First kit, first hardware mod (airlock filter)

[SLOweather]

Sunday we started an RJS Cru Select Unoaked NZ chard kit. I set the primary on a counter in the laundry room and by Monday afternoon, it was bubbling away.

The fruity odor was a bit much, but I couldn't think of a better place to ferment. I thought about venting the PF out the window, but that wasn't easy or convenient.

So, I got an organic vapor cartridge off an unused face mask, cut the grill on it out to fit over the top of the plastic airlock, and it's doing a fine job of mitigating the odor.

It's not glued on or anything, Just gravity...

 

[robie]

Very clever! I don't usually mind the fermentation "aroma", but then again, I do my fermenting down in the basement.

You can probably get by without it, but if it were me, just to be safe, for the first 4 or 5 days of primary, I would open up that lid about once a day and give the chard a nice stir, then reseal. Yes, whites are more susceptible to oxidation, but during heavy primary, there will be lots of CO2 present to protect the wine after resealing the lid. Again, doing this is sort of optional, but safe.