Airlock or cloth?

[HGBPRO]

Hello,

I have my first 5 gallons of peach wine fermenting. I used 13lbs of ripe peaches, skin on, sliced and depitted. Simmered for 1/2hr and poured into my fermenting 6gallon bucket. 10 lbs sugar, water to 5gallon mark. added pectic enzyme, and campden tablets. let this sit for 24hrs, then I added my yeast.
Now, my question is, b/c i have read both, do I airlock this for the 7-10day fermation period, or simply cover with a thin cloth. It seems all my peaches are getting pushed to the top and rising above the water line. If it sits for a week like that won't it spoil? It has been 24hrs since the yeast was added and the peaches are about 1/2inch out of the water. I have gently pressed them back down to rehydrate them. I know the yeast needs o2 to survive so what would some of you do in this situation? Thanks for any info.

 

[Green Mountains]

You can do either, I prefer to place the lid on the first 24 hours or so but loosely...just resting on top and then I button it down. Others just use the cloth. If you have no fruit flies or danger of pests getting in...or cats....then you can go that route too.

Welcome aboard.

 

[Wade E]

Can be done either way but remember you have to push the fruit down under the must to get it wet and that should be done at least once a day. Thats a littkle short on the lbs per gallon of fruit and really should be at least 6 lbs per gallon miniumum with most fruits and tyically more for fruits with less taste like Peach and strawberry. Id do about 10 lbs per gallon with peach myself.

 

[HGBPRO]

OK thanks. So will the fruit mold or rot during the fermenting period. and if it does is that ok?

 

[HGBPRO]

Can be done either way but remember you have to push the fruit down under the must to get it wet and that should be done at least once a day. Thats a littkle short on the lbs per gallon of fruit and really should be at least 6 lbs per gallon miniumum with most fruits and tyically more for fruits with less taste like Peach and strawberry. Id do about 10 lbs per gallon with peach myself.

so if I airlock it, do I need to open every day and push the fruit under the must? dosen't that defeat the purpose of the airlock?

 

[Brian]

typically they suggest that you push the fruit down at least 2 times a day and removing the top of the bucket is not to big of an issue during fermentation because of the co2 that is produced it protects the wine from being exposed to the air to much!

 

[HGBPRO]

thanks for the info fellers! I'll be able to rest a little easier now...lol