WineXpert Little Problem

[uavwmn]

Started my Mezza Luna Red this morning. All went well, sterilized my bucket top.....thank goodness. Latched the lid down, went to push the airlock on the top of the lid and the rubber grommet fell into the bottom of the bucket!!! AGGGHHHHHH

I kinda pushed the oak around hoping it was floating on top. Of course it didn't.
Is it ok to leave it in there until the 2nd fermentation process? I hope I haven't ruined this red!! uavwmn

 

[JWMINNESOTA]

You have done what a very high percentage of all of us have done, especially on the first batch or so.Wash your hands and arm, reach in there, and fish it out, no harm will be done.

 

[dfwwino]

I stopped using an airlock on my primary a long time ago as the water tended to drip inside the wine while awaiting fermentation. What I do now is take some foil, sanitize it, and place it on top of the lid over the hole, so it overlaps a few inches. I leave it there until I rack to the secondary. Air escapes and nothing enters.














If you left the grommet in the wine during primary, would there be any off flavors? I've got a pretty hairy arm, soI'd probably gamble that there would not be any detriment and leave the grommet in the primary until I racked to the secondary. But if you take the plunge, I doubt there would be any problem. And then you could lick off your arm and enjoy the juice.

By the way, when I first made a Cabernet Sauvignon 12 years ago, my former wife knocked a wine bottle off the shelf and it fell like a missle into the top of a carboy holding the CS. I luckily had the carboy in a plastic container, so no wine spilled on the carpet. But I panicked and poured the wine out because I was worried about glass chards. But now I'd probably just fine filter a couple of times and keep it for my personal reserve. Edited by: dfwwino

 

[Wade E]

Sanitize an arm and get it out. I dont think it would give any off flavors but there will be no problems with getting it out as long as you sanitize what ever goes in there so go fish!

 

[grapeman]

Since you have oak in it, it might be hard to find it mixed in there. I would just cover the whole with a towel and leave it. See if you can find it later when you rack, or just get another grommet- they are less than a dollar.

 

[PolishWineP]

A lot of people lay a cotton dish towel over the primary and just set the lid on top. It keeps the towel in place and cats from falling into it. I pushed a big bung into a carboy during secondary. I left it until racking. It was just fine. Your little ring won't harm a thing.

 

[PeterZ]

I tried to get the grommet out of my first batch, but couldn't find it until I racked the wine off. It was a red and I couldn't see to the bottom. Leave it. I set a 3 piece airlock in the hole - it didn't bubble but it filled the hole and kept the dust out.

 

[Guest]

i hopeu haven't ruined this red.

 

[tcb54]

I pushed a big bung into a carboy during secondary. I left it until racking. It was just fine.

I almost pushed a rubber bung into a carboy the other day and it got me to thinking- what do you do if this happens? Obviously, the Polish Wine P did this. How did you get the bung out of the carboy?

 

[PeterZ]

I leave it there until I rack to the secondary and then take it out before washing the primary.

 

[Fly boy]

I have done the same as PeterZ. Works fine.

 

[PolishWineP]

Once I racked out of the carboy, I tipped the carboy bottom end up and used a chop stick to extract the bung. Bert was amazed!

 

[Waldo]

I gotta see a picture of that PWP. Could you re-enact it for us

 

[grapeman]

Anybody ever get a solid rubber stopper stuck in a carboy? I bet thet would be a pain to get back out. Maybe use the plastic produce type bag trick to remove it . Insert the rolled up bag in and tip the carboy to get the stopper to the top, blow up the bag just a little and pull out like the cork trick. Anybody ever do that one with the stopper?

 

[NorthernWinos]

We bought our first two carboys at a 2nd hand store...one had a rubber bung inside it.....We have a little stainless steel rod with a little hook on the end...we had the carboy upside down with the bung near the neck...and had the hook behind the bung...it pulled out easily.


I think theplastic bag might work.


*The hook is an O.B. hook...in another life it was used to pull baby pigs from the birth canal...I use it to clean drains and other 'odd' jobs around the house.Edited by: Northern Winos

 

[PolishWineP]

I gotta see a picture of that PWP. Could you re-enact it for us

I'd really rather not, but if you really want me to I will. Or, are you just hanging my chain again?

 

[Waldo]

WHAT !!!! ME HANG YOUR CHAIN !!! No, I wanna see it

 

[PolishWineP]

Well alrighty then! I'll see what I can do for you.