Bulk aging question

[Mark]

Here's a hypothetical question: suppose I've made a kit per the instructions up to bottling (including doing a good job of degassing),but then let it sit in the carboy under airlock for an extra 3 months (so we'll assume there's no CO2 left). Now I want to bulk age it for another 3-6 months. Is there any difference between using an airlock or a solid bung? Seems like it shouldn't matter if all the CO2 is gone, but I thought I'd check with the experts.

 

[SouthernMan]

If the temperature in the room or where ever you store the wine doesn't fluctuate a lot, you can use a solid bung. All my wine that is bulk aging is stored in a large walk in closet and the temperature inside the room is pretty stable all year round. I keep air locks on all my carboys inside the room, but that's how I do things.

 

[Rocky_Top]

I think that you would be at high risk of popping that bung. The wine changes during bulk ageing. If it did not you would not bother to do so. Every wine maker has had a cork pop on one of there wine bottles. The cork is much stronger than you bung. It is bad enough to lose a bottle it would be much worse to find that you have 5 gallons of vinigar.

 

[Wade E]

I know people who do the solid bung thing and use tape to make sure it stays on. Personally I wouldnt take the chances as barometric pressure changes alone can make the wine rise quite a bit and this is very true as Ive seen it quite a few times myself and 1 time it even pushed wine into the airlock even after having 1 1/2" of eadspace below the bung.

 

[Mark]

OK, so I'll go with the airlock.Thanks everyone!

 

[TankCa]

I started using breathable silicone bungsforboth carboys and barrelsafter seeing them used atseveral winerys in Napa and Sonoma. Seems to work well but have only been using them for a couple months.




http://morewinemaking.com/search?search=bung