Airlock moving after stabilizing and sweetening

[Stressbaby]

I have 2 gals of a carambola wine I started this past summer. Two weeks ago I stabilized with k-meta and sorbate and then backsweetened with a small f-pac and some sugar to about 1.000. I degassed with one of those wine bottle vacuum pumps and got a pretty fair amount of gas out. The wine is crystal clear after using Super Kleer.

Since then I have seen no bubbles at all in the wine. However, the cap on the 3-piece airlock moves very slowly. That is to say, if I check the wine at 8am and the water levels are more or less even, I can come back at 10 or noon and the water levels are uneven, as if the wine is letting off gas. I've never actually seen it release a bubble but I guess it could have. I checked the SG and after a week and it had not changed at 1.000.

Why is the air lock moving? Could the air lock move from incomplete degassing or from release of SO2? Do I need to delay bottling?

Thanks in advance.

 

[robie]

Just in case, I would delay the bottling for another couple weeks and check the SG again.

However, you likely stirred in some oxygen or maybe it is not completely degassed, yet.

If the SG is not changing, everything is likely OK. But before you bottle, taste to determine if there is any fizziness you get on the end of your tongue. If so, it still has a little gass left in it. You can always hook the vacuum device up again and try to get some more gas out; it won't hurt a thing.

 

[BernardSmith]

Can the height of water in the airlock be affected by changes in atmospheric air pressure?

 

[djrockinsteve]

Changes in temperature and barometric pressure will cause wine to expand and contract.

If you start seeing tiny bubbles in the neck of your wine it may be fermenting but if done correctly you are fine.

I'd still wait a few weeks before bottling.

 

[Stressbaby]

Thanks for the replies. I don't see any bubbles at all in the neck of the carboy (in the wine itself).

I will rack off of the SuperKleer in a few days, degas again, and watch it for a while. One more question: should I (re)dose with 1/2 of a Campden tablet per gallon if it ends up being a month from the time I stabilized until I bottle?

 

[djrockinsteve]

I expose my wine after it is cleared, then not until I rack off of the dropped acid which is when I back sweeten. I add sulfite at each stage. 1/4 teaspoon when I begin clearing. 1/8th when it heads into aging after racking off of sediment.

When I back sweeten 6-12 months later ill add another pinch worth for the 5 gallons. No need to add more within a week unless you really expose it to air. I rarely add again at bottling since I recently added sulfite when I back sweetened.

Commercial wineries add much more than we do. If you are ever unsure about your total get a sulfite kit and take a reading. Once you have done it awhile you get pretty close each time. It comes with experience.