Still Use Airlock After Stabiliser and Finings

[CWayman]

Hi,

My wines have stopped fermenting now, it's been 25 days since they started fermenting. (I will check this with my hydrometer though!).

I'm wondering if after adding the stabiliser and the finings whether I should keep the airlock in the wine or whether I can just use a normal holeless bung? I've also seen 'safety corks' with pressure release valves on ebay which I could use when aging the wine longer. Has anyone used or have any thoughts on these?

I'm looking at using the 5-20-40-90 system i've read about on here for most demijohns but as I have multiple demijohns with the same wine I maybe will condition one for up to 6-12 months in the demijohns just to compare bulk conditioning to bottle conditioning. And maybe have some more free bottles by then too!

I don't imagine I will be using airlocks when bulk aging wine?

Thanks,
Craig.

 

[bkisel]

Good questions but being a new guy I don't have any knowledgeable answers for you. I'd rather not be watching airlocks, after all has been stabilized, if it is not really necessary. Maybe airlocks after stabilizing serve some purpose due to changes in atmospheric pressure?

 

[FTC Wines]

I use air locks ALL the time, sometimes over a years worth of aging. Just something I've always done, no science. But I've seen my 2" of head space disappear & clime up into the air lock. I would rather find this 2weeks later than a bung on the floor! Roy

 

[Turock]

What kind of wine? If this is fruit or grape wine, you want to bulk age at least 9 months. You can't use sorbate, and expect it to prevent refermentation, until you get as many yeast cells as possible off the wine thru racking. The wine needs to degass, which it will in the 9 months. Some wines need a full year of aging--sometimes a little more. Don't be in a hurry to bottle cloudy wine. Wine has many micro-sediments, depending on what kind of wine it is, that can take quite some time to fall free.

Wine needs to be completely bulk aged in order to use a solid bung. Long term storage of wine in a carboy---usually over 1 1/2 years old, can then have a solid bung put in place.

 

[CWayman]

Thanks everyone.

Fruit wines, I have a Peach wine (3x 1 Gallon DemiJohns), and 2 Blackberry types on with more fruit than the other (3x Heavy Bodied, 2x Medium Bodied). I also have an apple wine which I just started a few days ago (bubbling away behind me!) but I now have some 6.5 gallon plastic carboys for that one so I don't have to use my demijohns up.

It's a month since I started the peach and blackberry. I was going to rack them when I added the stabiliser and finings but by the sounds of things I probably shouldn't rack them for another good few months.

I'm guessing the 5-20-40-90 method is for kits mainly where as because this uses a must it's a little bit different?

 

[CWayman]

Is water ok in the airlocks for that long too? Should you take them out and add fresh water every few months?

 

[WI_Wino]

Is water ok in the airlocks for that long too? Should you take them out and add fresh water every few months?

I use a k-meta solution in my airlocks for wine and star-san for beer.

 

[Turock]

I agree--meta solution is better than water. Still, monitor them because they will get gunky over long periods and should be cleaned and have new meta put in them. Be sure to keep the caps on to slow down evaporation.

 

[Turock]

CWaymen---Yes, do not be in a hurry when making wines that are from fruit and grapes. Give them time to clear, degass, and firm up flavors. Rack them when you get debris on the bottom. In 9 months, taste test the blackberry--it may be ready by then, but you can bulk age longer if required. We have some in carboys that's a couple years old.

The peach---you should give a full year. We're just getting ready to bottle last year's peach right now. Nice big flavor on it and perfectly clear.

 

[CWayman]

Thanks Turock.

Can I ask a question about storing the wines.

Now that they are being left for so long I was thinking about putting them into the garage or the loft and mostly forgetting about them. The other benefit of that being very limited light exposure, but I'm worried about extremes of temperature.

I'm guessing that leaving them in the corner of my office/small bedroom (where they are now) inside the house will provide a more constant and agreeable temperature?

 

[barryjo]

I use air locks ALL the time, sometimes over a years worth of aging. Just something I've always done, no science. But I've seen my 2" of head space disappear & clime up into the air lock. I would rather find this 2weeks later than a bung on the floor! Roy

I am curious about your losing 2" of head space. Was this a fruit wine which still had active fermentation? It sounds like the cap (must) pushed up into the airlock. I know this can be rather spectacular!!!!Messy too!!!
I don't use an airlock until fermentation is almost done. Just a piece of cloth tied over the top of the bucket. This allows the wine to freely vent and keeps out the fruit flies.

 

[spaniel]

Thanks Turock.

Can I ask a question about storing the wines.

Now that they are being left for so long I was thinking about putting them into the garage or the loft and mostly forgetting about them. The other benefit of that being very limited light exposure, but I'm worried about extremes of temperature.

I'm guessing that leaving them in the corner of my office/small bedroom (where they are now) inside the house will provide a more constant and agreeable temperature?

I would be hesitant to put them anywhere with big temp swings, and certainly not anywhere that it will get above normal room temp. Not all of us have the luxury of aging our wines in a climate-controlled space specifically set to wine cellar temps, but at the very least keep it at room temp (68-74F). A garage loft (hot in the summer?) does not sound good to me.

 

[Turock]

Wines should be stored at cool temps---50 to 60'some degree is good. You really don't want them warm long term. A loft is a pretty warm place. And temp extremes aren't good either. I know everyone doesn't have a basement--but get them to the coolest area you have.

Light exposure should be limited on white-style wines. Even strawberry is light sensitive as far as color goes. But you can always put a "cozy" on the carboy to limit light--even a T-shirt works.

 

[Wiz]

Why reinvent the wheel. Use airlocks for the entire process.

 

[CWayman]

Why reinvent the wheel. Use airlocks for the entire process.

This is why I asked my question. I was just wondering if it would save me buying more airlocks really so I could re-use the ones I had in other demijohns. I know my answer now

 

[FTC Wines]

Barryjoe, The wine was a Cab kit with Merlot grapes from my vines, it was in a 5 gal carboy for aprox 6 mo. This past spring ( in FL. ) the 2" head space in the carboy filled up & the wine entered up into the air lock. I assume it was from a small increase in temp & maybe something to do with atmospheric pressure? No sign of re fermentation or mlf. Wine was stabilized etc. Roy

 

[barryjo]

Barryjoe, The wine was a Cab kit with Merlot grapes from my vines, it was in a 5 gal carboy for aprox 6 mo. This past spring ( in FL. ) the 2" head space in the carboy filled up & the wine entered up into the air lock. I assume it was from a small increase in temp & maybe something to do with atmospheric pressure? No sign of re fermentation or mlf. Wine was stabilized etc. Roy

This got me thinking. Since Most liquids cannot be compressed under normal conditions, atmospheric pressure would have no effect. But I was curious about the temperature thing. So I filled a 5 gallon culligan-type bottle with 90 degree water and put it in the fridge. This morning, the water level was down 1 inch and the temp was 48 degrees. The mouth of my bottle takes a 91/2 stopper and a glass carboy takes a 6 1/2 stopper. So how did your level come up over 2" ?????

 

[kahaas56]

I got a little from somebody in this forum to use vodka instead of water in the airlock Worked great!!!

 

[barryjo]

I got a little from somebody in this forum to use vodka instead of water in the airlock Worked great!!!

Here is the next step. I am going to use glycerin in my locks next time. Purchased from the drug store. No evaporation and fruit flies can't swim in it.

 

[FTC Wines]

Barryjo, really don't know HOW the wine raised over 2" in the carboy to creep up into the air lack but it DID! also happened to me once in my N. Ga. Wine cellar where temps were more constant, ie, 60* winter, 68* summer. Some of the other carboys raised up to the base of the air lock, only one rose into the air lock. I check the air locks iat least every 2 weeks. Now I have a dedicated AC unit to control the Winery temp, so I assume there will not be a difference in the head space of the carboys. Time will tell. Roy