Storing / Sanitizing Carboys

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Chopper

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Someone (Luc I think) said on a forum a while back that he stores his carboys with K-Meta inside (appx 20% full), and puts a solid bung in to keep the gases inside. Or maybe he air-locked it.

Anyway, does anybody else here do this? Do the gases inside keep the whole carboy sanitized?

Thanks,

Chopper
 
The gases work mush better then the a ctual solution does and most of the time I do this same thing.
 
I put about an inch in it at the most and attach the airlock. When I need the carboy again, it is ready to go. DUMP IT OUT FIRST. Once in a while my feeble old mind forgets to dump it out. That is the reason I only use an inch or less of the sanitizer. If I forget it, it doesn't ruin my wine, only adds about a quarter to 1/2 teaspoon extra of k-meta.
 
There is no reason to store carboys with KMeta in them. After you clean the carboy and drip dry it upside down put a paper towel in the neck and you can store it on its side. You wont have to worry about the bung coming loose and all the gas escaping and then something growing in the water. After you clean the carboy properly there is nothing for the bad thingies to grow on. When you are ready to use simply swish some Kmeta solution around, drain it and off you go safely making a new batch of wine.

Crackedcork
 
WOW! You have empty carboys! If I had an empty carboy, I would store with a bit of Kmeta in it with a solid bung.
VC
 
I agree with CrackedCork. It seems likea lot of work to get the right amount of water/k-meta and a solid bung seated correctly, and remember to remove it entirely before adding your wine to age. I would end up washing it out anyway, so why bother with the "empty carboy storage procedure" if you are going to clean it either way? An empty, sanitized, air-dried carboy should not allow for the growth of microbes, as far as I can see - dust would be the only probable contaminant and it will get rinsed out before use. So, easier method and same result, that's what I like to do.

Bart
 
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