Periodically, my batch (1-gallon batches) will seep and bubble through the top of the airlock after I've transferred it from the primary to the secondary. My typical process is to transfer from primary to secondary when the SG reaches 1.03-1.04. And as a result, sometimes when I check on it the next morning I find a mess that has seeped out the top of the airlock and has run down the outside of the jug and also has splattered on the adjacent wall. It happens about one out of every four batches (as an estimate), but my process is fairly the same each time. Do I need to let the SG drop further? Or, is something else causing this that I'm not accounting for in my initial steps.
Fermentation seepage
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Either let the sg drop a little more or leave a couple inches of headspace until the sg is 1.00 or less. Once you dose with kmeta you should top up to within one inch of the airlock, especially if you age longer than one or two months. Your experience is perfectly normal and every batch will differ.
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Wow, 1 out of 4 is unusual!
I typically transfer around 1.01-ish. The fermentation is still robust but I've never had anything bubble out.
Is there a reason you transfer at 1.03-1.04? Just curious.
I typically transfer around 1.01-ish. The fermentation is still robust but I've never had anything bubble out.
Is there a reason you transfer at 1.03-1.04? Just curious.
Even when the fermentation is finished, it may continue to release CO2 for a while. What I do is rack into my secondary and leave some headroom for a day or two to see what it will do. I keep the extra in a smaller container with an airlock or in the fridge. Then when it has settled down I top it off. There is a benefit to keeping the last part of the wine from the primary in the fridge for a day or two to speed up settling out the lees. Then when the secondary is ready to be topped off, I have fairly clear wine to use for that.
The reason that I do it this way is that I have had experiences similar to yours in the past. I got tired of cleaning up the mess.
The reason that I do it this way is that I have had experiences similar to yours in the past. I got tired of cleaning up the mess.
Thanks all! I think it'll just come down to letting the SG drop a little bit more. The reason for the 1.03-1.04 is that was the guidance I was getting from some recipes. But, if leaving it in the primary until it hits around 1.01 is no biggie, then I'll start doing that as I too am tired of cleaning up the mess. But, great tip on the "keeping extra in the fridge to top off later", @Raptor99 . I always have a fair amount left in the primary that I ditch (maybe my starting mix measurements are also off) b/c I run out of room in my gallon secondary, but then get some of that room back after subsequent racking. I might find a small container that an airlock can attach for this top-off purpose going forward.
As I learned from others on this forum, it's helpful to have containers of various sizes, including 1-gallon and half-gallon jugs, and 1.5 L, 750 ml, and 325 ml wine bottles. I have stoppers/airlocks that fit the wine bottles as well. Short term I put them in the fridge with a Vacu Vin stopper, but with airlocks I can put them on the shelf along with my carboys for aging.
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I wait until at least 1.010 (or is that at MOST to 1.010 
) Anyway, I feel free to rack when it is less than 1.010.
) Anyway, I feel free to rack when it is less than 1.010.
So you have a mess now and than. Maybe you'll have fewer in the future. Fortunately you're part of WMT and many generous fellow wine makers have shared accidents, minor mistakes, ******* mistakes, and even major fubars. Read. Learn from them.
On a brighter note - what kind of wine have you made? Did you like the taste? You continue to make small batches (and messes
) so you must be happy with the results.
On a brighter note - what kind of wine have you made? Did you like the taste? You continue to make small batches (and messes
) so you must be happy with the results.Yes, the results have been above what I expected as a beginner - which makes it fun and motivating (aside from the occasional mess, but sounds like it's more of a nuisance than anything really concerning). Most of what I'm tasting and consuming is right after bottling as I drink the leftover that doesn't fill a bottle. But, I expect that the fully bottled stuff will taste even crisper whenever I decide to open them. I recently saw some "Candy Grapes" in Costco and thought, "What the hell, I'll give those a shot." So, we'll see how that turns out. It's early in the making, but so far the color is a bit like bubble gum (maybe, that's where the "candy" name comes from").
the solids in a must can build a stable foam which will be carried into the air lock.
* keep the air lock off for the first day
* chill to 60F so the gas release isn’t as vigorous
* on a red run below 1.000 on a white I would stay higher like 1.010
* refrigerator settle white juice to reduce the solids in the must
* I have 4 liter jugs that I rack into 3.78 liter jugs. You can look for things as two gallon pickle jars with a 120mm lid and stretch a silicone bowl cover over the 120mm opening like a balloon
* there are commercial anti foam agents, not practical on gallon batches
* keep the air lock off for the first day
* chill to 60F so the gas release isn’t as vigorous
* on a red run below 1.000 on a white I would stay higher like 1.010
* refrigerator settle white juice to reduce the solids in the must
* I have 4 liter jugs that I rack into 3.78 liter jugs. You can look for things as two gallon pickle jars with a 120mm lid and stretch a silicone bowl cover over the 120mm opening like a balloon
* there are commercial anti foam agents, not practical on gallon batches
Uh oh. You may be hooked. I think of my garden and the wine possibilities. (I'm hooked.) And Costco is a good source of organic raw material.
I've read that table grapes don't make a good wine. Why? I don't know! I hope to try it myself to find out.
@jlt22, welcome to WMT!
You'll get a lot of good help here. Note that you'll sometimes get what appears to be contradictory advice. This is because there is often more than one valid answer, and besides, if you ask a question of 10 winemakers, you'll get at least 11 opinions.
I suggest you read lots of recipes and post before starting a batch. It's much easier to direct you to a good path than it is to fix a problem once a wine is started.
You'll get a lot of good help here. Note that you'll sometimes get what appears to be contradictory advice. This is because there is often more than one valid answer, and besides, if you ask a question of 10 winemakers, you'll get at least 11 opinions.
I suggest you read lots of recipes and post before starting a batch. It's much easier to direct you to a good path than it is to fix a problem once a wine is started.
It's all about quality. Grapes grown for winemaking have a lower crop yield, to put more oomph into each grapes. Table grapes need to be sweet enough to satisfy the consumer, and are of lesser quality.
I can see that!
By table grapes I mean home grown. I have some seedless Thompson and Concord that should be producing nicely this year.
Is it just me? Seems like most grocery store produce is flavorless. I try to avoid it if possible. I'm looking forward to farmer's markets and the roadside Amish stands.
If you prune the grapes according to wine grape standards, you'll get a decent wine from those grapes.
I agree that commercial eating grapes are pretty much flavorless sugar water. When I buy wine grapes, a handful get eaten from each lug ....
It's not just you. Produce bred for higher yields and transportability often loses out on the flavor notes.
Every year I plant Sweet 100 cherry tomatoes. It's rare that I find store bought cherry tomatoes with the same kind of wonderful flavor.
Scooter68
Fruit "Wine" Maker
Yes, racking at 1.040 or 1.030 is a bit early for most of us. There is still a lot of activity at those levels. If you feel compelled to rack at those points, I'd use multiple containers and leave a lot more headspace.
Keep in mind that racking can 're-energize' the fermentation exposing otherwise trapped yeast cells to the sugars and essentially result in a temporary burst of vigorous fermentation. Even at 1.010 and down to 1.000 I've had a couple of cases where immediately post racking, the foam builds rapidly within 1-30 mins of the racking. For that reason even racking at the lowest levels you should not leave the freshly racked wine alone for at least an hour or so. If you have to do so best to stop the racking at about 2-3 inches below the narrow neck of the carboy and put the rest in a smaller container under airlock and leave them overnight. Still at that point the unexpected can happen as many of us have found. Keep in mind that atmospheric pressure changes can cause wine levels to rise. ( Say what you may but when an otherwise stable wine at least 3-4 months into aging suddenly fills up into the airlock...I have to believe the pressure changes were a key player.)
So if you cannot attend to the wine right after racking, invest in a large tray or container to corral the overflowing foam/wine. You still lose it but at least the clean-up is easier.
Keep in mind that racking can 're-energize' the fermentation exposing otherwise trapped yeast cells to the sugars and essentially result in a temporary burst of vigorous fermentation. Even at 1.010 and down to 1.000 I've had a couple of cases where immediately post racking, the foam builds rapidly within 1-30 mins of the racking. For that reason even racking at the lowest levels you should not leave the freshly racked wine alone for at least an hour or so. If you have to do so best to stop the racking at about 2-3 inches below the narrow neck of the carboy and put the rest in a smaller container under airlock and leave them overnight. Still at that point the unexpected can happen as many of us have found. Keep in mind that atmospheric pressure changes can cause wine levels to rise. ( Say what you may but when an otherwise stable wine at least 3-4 months into aging suddenly fills up into the airlock...I have to believe the pressure changes were a key player.)
So if you cannot attend to the wine right after racking, invest in a large tray or container to corral the overflowing foam/wine. You still lose it but at least the clean-up is easier.
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@jlt22, first off welcome aboard the forum. Any recipe, be it for food or winemaking is just a guide. Feel free to make adjustments. For years I made 1 gallon batches. Only when I felt comfortable about what I was fermenting did I venture out into larger volumes. Most of what I make are 3 gallons with an occasional 5 gallon. (My age has a lot to do with this.)
Yes, I may be hitting a lot of farmer's markets this year to see what looks interesting and tasteful.
Thanks, and yes, I'm starting to understand the art of adjustments. I'm finding that if the "numbers" are and stay on point, then things should turn out ok. I don't know if that is over-simplifying it, but that's been my strategy thus far.
Like Mike said, recipes are guidelines. Adjustments can be made for personal preference or to account for the raw materials you have that day.
Whenever I "use" a recipe for the first time I will always try to compare it to other recipes. If it's a somewhat common wine there should be multiple recipes out there....and even here. Most are similar, but sometimes they're very different. I want to know why they're different. It's really helped with my understanding of wine making.
Whenever I "use" a recipe for the first time I will always try to compare it to other recipes. If it's a somewhat common wine there should be multiple recipes out there....and even here. Most are similar, but sometimes they're very different. I want to know why they're different. It's really helped with my understanding of wine making.
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