Fluid inside Airlock

[Lurker]

Youcant over sulfite your wine from whats in an airlock! I use kmeta myself and find it does last much longer then vodka as higher alcs evaporate faster.

As usual, I agree with Wade E. K Meta only. Only lime & rocks in my vodka.

 

[jet]

Why is all the water in my air lock going to one side? If i loosen the air lock it will level back out.

Your bung forms an air-tight seal. When you install the bung you are compressing the air in the carboy, which pushes on the liquid in your airlock. Once in place, the liquid level will fluctuate in response to atmospheric pressure changes.

 

[grapeman]

I'm late to chime in here, but I use vodka during the winter in the winery for my small batch carboys of wine. The main winery I let the temps drop to freezing or slightly lower. That allows for cold stabilization and I don't need to heat it during the winter. Using vodka in the airlocks prevents them from freezing up. I usually change the vodka once before spring. Then in the spring, I switch back to k-meta in the airlock.

I would not use Star san for the airlock. It loses effectiveness in 3-4 weeks so will offer no benefits long term. It is also corrosive to plastic airlocks since it is an acid. K-meta would be a better choice and is not expensive.

 

[wvbrewer]

I have been using cheap Vodka in my 3 piece locks since I started in the hobby and have had no issue so far.

Dave