Bulk ageing Bung

[Jwhelan939]

A few months ago I had a batch that I forgot to check the airlock and it ran dry while bulk ageing. It never seemed right after that. If I am bulk ageing can I use a solid bung? If it is degassed I would think that would be okay. But I thought I would check.

 

[Wade E]

Not advised as barometric pressure alone can make wine contract and pop out a solid bung unless you want to duct tape the bung down. My advice to you is just to check in on it a little more often.

 

[Jwhelan939]

crap, oh well it was a thought. Thank you.

 

[smurfe]

I use a solid bung. I do add a little assistance though. I put in the solid bung. I then take some Saran Wrap and fold a piece till it is like 4-6 ply and put it over the top of the bung and neck of the carboy. I then rubber band it to the neck of the carboy. If pressure tries to push the bung out the Saran Wrap will keep it from blowing out.


One other thing to add, don't use the orange carboy caps for long term storage. They are not air tight. They are good if fermentation is happening and are actually intended to install an airlock to for fermentation or a racking device to rack. I have saw a lot of pictures of peoples wines bulk aging with those orange caps in place. I have used them but I paced the Saran Wrap as noted before over the Carboy opening and neck and then snapped the cap down over it.

 

[grapeman]

You could go with a silicone bung which acts as an airlock. Under normal conitions it plugs it's holes with a thin silicone cap, but when pressure builds, the air forces the cap up and the air escapes. Normal air pressure keeps it closed. I occasionally use them under certain circumstances, but generally prefer a regular airlock. That is because you have a good visual on what is going on. Check it every month quickly and see if there is enough water in it, if not, just add some more.


Edited by: appleman

 

[Waldo]

One other thing to add, don't use the orange carboy caps for long term storage. They are not air tight.


Smurf, don't they have to be air tight to be able to pull a vacum with them using the vacu vin. I use them for degassing my wines all the time and they seem to work fine. I have almost sucked mine flat with the vacu vin

 

[smurfe]

One other thing to add, don't use the orange carboy caps for long term storage. They are not air tight.


Smurf, don't they have to be air tight to be able to pull a vacum with them using the vacu vin. I use them for degassing my wines all the time and they seem to work fine. I have almost sucked mine flat with the vacu vin

Waldo, all of them I have will draw a vacuum but will slowly leak it off. When I degas I have to pump it over and over. I have quite a few of the caps and carboys. I have never had one seal permanently tight on any carboy. I have read other places as well saying they are indeed not 100%air tight.

 

[Jwhelan939]

From what I can find the silicone bung is fairly expensive. Maybe Ill just stick to the airlocks.

 

[grapeman]

They are about double the price of a regular bung and airlock combination. Like I say, I usually use the regular airlock, but they are nice in certain cases.