Airlock & Taste

[cuz]

I was wondering if anyone tried putting different liquids in their airlock. I have made a few different kinds of red wine now and all are coming out with a distinct taste - kind of chemical is the only way I could describe. The only common denominator is that I use vodka in my airlock. Next batch I will try something different. Does anyone know if the wine can pick up a taste from the airlock?

 

[Ajmassa]

Maybe in an extreme situation but never heard of it happening. The bung however I have heard of the wine picking up the rubber taste.
The standard solid bungs can do it apparently. But silicon bungs (usually the universal style bung) have no smell.
Is this kits or grapes/juice containing the chemical smell?

 

[cuz]

Juice buckets.

 

[balatonwine]

I use vodka in my airlock

If you have an "S" type of airlock, just plain tap water (which is already chemically treated to prevent bacterial growth) in a sterilized airlock is fine (after all, that is basically how Pasteur disproved spontaneous generation). Else, or if concerned about any contamination, you can also simply use a mild sulfite solution in the airlock.

 

[Scooter68]

Think you've got some good advice above. Only thing I will add is to change our the liquid periodically regardless of what you use and don't be surprised to see the occasional fruit fly appear in the airlock - dead. That tell you two things - Gassing off is going on whether you see it or not and Fruit flies are everywhere. So good airlocks on aging wine or sealed caps is needed on anything that might be of even the remotest interest to them.

 

[Donatelo]

Do you degas your wines? How much and how long? Might be picking up something from the gas. Just a thought, but I'm very new at wine making.

 

[cuz]

thanks to all. Vodka seemed like a good idea at the time. Next batch I will try some Star San in the air lock and see if it makes a difference.

 

[Ajmassa]

Vodka in the airlock is pretty common cuz. I used to use vodka religiously. Even used some orange flavored stuff once. Not affected. You could dump half the bottle in 6gal and not notice any taste. Vodka is used to bump the abv up a lot too.
Gotta be something else. Racking tubes, bungs, cleanser, fermentor, carboy,....hell maybe it’s you! Anyone else notice it?

 

[cuz]

Maybe its just high abv I'm tasting. Trying to tone it down with Tannin Riche Extra