Floating grape bag?

[bpowell88]

I have had a grape bag in the primary for bout 4 days and wanted to make sure this is normal. I have pushed it down morning and night and lightly stirred it around but it just comes right back to the top. Is this normal and ok? Thanks

 

[Boatboy24]

Yep. Perfectly normal.

I do the same thing - punch down and stir twice a day.

 

[Rocky]

It is normal as there is CO2 from fermentation of the skins trapped in the bag. I sanitize my hands with k-meta solution and squeeze the bag a couple of times a day. This gets rids of the gas and gets more of the goodness from the skins (taste, color and body) into the wine.

 

[jswordy]

Don't be afraid to stir that bad boy! Oxygen is your friend in the primary. It's only your enemy in secondary and beyond.

 

[Brian]

Yep I do the same as rocky, squeeze it and get more of the goodness out.

 

[JoaniB]

When I bought my first kit, with grape bag, the woman at the store advised weighing it down with (sanitized) marbles. I did not, so the grape bag floats, but that's one suggestion that I may try in the future.

 

[robie]

When I bought my first kit, with grape bag, the woman at the store advised weighing it down with (sanitized) marbles. I did not, so the grape bag floats, but that's one suggestion that I may try in the future.

It will float even if it is reasonably weighted down. There is such a huge CO2 build up in it that it will usually come back to the surface in a few minutes after it is squeezed and pushed down. Having said that, I always put a sanitized, heavy, large glass mug inside the grape pack. It keeps it down a few minutes longer than otherwise, but not for long.

 

[wvbrewer]

I agrees stir and squeeze the thing during the primary....