My Boom Pineaple Wine exploded...

So I just recently started 3, 5-gallon carboys of the following:

Edwort's Apfelwein

"Pumpkin Cider" (edwort's apfelwein and 4 tbsp of pumpkin pie spices)

"Pineapple Cider" (4.25 gal pineapple juice FC, 3.5 lb corn dextrose)

I put the latter two in quotes, bc it's just FC Juice with Montratchet yeast, not true cider.

Day 1 after setting up the carboys, I find my pumpkin cider airlock on the floor and aggregate of pumpkin spice and possibly yeast around the top of the carboy. I siphoned off enough to keep the level of juice approx 4" from the neck of the carboy. Cleaned the airlock and replaced it with fresh vodka.
I'm assuming I should have shaken the spices in with the juice like I did with the sugar.


Day 2 after setting up carboys, I find my pineapple cider airlock on the floor and what looks and smells like pineapple vomit. I siphoned a fair amount off and cleaned up the mess off the concrete in my basement. Cleaned and replaced the airlock.

My question is, considering the investment on 10 gallons of juice, should I attempt to salvage it or should I assume it's going to be wholly contaminated? Seeing as there was no airlock for 12+ hours....

The Edwort's in case anyone is wondering is bubbling away perfectly....

Thanks!

It sounds like there was always outward pressure from inside the carboy so I would say you're totally fine! I've had an airlock blow off for 8+ hours on a beer many years ago and was fine.

thanks. just worried i would have some sourness from aerobic resp over 12 hours or whatnot

It's still possible but chances are in YOUR favor that it's okay. I would ride it out and find out down the line if it had an effect. I'm betting that you'll be fine.

btw pineapple wine is very hard to get to turn out right, it produces insane amounts of gas, this is probably the problem you are having with your wine.

Yea that makes sense Honda. This morning I checked and even after siphoning off 1/2 gallon, the top to my airlock came off again.

I'll have to dial down the sugar a lot next brew.

I never attach airlock on wine-mead-cider until 2/3 sugar break, or 10 days, whichever comes first; since yeast really need/want an aerobic ferment from the start. Plus the CO2 blanket protects the ferment.

saramc said:

I never attach airlock on wine-mead-cider until 2/3 sugar break, or 10 days, whichever comes first; since yeast really need/want an aerobic ferment from the start. Plus the CO2 blanket protects the ferment.

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Ditto!

1.010 is usually when I airlock, I tried to airlock at 1.020 one time and I just simply couldn't keep the wine from boiling out the top of the carboy.

Maybe the carboy was too full. I airlock lots of stuff right off the start like concentrates and store bought juice types.

yea I know if you don't fill them as much you can get by with earlier transfer but I don't like topping off my wine unless I am back sweetening so I usually just fill it all the way up from the first racking on.