scorpien222

Recipes 

Should i use an airlock for primary fermentation of wine ? Most recipes I have seen tell you to syphon off after a week and then add an air lock I have just assumed so far one needs to go on straight away and that's what I have done is this wrong ??

bluemoose

Recipes 

You don't need one. I put a towel over the bucket (no lid) so I have easy access to it for stirring throughout the day.

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scorpien222

Recipes 

Does that go for all wine ?? I have recently done a batch of rhubarb and it shouldn't be sparkling but appears to have got a little carbonated could this have been caused by using an air lock during the primary ?

bluemoose

Recipes 

Did you degas before bottling?

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Beer makes me pee.

scorpien222

Recipes 

I haven't bottled yet I was about to and realized it was fizzy so i have just left it in the Demi John for now until it settles.

Honda88

Recipes 

if you just cover it and wip it a couple times a day it will make degassing way easier and also reduces the chance of you getting a h2s problem.

bluemoose

Recipes 

It is likely there is co2 in suspension. Google degassing wine and follow the instructions. Poof, no fizzy wine.

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Beer makes me pee.

david_42

Recipes 

Wine is all simple sugars and the initial fermentation is very fast. You get a good blanket of CO2 almost instantly and an air lock would probably blow off.

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scorpien222

Recipes 

Ok thanks guys all noted and I will look up degassing and I have never seen anywhere else that it tells you to stir it daily but if it works thank you :-)

WinePilot

Recipes 

I've air locked both primary fermentations on a Merlot and Concord. No problems and it completely fermented. Both are in secondary right now under airlock. So far I've had no problems. I have my wine operation in the basement of a house built in 1944. Lots of dust and house spiders...so I didnt want to risk contamination.

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On Deck: La Crescent/Edelweiss Blend
Primary: Fontenac
Secondary: Merlot
Bottled: Concord