Noooooo! It popped!

So I had a wine tucked away in secondary, behind my husband's huge carboy on a chair that is taking up the whole closet. I'm mad at the carboy, and wanted it moved so I could get at stuff, and he was like, "Um, dear, your wine is open." Last weekend, I took the airlock off thinking it was pretty much done and I needed the airlock (would have been find if he cleaned his after switching to the blow off, which started the whole issue tonight - I was paranoid of knocking the pitcher over, and he didn't want to put the airlock on because we have his folks coming and if they put coats in the closet and knock it off...)

So, it has been exposed for less than a week. I thought it was dry when I took the airlock off and put a plug in it. It really needed to go another month in secondary, and it isn't quite clear yet. Thoughts?

Hubby really wanted this batch to turn out, and I had my sights set on possibly entering it in the county fair.

Help!

How does it taste? Any signs of infection? If both are ok then what are ya worrying about?

No, don't see any infection. Now that I've been told to taste it, it actually tastes better than when I tasted it two weeks ago.

Because I'm a worrier, and this is the first time something like this has happened, and I couldn't think straight, partly because I was mad at my husband. Not that it was his fault, but I was already annoyed and this just compounded it. I do love my husband.

Okay, since everything seems fine, I'm putting it back in the laundry room where I ferment everything. It will get a little more light, and it is a little warmer, but I can monitor it so much easier! At least until I can get to the home brew store for more airlocks.

One week is likely ok. Put the airlock back on and feign ignorance!

As long as it was topped up pretty much you should be ok, its still probably loaded with C02 still which would help also.

I'd put a quarter teaspoon of sulfite in it just incase it caught a bug. Should be ok.

CandleWineProject said:

.......Okay, since everything seems fine, I'm putting it back in the laundry room where I ferment everything. It will get a little more light, and it is a little warmer, but I can monitor it so much easier! ......

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As far as being exposed to the light you can ask for paper the next time you go to the grocery store and they make perfect "light shades" for carboys. Just make two cuts in the bottom of the bag in the shape of an "X" that will slip over the airlock and it will slide snugly over the carboy shielding it from light. If its a gallon jug or something else and appropriate size bag can be substituted.

Works like a charm.

The laundry room is dark so long as we leave the door closed and the light off, but I might look into a "shade."

Went to the LHBS this morning and got more airlocks. I got home a little bit ago, and the darn thing had blown its plug again. So I sulfited it and put an airlock back on.

Wine has typically a much higher %abv than beer so after primary it is quite a bit less susceptible to infection, from what I understand - especially if the %abv is over 13.0, is what I have read.

The sulfite is used to prevent oxidation - Whenever I have made wine it is after secondary at bottling time to prevent long term oxidation, especially if you plan on bottle aging over a year, but I don't see why you couldn't add it if you have had it in the secondary for awhile already.

If you want a RDWHAHB comment, I was talking to the LHBS dude (they also carry a lot of high-end wine kits) and he was saying that he knows of a lot of people now who are not sealing their primary when making wine anymore. They just put the primary bucket lid on loosely and let it go, which lets oxygen in and CO2 out. Personally I still put the lid on, but it's good to know that if it explodes off in the middle of the night as it likes to, it's probably nothing to worry about.

I agree sulfite prevent oxidation, but the are a preservative. They will kill microbes present in the wine, if any.
As far as fermenting with lids open, I would agree. We ferment 360lbs of grapes in each one of our food grade barrels, and we are upto 16 barrels a year. All we do is put a sheet over the barrels. My mentor has been making wine like that for 35 yrs and it is pretty darn good.

N00b thought... if it is popping plugs then it is still pushing things out, rather than letting things in...

also... airlocks are pretty cheap, so maybe get a few extra? some more ??? for emphasis...

I hope it turns out just fine... I wouldn't panic yet...

Steelers77 said:

I agree sulfite prevent oxidation, but the are a preservative. They will kill microbes present in the wine, if any.
As far as fermenting with lids open, I would agree. We ferment 360lbs of grapes in each one of our food grade barrels, and we are upto 16 barrels a year. All we do is put a sheet over the barrels. My mentor has been making wine like that for 35 yrs and it is pretty darn good.

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Right I forgot about the preservative part. Also it is an excellent sanitizer and what I use for winemaking and brewing. A wonderful multifarious chemical

lady_brewer said:

N00b thought... if it is popping plugs then it is still pushing things out, rather than letting things in...

also... airlocks are pretty cheap, so maybe get a few extra? some more ??? for emphasis...

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Yup, did that earlier today.