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JoeCal1952

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OK - so I switched from the fastferment to a bucket/carboy method. Last night I started my Pinot Noir and inside of 3 hours I had bubbling in the airlock. This morning I wake up and check things, and no bubbling, but plenty of "fizzing" noise if you put your ear to the bucket. I jiggled the airlock a bit and it started bubbling again. - This has been happening throughout the day and has me baffled. It is a 7.9 gallon bucket made for wine and 6 gallons of must. All I can think of is that the fermentation is so intense that foam may be rising too high in the bucket and clogging the airlock, and when I move the airlock it resumes. Maybe I am worrying too much but any input would be appreciated.
Thanks!
 
I am sure a lot of people on here do things differently but I have never put an airlock on a wine until it was almost completely fermented. I start it in a bucket with a cloth over the top and when the SG drops to around 1.000 I transfer to a carboy and put on an airlock and I have never had a problem doing this.

I don't think you have a problem but the activity in the air lock is no measure of the status of the fermentation.
 
I agree, take the lid off the bucket stir the neck out of it and you can then put the lid back on , but Don't use the airlock. Just lay a towel over the airlock hole. When it gets down to 1.010 I would then rack it to a carboy with some headspace and then use your airlock

BOB
 
I am sure a lot of people on here do things differently but I have never put an airlock on a wine until it was almost completely fermented. I start it in a bucket with a cloth over the top and when the SG drops to around 1.000 I transfer to a carboy and put on an airlock and I have never had a problem doing this.

I don't think you have a problem but the activity in the air lock is no measure of the status of the fermentation.

Thank you! I have heard of people not using an airlock during primary, but I just followed the instructions on the kit. Been doing this a long time and never ran into this. Just curious as to why this happens. Obviously the fizzing I hear means it is actively fermenting, and I didn't mean to imply that fermentation stopped, or that the airlock is a means of knowing your must is fermenting. The pressure is released through the airlock if you use one and there are no air leaks anywhere...Anyway, after 5-7 days I usually have an SG down as far as 0.996 and I move it to the carboy, degas after 10 days and let it ride for 6 months or more.
 
I agree, take the lid off the bucket stir the neck out of it and you can then put the lid back on , but Don't use the airlock. Just lay a towel over the airlock hole. When it gets down to 1.010 I would then rack it to a carboy with some headspace and then use your airlock

BOB

Thanks Bob - Maybe a bit too late for that. I bought the 7.9 gallon primary and only a 6.5 gallon carboy so there wouldn't be much head space because I intend to let this sit a long time. There is little to no fermentation once I transfer the wine from the primary to the carboy - Maybe I should have posted here before reading instructions. I am doing it the way they say and it seems wrong? I just really wanted to know why the activity stops in the airlock and after tapping it, it will begin again.
Thanks for the input!
 
I just really wanted to know why the activity stops in the airlock and after tapping it, it will begin again.

I think this just comes about because, when you tap the bucket, that agitation makes some CO2 gas come out of solution (like shaking a soda). You then get an immediate blub through the airlock.
 
That sounds like a reasonable cause to me.

Joe sometimes I make the mistake of looking at someone's post count and assume if it is low they are new to wine making. Obviously in your case that is not true, didn't mean to imply you didn't know what you were doing, I don't usually follow the kit instructions if it contradicts what I know works from past experience.
 
Nice to see very vigorous fermentation, but I wouldn't be concerned based on your shared observations. For peace of mind add some yeast nutrient and prepare for a small volcano of activity.
 
That sounds like a reasonable cause to me.

Joe sometimes I make the mistake of looking at someone's post count and assume if it is low they are new to wine making. Obviously in your case that is not true, didn't mean to imply you didn't know what you were doing, I don't usually follow the kit instructions if it contradicts what I know works from past experience.

Thig - I didn't take it that way at all - Sometimes things don't appear as they are meant when typing and not speaking one on one. So many times, emails I send get mistaken for meaning something they are not - I am no expert by any means and that's why I ask questions. Always eager to learn from those who know more. And these kits! You buy them and the store owner says "follow instructions to a "T".." Well - if I did that, I would be bottling in 4 weeks and that is not my intention. I have never had a bad wine, but I have never had what I call an award winner either. This one I am going to experiment with adding coffee beans, peppercorns and some other "goodies".
I was just thrown off a bit when the airlock stopped. I did open the lid and feed it some air and things really picked up again, but I still have loads to learn. Thanks again for adding knowledge to my wine making!
 
Nice to see very vigorous fermentation, but I wouldn't be concerned based on your shared observations. For peace of mind add some yeast nutrient and prepare for a small volcano of activity.

Thanks! I happen to have some fermaid K...Going to do that tomorrow if things keep up the way they are, but I think it is going to be OK...
 
I think this just comes about because, when you tap the bucket, that agitation makes some CO2 gas come out of solution (like shaking a soda). You then get an immediate blub through the airlock.

I think you are right and I shouldn't worry so much. This is a hobby we all should enjoy instead of losing sleep over it...LOL

Thanks!
 

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