Air lock went empty

[TNFISHRMAN]

I recently had an air lock go empty on a carboy that I was aging. Do I need to go ahead and ditch the batch???

 

[grapeman]

Never throw a batch out because of something like this. The first thing to do is add 1/4 tsp of k-meta to your batch and stir it gently in. If you wish to age further, add some k-meta solution to the airlock and recap it. Then you can age for a while more until you are ready to bottle. The wine may have gotten contaminated and may be bad, but chances are good that it is still alright. The k-meta addition will help kill any undesireables that got in the wine. I would still bottle it and give it a while and try it. If it is truly bad, you should easily be able to tell then.

 

[masta]

I agree and this happened to me once with a solid bung that popped out of aging carboy (don't use them anymore) and the carboy was open for at least 3-4 days with no issues.

 

[geocorn]

Always, always, always taste a wine before throwing out. It will not hurt you and you will be able to make an informed decision. We don't believe in wasting wine.

 

[joeswine]

never was a drop or trash it it's possible to make vinagar,if all else fails

 

[TNFISHRMAN]

Thanks for all the advice. I will add some k-meta and continue aging another month then taste.