# Sad Day



## Wild Duk (Apr 21, 2011)

Watching TV last night when the air kicked on, and it smelled kinda like wine....Didn't really think much of it until my wife smelled the same thing....Went downstairs to my makeshift wine cellar, and a mexican carboy had cracked and leaked 6 gallons of wine all over the floor....The air handler is down there, hence the smell....

I had earlier in the day place a brew belt on it to warm it up, in order to degass one last time before bottling....
I have used brew belts on all my glass before and never had a problem....The wine was siting at about 65 degrees.....


So sad....It was an EP Cab Sav, bulked aged coming up on 1.5 years, with an extrea 3 oz. of oak.....What a shame....


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## Scott (Apr 21, 2011)

Prayers sent out for you, sad indeed


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## Wade E (Apr 21, 2011)

Was cold air blowing on it?


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## Wild Duk (Apr 21, 2011)

No cold air blowing on it, but... 


Not sure if this could be it, but I did have a solid bung in the top that was taped down.....Not sure what would give first, but when the wine got warm and expanded.......


Just a thought, and the brew belt had only been on for about 6 hours....


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## Randoneur (Apr 21, 2011)

Very unfortunate. Now the hard part - which kit to start as a replacement?


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## Rocky (Apr 21, 2011)

That is a real shame. You have my sympathy. Almost had to be a flaw in the carboy. Even the slightest chip or crack will compromise the integrity of the surface strength.


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## Runningwolf (Apr 21, 2011)

Wild duk sorry to hear this. When I cold stabilize in the freezer I use a solid bung. If I don't replace it with an air lock within 30 minutes, the warming wine blows the solid bung right off the carboy.


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## Wade E (Apr 21, 2011)

I can guaranty that the solid bung was the culprit. Throw those things away or drill a damn hole in them!!!!


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## grapeman (Apr 21, 2011)

Also in my humble opinion- a wine that has been bulk aging for 18 months probably does not need degassing - at least it would not have needed it if there was no solid bung in it.


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## Flem (Apr 21, 2011)

What a mess. I'm so sorry.


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## Runningwolf (Apr 21, 2011)

I agree with both of you and thats why I mentioned it. I only use it in the freezer because I need the clearance to shut the lid.


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## ibglowin (Apr 21, 2011)

The solid bung was not the problem but it did certainly play a role. You had a closed and sealed system with the tape which made things worse. When you applied heat via the belt, things started to expand and pressures started to build in your new closed system. Something had to give. Either the tape would give or the vessel. Never tape a closed system. You are creating a bomb in essence. I still use solid bungs but I have a temperature controlled winery these days and I crack each and every Carboy every night to relieve any small amount of pressure that builds up over the course of the day. I learned this the hard way of course!


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## Runningwolf (Apr 21, 2011)

Yes you did and so why are you still using them Mike? Why not just an airlock with some glycerine or vodka?


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## Bert (Apr 21, 2011)

Man, sorry for your loss....what a really bad experience...but thank you for sharing, I hope this may help others..


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## Wade E (Apr 21, 2011)

I have a very stable temp wine room where I ferment in which I have a thermometer in there that states highs and lows of every day and it does not exceed 2 degrees in either direction and I keep a drilled bung with airlock on it. Right now they are empty with just about 1/4 cup of S02 solution to keep them sanitized and they bubble every time I go down there which usually bugs me out thinking that one of my wines is fermenting and they shouldnt be so I spin around and then realize its just one of the empties. Ive seen barometric changes that have moved my wines a few inches so I just dont trust a solid bung at all! Ive heard way too many people expose there wine due to a solid bung popping out. Solid bungs are meant for barrels as they relieve pressure through the wood.


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## ibglowin (Apr 21, 2011)

Because they breathe with changes in the barometric pressure. I check my carboys 3-4 times a day in the warmer months and watch the headspace levels and remove an inch or two if needed. I didn't get my AC unit in fast enough last year and found out the hard way. Have had the AC on for 3 weeks now. Temps are slowly creeping up as the morning lows keep rising. We were in the 55-58 degree range in the winter, now we are in the 60-64 range with the AC. Just a learning process but I feel confident that I have a handle on things finally!



runningwolf said:


> Yes you did and so why are you still using them Mike? Why not just an airlock with some glycerine or vodka?


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## tonyt (Apr 22, 2011)

I'm so sorry, especially for the loss of a year and a half of aging. You can replace the wine but the time is gone forever. (I think there's a sad country song in there somewhere) [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xT_89r4LzUA%20"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xT_89r4LzUA [/ame]


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## Waldo (Apr 22, 2011)

Bummer !!!!


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## grapeman (Apr 22, 2011)

Here is another option I use some. I put them on plastic barrels for intermediate storage.


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## ibglowin (Apr 22, 2011)

Will that fit in a carboy? I have one that fits my vadai but don't think its carboy friendly....


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## joeswine (Apr 22, 2011)

my deepest condolence's for your heart felt loss,i to have lost a young one and it cuts deep....best to know they'll be another..


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## Randoneur (Apr 22, 2011)

appleman said:


> Here is another option I use some. I put them on plastic barrels for intermediate storage.








They do make these in carboy size and I have some that I have used on occasion.Some people have had bad experiences with these becauseyou must getthe center pulled in all the way to make sure you have a seal at the valve, other wise it your wine will be exposed. 




I asked George about them once,it's not an item he carries, but he was well aware of them.


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## diggerdan17 (Apr 23, 2011)

I cannot even imagine the feeling of despair after spending a year and a half babying this wine. My deepest sympathy to you and yours.


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