Surprise Vacation During Primary Ferment

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Skylarg14

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So my well-intentioned fiancé surprised me with a vacation, not realizing I had just started a 6 gallon batch of Blackberry Wine. I’m following Jack Keller’s recipe for medium bodied sweet wine. I started the batch on 7/24 and we leave on 7/29 so I know I could luck out and the SG be low enough to move to secondary. However, if I’m not I’m not sure what would be best to do. I feel like I have 3 options. 1) weigh the bag with all the blackberries down to the bottom and let it sit until we come back on 8/3. 2) take the pulp bag out before we leave and cover primary fermenter with breathable cloth or 3) put the lid on after taking pulp bag out and attach airlock. Am I missing any options or does anybody have advice? Thanks in advance!
 
You are talking a few days. If you have a lid for the bucket leave it with airlock till you get back.
Just my opinion. My primaries do a few days open for yeast breeding season, then lid and airlock for alcohol production on all of mine.
 
Thank you! I thought the same thing. My biggest worry is it will clog the airlock while I’m gone. I’ve never used blackberries before and it’s fermenting way more violently than anything I’ve used before. Surely by day 5 when we leave, the fermentation will have slowed down enough to safely keep the airlock on right?
 
I would remove the fruit before you leave if your not able to pull it by the 14th day. You can always freeze and add back (or just more) when you get back. Any longer than 14 days and you’ll get some off flavors or too much astringency from the skins and seeds. Once you pull the fruit, secure lid and add airlock.
 
What he^ said. As long as you have an inch or 2 between the liquid and the lid you will be fine. I assume you have it covered when not stirring or pushing the berries down. If so has it hit the lid/cover/cloth yet? If not it most likely wont.
 
I’ve kept it covered but the pulp bag keeps rising and hitting the cloth, that’s why I’m concerned. I think if I pull the pulp bag out before I leave it should be safe to put the lid and airlock on but I’ll see how it’s looking in a few days.
 
Put glass weight in the bag. Marbles whatever, I used shot glasses once. It will keep the bag and fruit in the must. Sanitize whatever you use.
 
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