Airlock vs plug
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Several months after fermentation Ill switch over to a solid bung.
usually after wine has cleared add plug.
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I keep mine on an airlock for 2 years. I never use solid bungs.
My thinking is that solid bungs can/will hold the wine under pressure. IMHO this will create a need to degas the wine.
Aging under a lock for 2 years allows the wine to degas itself.
My thinking is that solid bungs can/will hold the wine under pressure. IMHO this will create a need to degas the wine.
Aging under a lock for 2 years allows the wine to degas itself.
I occasionally use a solid but venting silicone plug. Some people call them a dry airlock, but I would never use them as an airlock. They work great when you need to move a carboy and don't want the motion to suck airlock fluid in.
GEM
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Just a couple of thoughts. If you use an airlock for two years bulk aging, it is critical that you keep the airlock full of water, glycerin, or vodka so that you do not contaminate. Secondly, it should not take two years to degas. You are probably safer going to a solid bung after a year than keeping it on an airlock. Lastly, you need to check your SO2 level every 2-3 months!
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Gem,
In short, I agree.....
I simply load my locks with very strong k-meta solution. I have most of my wine in VCSS tanks, so they need to be checked regularly anyway (gasket pressure).
My rule of thumb is that if the k-meta in the lock is either turning cloudy or has any amount of particulate, I will swap the lock out for one with fresh solution. If the liquid is clear, but just simply a little low, I add more (I use a laboratory wash bottle, it comes in real handy). The number of times I need to swap airlocks is surprisingly infrequent.
I also make it a point to replace the k-meta at each racking.
As a practice, I age my wines for two years. I always make wine from fresh grapes and like a deep color and body through extended maceration, but I do not like a wine that is overly tannic. By aging 2 years, my wine not only degasses itself (granted that might not take 2 years), and clarifies itself (clear and leaves very little residual sediment after bottling), it allows the tannins to soften making for the type of wine that I like.
So, Why do I not use a solid bung after the first year?? The real answer is simple. I use VCSS tanks.
These vessels do not hold any kind of pressure. If a vacuum forms in the tank due to temperature changes or barometric changes, outside air will find the path of least resistance into the tank, either through the gasket or through the area between lid and tank top. By using a k-meta filled trap, the path of least resistance is a through k-meta solution. IMHO, this is a much safer option.
