Uncorked Carboy :(

[pecka]

I went to check on my 11 gallons of hand picked, hand crushed pinot noir tonight to find that my corks had popped off the carboys. The wine is stored in an insulated cabinet in my garage and I rarely check on it between rackings. I was going to rack this weekend and when i opened the cabinet i was shocked to see the tops open. There is a layer of dust on the wine so it must have happened a while ago. Its been about 5 months since last racking. I was too depressed to taste it but it didn't smell like egg or vinegar. Before I cry in my beer, is there any chance that the layer of argon helped preserve it? I will test and taste this weekend just in case but mentally I have already started preparing myself for the disappointment.

 

[djrockinsteve]

You should never cork a carboy. Always use an airlock on a bung. Wine may still be fermenting, it may be degassing or atmospheric changes can cause the solid bungs pop.

That said, all you can do is sample it and see. Air will begin to oxidize the wine. Fingers crossed. Hope it's still okay. You may want to add a pinch of sulfite and add a bung with airlock.

 

[homer]

Plastic... You're probably too young to remember the Graduate but I always take a foot or so of Saran Wrap and wrap the carboy and the cork to make sure it doesn't pop out. bk

 

[sdelli]

Air is one of wine's worst enemies! I would be surprised if it is any good now.....


Sam

 

[vacuumpumpman]

I must agree with all the above posts - That is why we use airlocks instead of corks. I will religiously look at all my airlocks every other day or so - Its very easy to do - I just make sure on a S style air lock that the water level is never equal on both sides. ( yes I know that on occasion it has the chance of becoming equal during barometric or temperature changes)

 

[sour_grapes]

I just make sure on a S style air lock that the water level is never equal on both sides.

Why, what is wrong with the levels being equal?

 

[MrKevin]

Taste it, there is a good chance it is fine. Surface to air ratio is pretty small with a topped up carboy. I probably have a larger surface to air ratio in my wine barrels between top offs due to the angel's share.

 

[Runningwolf]

Why, what is wrong with the levels being equal?

There is nothing wrong with it. Just make sure you have water in it. After six months I use solid bungs. I would never use an airlock in barrels after it has gone through mlf.

 

[sdelli]

Taste it, there is a good chance it is fine. Surface to air ratio is pretty small with a topped up carboy. I probably have a larger surface to air ratio in my wine barrels between top offs due to the angel's share.

Yes.... But you are talking about a small amount of captured oxygen... Not an open unlimited fresh supply! But I gas mine so that does not even exist...... It might be "ok"..... But it will at best never be as good..... Professionals will tell you the biggest flaw they see in armature winemaking is oxygen management and total so2....


Sam

 

[MrKevin]

Yes.... But you are talking about a small amount of captured oxygen... Not an open unlimited fresh supply! But I gas mine so that does not even exist...... It might be "ok"..... But it will at best never be as good..... Professionals will tell you the biggest flaw they see in armature winemaking is oxygen management and total so2....


Sam

Sam
Were talking about a problem that happened, I am not advocating leaving the bung out. Best of course is to keep it under air lock. And Pecka had his under gas also. So I guess we need Pecka to taste it to find out.

Pecka ---Please taste your wine and let us know.

HaHa

 

[pecka]

Thanks for the replies. i hit them with SO2 last weekend. Will test, taste and rack next weekend. I will make sure to let you know the results. Oh, and yes, in all previous wines i have used airlocks with no problems. After reading many articles about using corks instead of airlocks, i tried them this time. I guess there is such a thing as too much research.

 

[vacuumpumpman]

Why, what is wrong with the levels being equal?

On a S- style airlock it will show different pressure levels according to the small amount of headspace in the carboy, That is why they go back and forth - depending on temperature and barometric pressure also.

If they are equal - that typically means you have a air leak - whether between the airlock (I scrape the mold where it was put together - smooth ) and the bung or the bung and carboy.

These are mainly used for secondary or bulk aging as the 3 piece air locks are much easier to clean

 

[cintipam]

Steve thank you so much for your clear explanation. I've asked that question a couple times and no one could ever explain why those air locks were preferred for later bulk aging. It makes sense to me.

BTW I have found it easy to clean the S type locks by shaking over sink, flipping it around and shaking again. After doing this about 6 times it does clear all fluid out of both chambers. took me a long time to figure it out, so thought I'd post in case anyone else is still struggling with it.

Pam in cinti

 

[seth8530]

Their is a good chance your wine is perfectly fine so long as you did not have way too much headspace. As the others have stated, taste it to find out for sure. Live and learn.

 

[vacuumpumpman]

Steve thank you so much for your clear explanation. I've asked that question a couple times and no one could ever explain why those air locks were preferred for later bulk aging. It makes sense to me.

BTW I have found it easy to clean the S type locks by shaking over sink, flipping it around and shaking again. After doing this about 6 times it does clear all fluid out of both chambers. took me a long time to figure it out, so thought I'd post in case anyone else is still struggling with it.

Pam in cinti

Just make sure you take a razor blade to the halves that fit into the bung - otherwise you will find that air will follow that little gap

 

[vacuumpumpman]

Here is another good thread talking about airlocks -

http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/f3/air-locks-36728/

 

[Boatboy24]

I would never use an airlock in barrels after it has gone through mlf.

Why is that?

 

[JohnT]

Steve thank you so much for your clear explanation. I've asked that question a couple times and no one could ever explain why those air locks were preferred for later bulk aging. It makes sense to me.

BTW I have found it easy to clean the S type locks by shaking over sink, flipping it around and shaking again. After doing this about 6 times it does clear all fluid out of both chambers. took me a long time to figure it out, so thought I'd post in case anyone else is still struggling with it.

Pam in cinti

Here is what I do..

I take the stopper off, and spin it 180 degrees so that the wide end of the stopper is facing out.

I then press the stopper (with the trap) against a faucet, then turn on the water.

This flushes out the trap with considerable force.