Wine vs. Beer Fermentation

teresalgl · 11-21-2011, 06:35 PM

This has been bothering me...
Why is it suggested that you primary ferment wine without an airlock (and some people even suggest stirring it) while beer you are supposed to airlock and leave alone from the start? Is beer and wine yeast so dramatically different? Or is it that the chemical composition of beer is just affected more by the oxidized flavor? I am perplexed. If anyone can give me some insight, I would be eternally grateful.

frydogbrews · 11-21-2011, 07:30 PM

just depends on the chances you want to take. beer doesn't finish as dry (as dry wine anyway) and leaves plenty of sugars for something to come along and munch down.

open fermenting both beer and wine and cider and everything else used to be the normal thing. once they get going, they are blowing out so much co2 that nothing can get in. when they are done with the aggressive part of fermentation though, that is when things can go south and it's when beer still has lots of sugar in it.

i don't know, makes sense to me. i put everything under an airlock though because they cost a buck fifty!

**bluemoose** · 11-21-2011, 11:54 PM

I only stir the must while there is still fruit in there. I think the idea is to get the yeast into the nooks and crannies to get as much fermentable sugar as possible. This only takes place the first few days to a week. After that you rack to a carboy and put on an airlock.
I try to use campden tablets to "clean" the fruit first. By the time the yeast get going, there are really no issues with infection assuming you use caution.
I would guess beer, since it doesn't need to be stirred is better off just airlocking until either secondary or kegging. Thus taking any small risk of infection out of the equation.

**samc** · 11-22-2011, 12:24 AM

I do kit wines and they suggest airlocks. You open it up daily to punch down skins or fruits if provided. The nothing can get into your fermenter while emitting co2 ignores sugar loving critters.

**Yooper** · 11-22-2011, 12:44 AM

When I make wine, I don't airlock the primary since I stir so often to punch down the cap, degas, etc. But I always put in secondary by 1.010-1.020 to prevent oxidation!

teresalgl · 11-22-2011, 05:41 PM

So do y'all think I would get better beer (i.e. healthier yeast) by leaving the carboy open (covered with a paper towel) until fermentation slows?

**Yooper** · 11-22-2011, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by teresalgl

So do y'all think I would get better beer (i.e. healthier yeast) by leaving the carboy open (covered with a paper towel) until fermentation slows?

No.

teresalgl · 11-22-2011, 05:58 PM

Ok, thanks Yooper. So would my wine be better if I put an airlock on it (except when stirring, etc.)?

frydogbrews · 11-22-2011, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by teresalgl

Ok, thanks Yooper. So would my wine be better if I put an airlock on it (except when stirring, etc.)?

the countries of australia and france argue about this all the time! australia being very very modern and very clean and safe (france considers that boring, but it is more replicable) france tends to go a more traditional route that can sometimes create mind blowing wine, but also go belly up.

kinda depends on area (my basement is very clean and not moldy at all), but if you don't mind prying lids off, i would keep it under an airlock.

teresalgl · 11-22-2011, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frydogbrews

the countries of australia and france argue about this all the time! australia being very very modern and very clean and safe (france considers that boring, but it is more replicable) france tends to go a more traditional route that can sometimes create mind blowing wine, but also go belly up.

kinda depends on area (my basement is very clean and not moldy at all), but if you don't mind prying lids off, i would keep it under an airlock.

Thanks frydog, I think I may have to design an experiment to resolve this issue (for my purposes anyway).