Airlock... not locked...

[Fencepost]

I have gained (some) patience and letting my wine sit for months in a carboy... but this being the first time I have not "hurried" it along, I forgot to check on the level in the airlock, and of course, it eventually evaporated so that I did not have oxygen exclusion... probably was low level for about a month, not completely dry just dropped below the level of it being able to work properly (frustrating thing is that I looked regularly to check on clearing, it's doing well on that, but did not notice airlock level).

Sooo... how bad will it be? I plan to bottle and let it sit for another 6 months... but what can I expect with no airlocking for a month or two? It was in the carboy for 6 months with the last one with no effective air lock. It was treated with k-meta. This is a grapefruit wine, not back sweetened yet.

Thanks for any guidance or recommendations.

 

[Chuck E]

You are probably OK. I would pop off the airlock and give it a sniff and taste. In bulk aging with the airlock, you are trying to avoid oxidation. In wine, it's a rule of thumb to rack every 3 months and check your sulfite levels.

 

[Fencepost]

Thanks... I will do the taste and smell test. I had the carboy full well up into the neck, it was in an enclosed space, no signs of fruit flies, so I am hoping you are correct and it will be ok. It is time to rack, sweeten, add kmeta and sorbate and bottle. I plan to leave it another 6 months in the bottle (as recommended by the reciepe). I don't know why I did not look at the airlock when I was checking clarity!

 

[Scooter68]

Racking every three months. Airlock checks, depending on the moisture in your aging room, check those every 2-3 weeks at least.

 

[G259]

Yeah, I've done that too. It's my weekend thing now, I call it 'The Sweep', I check the levels of all of my carboy's airlocks, and top up as necessary.

 

[bstnh1]

Once I'm into the bulk aging stage, I use a solid bung and avoid the issue of dry airlocks.

 

[jvbutter]

As mentioned, your probably ok. especially if its toped up. not alot of air in the little neck. I have some wine still aging from 2017. I've done it, wine has turned out ok. after ferment is done, i use only silicone bungs now. no water to fill up. Solved that problem for me.

 

[DizzyIzzy]

Once I'm into the bulk aging stage, I use a solid bung and avoid the issue of dry airlocks.

Do you mean the breathable silicone bungs or just "solid" bungs...................Dizzy

 

[jvbutter]

I always use vented... if you are 100% sure ferment is done, you can use solid.

 

[Rice_Guy]

another option is to fill your air lock with glycerin,,, it won’t evaporate.

 

[bstnh1]

Do you mean the breathable silicone bungs or just "solid" bungs...................Dizzy

Plain old solid bungs, not silicone.