Fruit wine in little big mouth bubbler

[tkdgeek]

I've started trying to do a few fruit wine samples and the Little big mouth bubbler seemed a good vessel for me. Allows me to make a little over a gallon and after a rough rack I have a good one gallon in my normal 1gal jugs.
I've been putting the fruit in my small mesh bag so it's easier to extract but on my first two tries it floats to the top and starts blocking the airlock hole. Pressure builds and so it comes out around the threads, out the sides of the lid to the counter. Grr.
Should I be putting something else neutral in the bag to make it want to stay down, not using a bag at all and just deal with the loose fruit, different bag? I used an 80micron nut bag but that's just a bad idea. This next blueberry one I'm going to try my 200micron small bag.
Just hated to have all that banana and peel all in there to sort out when the bag kept it nice and collected.

 

[lukebuz]

It's not the bag, it's just all the CO2 will float. It's actually beneficial to keep primary exposed to Oxygen; just use a light-weight sanitized towel over the OPEN top. Will keep bugs and dust out, but release CO2. I actually use a cut-up polyester t-shirt as my cover on a 5 gallon bucket. Use a old belt to tight around the circumference to keep shirt in place. 75+ batches, never a problem

 

[TkmLinus]

Do you stir the must twice a day? I love my little big mouth bubbler for making small batches of wine. I normally use a one gallon paint strainer stretched around the mouth and put my fruit on the inside of the bag. I then screw the lid down so the strainer is held in place. When I open the lid the fruit is easily accessible to stir and punch down twice a day (morning and night). When its time to transfer just lift the paint straining bag out. I hope that helps!

 

[lukebuz]

Yes, stir when you wake up, stir when I go to bed. Easy schedule. Just make sure to "flip" the bag, or at least one side isn't exposed too long. Unlikely to happen, but it could mold if not stirred enough.