Stopper won't seal

[HappyWino]

Not sure I could have a more basic beginner question but here goes

Haven't made anything in probably 15 years, and when I last did it was in a different country, with different sanitizer, different equipment and so on.

I just started a batch of Apfelwein in a 6.5g carboy and used Star San to sanitize everything. Everything went well until I had to fit the rubber stopper in the top of the carboy (with the airlock in it). Wretched thing is wet, carboy neck is wet, it just about fits in a little further than just balancing it on top of the neck of the carboy!!! Any attempt to push it down and get a nice seal and it just slides straight back out.

What in the heck did I do wrong?!

Cheers

HappyWino

 

[Ace_Club]

Happens to me all the time. I just take a clean paper towel and dry off the inside neck of the carboy and the rubber stopper and then it stays put. Haven't had any problems with this method, sanitation wise, yet.

 

[Yooper]

Happens to me all the time. I just take a clean paper towel and dry off the inside neck of the carboy and the rubber stopper and then it stays put. Haven't had any problems with this method, sanitation wise, yet.

Yep, me too! There is no way a wet stopper in a wet carboy will seal. Either dry both with a clean paper towel, or stick the stopper in lightly until they are both completely dry, then stick it in properly.

 

[Calder]

Put the stopper in before you put in the airlock. The airlock will trap it in place.

Seems like lots of people have this problem.