an unrelated topic, dropped a 5 gallon glass carboy this mourning on my driveway, it went bang and flew into a million pieces, heartaches don't feel so good at my age


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## Runningwolf (Apr 29, 2012)

bg7mm said:


> on an unrelated topic, dropped a 5 gallon glass carboy this mourning on my driveway, it went bang and flew into a million pieces, heartaches don't feel so good at my age


 
Ouch, sorry for your loss. Glad to gear you did not get hurt.


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## jswordy (Apr 29, 2012)

Runningwolf said:


> Jim I love your You Tube video in your signature line. Can you tell me which rubber Bungs you're using, maybe post a picture. I use all types and never had the problem several others are having but I use mostly the universal ones. Also what is the practice most people use for storing these. I just thrown mine into an open drawer, no sealed container. This oder issue has come up numerous times over the years in several forums.


 
My camera is on the wane, and has spells of not wanting to turn on (common with Canons, I now understand). They are the generic white rubber drilled stoppers sold by Midwest. I don't do gallons hardly at all, so I was surprised when this problem turned up. I usually store my bungs and airlocks in a common plastic shopping bag in one of my winemaking cabinets.

Never again on rubber. It will be silicone! My five-gallon carboys use the universal stoppers which, while white, are made from a different material.

Otis and Barney - you can't get much funnier than that and stay clean.


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## Runningwolf (Apr 29, 2012)

The only thing I see different is that you are storing them in a plastic bag. Does anyone else do that, that has had the same problem? I leave mine lose in my set of rubber maid drawers.


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## jswordy (Apr 30, 2012)

Runningwolf said:


> The only thing I see different is that you are storing them in a plastic bag. Does anyone else do that, that has had the same problem? I leave mine lose in my set of rubber maid drawers.


 
The problem is that you can wash the dickens out of them, and they will still stink. After you wash them, you will not smell it. But when you cork the bottle with one, the smell then permeates the head space and gets into the wine. I don't think storage is the problem. It's the compounds used to make the bung. I am sure after a certain time the smell will leave a new bung.

I want to experiment to see if washing repeatedly in the dishwasher will make it leave sooner. Then again, with a China bung, who knows what compound is causing the smell to begin with? Since I don't usually do gallons, it will be easy to not have to worry about this again for awhile. See? Every cloud has a silver lining!


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## winemaker_3352 (Apr 30, 2012)

Runningwolf said:


> The only thing I see different is that you are storing them in a plastic bag. Does anyone else do that, that has had the same problem? I leave mine lose in my set of rubber maid drawers.




That is what i do - i just leave them lose laying out.

I have never had an issue with my wine tasting or smelling like the rubber bung..


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## sjo (Apr 30, 2012)

I leave mine loose. I use rubber and silicone bungs. I had 2 batches this year that smell like the bung. 1 rhubarb that the smell has dissipated slightly. the other is an Italian Brunello that is still pretty bad. I did that batch and a Petit Verdot at the same time. The Verdot had the silicone bung.
This was the first time in 3 years that has happened and the last. I picked up more silicone bungs.


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## jswordy (Apr 30, 2012)

sjo said:


> I leave mine loose. I use rubber and silicone bungs. I had 2 batches this year that smell like the bung. 1 rhubarb that the smell has dissipated slightly. the other is an Italian Brunello that is still pretty bad. I did that batch and a Petit Verdot at the same time. The Verdot had the silicone bung.
> This was the first time in 3 years that has happened and the last. I picked up more silicone bungs.


 
I'm with you! Silicone or none from here on out. Live and learn.


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## tchuklobrau (Apr 30, 2012)

I have noticed that 1 of my stoppers gives this smell/flavor as well. Only when I have to use my 2l erlemyer flask for a secondary vessel do I get this. No matter how many dishwasher cycles its been through it is still there. Fortunately when that 2l flask of wine gets blended with wats n the other jugs I have never smelled or tasted it again.


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## jswordy (Apr 30, 2012)

I see nobody has to worry about getting *CARDED* in *THIS BAR!!!*


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## tchuklobrau (Apr 30, 2012)

jswordy said:


> I see nobody has to worry about getting *CARDED* in *THIS BAR!!!*



Lol nope German rules in this house. If you can see over the bar you get served. That pic is how I found out our package came from the inlaws in germany last year.


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## lloyd (Jun 5, 2012)

Who supplies silicone Bungs/corks?


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## Boatboy24 (Jun 5, 2012)

lloyd said:


> Who supplies silicone Bungs/corks?



finevinewines.com is one place


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## JohnT (Jun 5, 2012)

russfink said:


> You're not crazy. It's sulfur, and probably not from the rubber stopper. It's most likely hydrogen sulfide from stressed yeast. The bung almost never comes in contact with the wine, so how would it contaminate the wine with it's taste?


 
Agree with above. When hydrogen sulfide becomes bounded over time, it forms compounds called mercaptans. These compound issue an oder much like "burnt rubber". I would recomend that you take a small sample and either give it a short dose of copper sulfate, or even just simply throw a couple of scoured pennies into the sample to check for improvement. Swirl the sample for about 5 or 10 minutes and check if that smell goes away. If it does go away, then you know that this is a sulfur related condition and not caused by rubber bungs.


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## jswordy (Jun 5, 2012)

JohnT said:


> Agree with above. When hydrogen sulfide becomes bounded over time, it forms compounds called mercaptans. These compound issue an oder much like "burnt rubber". I would recomend that you take a small sample and either give it a short dose of copper sulfate, or even just simply throw a couple of scoured pennies into the sample to check for improvement. Swirl the sample for about 5 or 10 minutes and check if that smell goes away. If it does go away, then you know that this is a sulfur related condition and not caused by rubber bungs.


 
Might be, but I have 6 bungs and smelled the unused ones, and they smelled the way my wine smelled and tasted.

My two saved test bottles are still awaiting opening.


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## JohnT (Jun 5, 2012)

jswordy said:


> Might be, but I have 6 bungs and smelled the unused ones, and they smelled the way my wine smelled and tasted.
> 
> My two saved test bottles are still awaiting opening.


 
I think that a simple copper test would be in order.


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## JSPL (Jun 5, 2012)

I shouldn't even throw my .02 cents in because I know noting, but... I read an article the other day on TCA tainted "corked" wines that some folks have had good luck repairing the taste of these wines by "putting wadded up Saran Wrap into the bottle for a prolonged period of time. The theory is that some plastics like that included in the wrap will absorb the TCA more readily than the wine itself, effectively filtering the contaminant from the wine." Would anyone here believe this method might apply to "Bung Taint"?


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## jswordy (Jun 5, 2012)

JohnT said:


> I think that a simple copper test would be in order.


 
The other 5 gallons out of the batch, which used a different type bung, were fine. I am still drinking that part. Only this 1-gallon overage smelled exactly like the white bung and the other bungs I had bought with it, and carried the rubbery taste. Never had that before, and you can bet I will never have it again. Undrinkable. The wine went down the drain, but I bottled 2 to see what might happen over time to it.

Funny thing, I ran across those bungs in my cabinet the other day. They still stink, brand new!


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## Runningwolf (Jun 5, 2012)

Like JohnT said it could be H2S and if it is the wine will only get worse without treatment. You can easily do the penny test he eluded to or a copper sulphate test. If you use the copper sulphate, set up 4 glasses. Put 100 ml of wine into each one. Now mark your glasses C-1-2 & 3. C is your control glass and you won't add anything to it but use it as a reference. Add 1 drop, 2 drops and three to the corresponding glasses and swirl them around. Now smell each one you added the drops to and see if the smell went away. Always go with the least amount of Copper sulphate. It takes very little to correct the situation.


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## robie (Jun 5, 2012)

JSPL said:


> I shouldn't even throw my .02 cents in because I know noting, but... I read an article the other day on TCA tainted "corked" wines that some folks have had good luck repairing the taste of these wines by "putting wadded up Saran Wrap into the bottle for a prolonged period of time. The theory is that some plastics like that included in the wrap will absorb the TCA more readily than the wine itself, effectively filtering the contaminant from the wine." Would anyone here believe this method might apply to "Bung Taint"?



That's a different problem from the burnt rubber smell. It is an entirely different smell. Cork taint smells more like wet cardboard. Most people don't even recognize it as TCA, so they drink the wine anyway, thinking it is just not a very tasty wine. I also have heard of the Saran Wrap trick for TCA, I just have never tried it.


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## beauthegoat (Jan 12, 2017)

What was the verdict in this thread? Was it sulfur, or the bung? I'm interested in knowing because I had three batches with that same smell.


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## Johnd (Jan 12, 2017)

beauthegoat said:


> What was the verdict in this thread? Was it sulfur, or the bung? I'm interested in knowing because I had three batches with that same smell.



It seems that the verdict of this 2012 thread was mixed results. I have the same experience as @jswordy . Had some batches of wine that were fermented, cleared, etc. and aged in 6 gallon carboys, and a couple of gallons went into 1 gallon glass jugs with rubber bungs. The one gallons stink and taste just like the stinky rubber bungs. I read this thread back when I was noticing the stinky rubber bung smell / flavor. 

The carboys are still wonderful, the rubber bung jugs had their stoppers replaced with silicone several months ago and I haven't checked them again. I threw away all of my rubber bungs and will never allow another into my home.


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## jswordy (Jan 12, 2017)

Johnd said:


> It seems that the verdict of this 2012 thread was mixed results. I have the same experience as @jswordy . Had some batches of wine that were fermented, cleared, etc. and aged in 6 gallon carboys, and a couple of gallons went into 1 gallon glass jugs with rubber bungs. The one gallons stink and taste just like the stinky rubber bungs. I read this thread back when I was noticing the stinky rubber bung smell / flavor.
> 
> The carboys are still wonderful, the rubber bung jugs had their stoppers replaced with silicone several months ago and I haven't checked them again. I threw away all of my rubber bungs and will never allow another into my home.



YUP. I never use those gallon rubber bungs anymore. One time was enough!


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## Scooter68 (Jan 12, 2017)

We have alcohol vapors and SO2 gas so why would a reaction with the rubber be a surprise. 

Had the same problem - ONCE - Stopped using the cheap rubber bungs. All I use now are the plastic airlock caps or Plastic screw on caps with a plastic liner. 

Sorry to hear about that problem.


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## Johnd (Feb 19, 2017)

Racked, sulfite, and added some oak to the jugs that used to have rubber bungs in them. Good news, after a few months with the new silicone bungs in them, no rubber taste or smell remains. These wines now taste like the parent carboy wine.


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## Scooter68 (Feb 19, 2017)

Gotta believe that it's certain types of rubber that reacts with the gasses from the wine, OR you have the dreaded H2S monster.


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## Johnd (Feb 19, 2017)

Scooter68 said:


> Gotta believe that it's certain types of rubber that reacts with the gasses from the wine, OR you have the dreaded H2S monster.



Neither are the case for me, as it is gone.


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## hounddawg (Feb 20, 2017)

Where do you run across silicone bungs?
Thanks 
Dawg





QUOTE=Johnd;634776]It seems that the verdict of this 2012 thread was mixed results. I have the same experience as @jswordy . Had some batches of wine that were fermented, cleared, etc. and aged in 6 gallon carboys, and a couple of gallons went into 1 gallon glass jugs with rubber bungs. The one gallons stink and taste just like the stinky rubber bungs. I read this thread back when I was noticing the stinky rubber bung smell / flavor. 

The carboys are still wonderful, the rubber bung jugs had their stoppers replaced with silicone several months ago and I haven't checked them again. I threw away all of my rubber bungs and will never allow another into my home.[/QUOTE]


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## Johnd (Feb 20, 2017)

hounddawg said:


> Where do you run across silicone bungs?
> Thanks
> Dawg
> 
> ...


[/QUOTE]

They are available from MoreWine, Austin Homebrew, Williams, probably a bunch more if you do a web search. Got 'em on every vessel I own that doesn't have active gas production. Love em.


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## jswordy (Feb 21, 2017)

BTW, the taste is not due to a reaction between SO2 and the bungs. The bungs smell right out of the bag they were bought in. You can wash them and they will smell better, but the stink is in them through and through. I have some now - years after I bought them - that I have never used because of my taste lesson. They STILL stink.

Silicone is the way to go with bungs. They also make a lab grade black bung that does not smell, but it is as pricey or pricier than silicone. I wish suppliers would stop selling the white bungs all together if they are selling stinkers.

If you age your wine under airlock a looooong time, you stand the chance of getting rid of the bung taste. Your mileage may vary...


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## stickman (Feb 21, 2017)

I agree with Jim, the typical rubber bungs sold for many years are vulcanized with sulfur containing compounds, so these compounds are molded into the bung and can be continuously released. I have noticed some being worse than others, so I'm sure the manufacturing process and QC etc. makes a big difference on the final product. To me, smell is one of the best tests at my disposal, my wine doesn't contact anything that doesn't smell right.


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## Scooter68 (Feb 21, 2017)

Think I need to get the rubber bungs I have (Stink Emitting Variety) and get them out of bag where I have my universal bungs (drilled) Don't want any of that smell transferring. 

Not long now until basement warms up enough to start my wine making again. I've decided to run this as a seasonal hobby letting the natural temp changes help me with the wine aging and clearing process.


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