I have 6 carboys. All filled within the last 2 months.
For long term storage, should I switch to solid bungs? Or does it matter?
For long term storage, should I switch to solid bungs? Or does it matter?
Bungs: Solid or not for long term storage?
- Thread starter Christopher Anderson
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When you say solid, do you actually mean solid or those vented silicon bungs? I use the vented silicon bungs, but I could not recommend the solid bungs for any wine storage. I use solids exclusively for keeping dust out of empty carboys. As air pressure rises you risk popping a solid bung out, even with glass carboys you'll be surprised at the amount of deflection air pressure causes.
How lazy are you trying to be?
I will let all wines go about a year to degas naturally. After that I can go solid. @ratflinger is correct about expansion. Liquid in winter with 2cm of ullage can expand enough to contaminate an airlock,, and the opposite going summer into winter. Gas is more tolerant or I can’t actually see it happen. A better choice than solid is to put on a single hole with a check valve and then pump 15 or 20”Hg of vacuum with over 2cm of ullage.
I will let all wines go about a year to degas naturally. After that I can go solid. @ratflinger is correct about expansion. Liquid in winter with 2cm of ullage can expand enough to contaminate an airlock,, and the opposite going summer into winter. Gas is more tolerant or I can’t actually see it happen. A better choice than solid is to put on a single hole with a check valve and then pump 15 or 20”Hg of vacuum with over 2cm of ullage.
Not lazy. Just wondering
Ditto on the previous advice. I have switched to vented bungs for bulk aging. I use solid bungs in 2 places:
overage in 750 ml bottles -- I purchased a bunch of #3 solid stoppers and haven't had a problem so far, but it's a very small volume. I've had 19 liter carboys topped within 2" of the bung in the winter, overflow into the airlock in the summer, so the overall volume makes a difference in expansion level.
barrels -- water/alcohol evaporates through the wood to produce a vacuum in the barrel, which is desired. If I used an airlock, air will be pulled in and the headspace after 1 month in 55 liter barrels can be as much as a liter volume. This would open the wine to oxidation.
overage in 750 ml bottles -- I purchased a bunch of #3 solid stoppers and haven't had a problem so far, but it's a very small volume. I've had 19 liter carboys topped within 2" of the bung in the winter, overflow into the airlock in the summer, so the overall volume makes a difference in expansion level.
barrels -- water/alcohol evaporates through the wood to produce a vacuum in the barrel, which is desired. If I used an airlock, air will be pulled in and the headspace after 1 month in 55 liter barrels can be as much as a liter volume. This would open the wine to oxidation.
I've bulk aged in a carboy with a solid bung for 4 or 5 months with no movement of the bung. But I normally stick with an s airlock. I just don't trust those vented bungs and probably never will.
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We use airlock, read somewhere that the best way to go because the gas has to go somewhere. Also heard using a solid bung long term will eventually get pushed out
I have the luxury of having a controlled environment for my bulk storage. Once I see no sign of degassing I always use a solid bung. Once they are set they seem to stay in place. BTW, I love the sound of the vacuum releasing on a properly sealed container.
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