Noob questions

[Breakinbonesben]

After degassing and waiting for the wine to clear do you leave the airlock on?

If back sweetening do you do that before or after it is clear?

Thanks.

 

[meadmaker1]

If i am truly degassed i use vented silicone stoppers. They won't dry out. They let pressure out but restrict air from getting back in. But air locks are fine.

Back sweetening can go either way. Myself i cant see adjusting the flavor of something i know needs 6 months aging to taste good. But i like sweeter wines than most here and sweeten with honey and juice which means additional clearing time. So i will stabilize and presweeten so to speak, before wine is clear but well into the clearing/aging period
Sweetening with sugar shouldnt need aditional clearing

 

[Breakinbonesben]

Just to make sure i understand. You leave the airlock/vented stopper on during clearing?

Do you leave them on for bulk aging?

Im making wine.

 

[Scooter68]

Use airlock throughout aging time. Keep solutions topped up and refresh too.

When to back sweeten is a personal choice

Since sorbate could change the taste over time. I wait until a week before sweetening and bottle about a week after that

 

[Breakinbonesben]

Use airlock throughout aging time. Keep solutions topped up and refresh too.

When to back sweeten is a personal choice

Since sorbate could change the taste over time. I wait until a week before sweetening and bottle about a week after that

Good to know.

 

[meadmaker1]

Just to make sure i understand. You leave the airlock/vented stopper on during clearing?

Do you leave them on for bulk aging?

Im making wine.

Yes

 

[garymc]

I make about 50 some gallons of wine a year. I don't own non vented stoppers for my carboys. It's always an airlock or a vented silicone stopper as described above. There's no reason to ever put a stopper in your carboys unless they're empty.

 

[Ajmassa]

Once clear and stable I switch from the bubbler air lock to the waterless vented bungs.
And I do use the solid bungs on occasion. On carboys that are way overdue for bottling I’ll use a solid one. Currently have one at 15 months under solid bung. Recent spring wines under bubbler airlock. And last year’s fall wines under waterless vented.

 

[Breakinbonesben]

This is all great info. Thanks.