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chevs15

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When should I snap the lid on and put in the airlock in primary fermentation? I have a CC Lodi Old Vine Zin going now. It's on it's 3rd day. I've have the lid sitting in the fermentor with no airlock.

Thanks!!
 
I'm sure you'll get a variety of answers but I snap mine down around 1.020. It's hard to catch it at an exact SG, so anywhere around there is fine. Good Luck!
 
+1
Anytime after the fermentation starts to really slow down is good. With a grape pack if you don't have it weighted down its kind of a hassle to pry the lid off several times a day to punch it down once you have snapped the lid.
 
I never snap the lid down and attach an airlock.

Different winemakers do it different ways.

Steve
 
when I first started making wine 12 yeaes ago I put an air lock on my primary ferminter. That was a hassel to get the lid off to stir twice a day. I started only air locking my secondary and over the years have had NO trouble with it this way.
I have to admit I have never made a kit wine , will do it some day. I do mostly fruit wines but I do have access to several variety of grapes in this area and have made wine with them.
 
I put my airlock on after the first 48 hrs. So far mine have all slowed down by then. I am also very new to making wine!!
 
Just curious, but do most of you have lids that have a gasket? I assumed they all did but when I was in Vancouver last year I bought a pail at a brewshop to do a kit and was surprised that the lid had no gasket; apparently that's the only way the store got them and sold them. All of the lids I have seen locally here have a rubber o-ring gasket.
 
Your lid should have a seal. I bought one once that didn't and returned it to find the whole shipment was missing seals. I got a refund and went elswhere.
 
Gettin' alwful close to 10k posts there, Dan - do you get a raise when you you hit that milestone; that's rarefied stratosphere!
 
Just curious, but do most of you have lids that have a gasket? I assumed they all did but when I was in Vancouver last year I bought a pail at a brewshop to do a kit and was surprised that the lid had no gasket; apparently that's the only way the store got them and sold them. All of the lids I have seen locally here have a rubber o-ring gasket.

Mine does!
 
Lid has gasket. I snap it down when the fermentation slows. It's hard to describe but I stir once or twice a day. When I notice just a few bubbles when I lift the lid I start snapping down the lid and add air lock. If the kit has a grape pack I continue opening and stirring once a day. If no grape pack I only open every couple days.
 
It may be too late, Rocky. Based on another post, I think she free floated them. She'll love that first racking. :s
 

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