What's in Your Airlock?

[millwright01]

I have been using water but the more I read on here the more things I do differently. When I rack the zinfandel this week I will be changing to sanitizer. I always have some on hand so no big deal and why risk it? When I move the plastic carboys I pull out the airlock till I get them where they need to be and change the water in them anyhow. Then nothing gets sucked into the bottle.

 

[djrockinsteve]

I used water in the past until I found random globs of yuck floating in an air lock. The weather here is pretty mild so they don't really dry out but now I use sulfite solution. I even run across the occasional drowned ant in my air lock.

That must have been a small ant. Do you use your lids?

 

[myakkagldwngr]

I started with water, until the plastic bottles sucked some back in when I moved it. So now it's the vodka type stuff. Unless it's too good and then I drink it.
I've thought about using Spit, that way you never have to worry about friends wanting your wine.

 

[Buffalobrewer]

I came over from the brewing world and use starsan. I didn't see it used in any of the posts in this thread. Is it bad to use with wine?

 

[TheTooth]

Nothing wrong with using Starsan for wine. I use it all the time for sanitizing my equipment because it's cheaper than using K-Meta.

I use cheap vodka in my airlocks, though. I'm sure it's no better than using starsan, but it's what I do.

 

[timothyg]

I used water in the past until I found random globs of yuck floating in an air lock. The weather here is pretty mild so they don't really dry out but now I use sulfite solution. I even run across the occasional drowned ant in my air lock.

I used a sulfate solution in my air lock however it still caused some whitish globs to develop. Does anyone know if this is an issue?

I just cleaned out the airlock and replaced it with "newer" sulfate solution.

 

[djrockinsteve]

You should be fine but I had experienced that awhile ago with my 1 year aging of reds. White floaters. Cleaned it out, added a pinch of sulfite to the wine since I removed the airlock and reattached.

Now at about 6 months I add 1 grain of sulfite to all of my airlocks aging for a year. Never again the UFO's. Just remove the cap, and drop it into the solution. I use a mix of water and sulfite in my airlocks.

 

[lloyd]

I have been wondering if a 50/50 mix of vodka and glycerin The vodka would keep it sterile and the glycerin would keep the vodka from evaporating. if it was sucked back into the wine it would not hurt anything.

 

[J-Gee]

Lloyd...you might want to ensure that the glycerin doesn't attract anything due to it's "sweetness" or it's ability to absorb moisture(or adverse odors) from the air.
I use water or k-meta solution,but have no preference.

 

[timothyg]

added a pinch of sulfite to the wine since I removed the airlock and reattached.

I like that idea. Never thought about it, however it sounds like a good idea.

 

[sevenal]

I use

A smudge of potassium metabisulfite in some water, but only be ause the wine store guy told me to do that or Vodka?