To lid, or not to lid.....

[jayhkr]

That is the question. I'd love to hear an explanation as to why some people say to cover with a lid (snapped down, with airlock on) and others say to loosely cover with a towel? I've watched DOZENS of videos and half show them snapped down, and half show them loosely covered. What's the REAL DEAL guys?

 

[NorCal]

As the old saying goes, ask 10 winemakers how they do something and you get 12 answers. A bi-product of fermentation is CO2 gas, which is heavier than air. By putting a towel over the container, it aids in keeping that gas as an invisible lid, by reducing a breeze. This is how I start my fermentations, but switch over to a lid/airlock as fermentations draws to a close and CO2 production is reduced.

 

[jayhkr]

As the old saying goes, ask 10 winemakers how they do something and you get 12 answers. A bi-product of fermentation is CO2 gas, which is heavier than air. By putting a towel over the container, it aids in keeping that gas as an invisible lid, by reducing a breeze. This is how I start my fermentations, but switch over to a lid/airlock as fermentations draws to a close and CO2 production is reduced.

I've heard the same as well. What would you call a "reduction" though? 3 bubbles a minute, 2.....1? I'm getting ready to "upgrade" my productivity from 1 gallon batches to 6 gallon batches so I'd really not like to make a 6 gallon mess!

 

[sour_grapes]

What's the REAL DEAL guys?

The REAL DEAL is that both of these procedures produce wine. No clear difference between 'em!

 

[jayhkr]

The REAL DEAL is that both of these procedures produce wine. No clear difference between 'em!

That's good enough for me. First batch of Dragons Blood here I come!

 

[hounddawg]

while in fermenting stage I stir every day with a paint mixer that goes in my drill the big mixer for a five gallon bucket don't forget to sanitize the mixer every day before using, after your meter says your down to around 990, then transfer into carboy leaving the gross lees behind , around every mouth or 2 rack into a clean carboy, I always use carboys but make extras in 1/2 gallon jugs, air locked as well, to use to top off the carboy depending on what fruit you use you rack every month or 2 until the bottom stays clear some clear fairly quick between racking but pears take the longest to clear, you can but clearing agents ,Petrich enzymes for pears, or regular Petrich enzymes for your other fruits, if you don't wish to wait as lone to get clear, , never heat your fruit it locks in fines and you'll have to live with cloudy wine, for best results always cut up your fruit put in gallon freezer baggies, let freeze how long is up to you freeze a minimum of 2 months, dump into fermenting containers stir ever day till its down to around 990, add Petrich enzymes in the ferment container the same day you start to fermenting, both freezing an Petrich enzyme help getting more flavor an more juice,
some of your best advice would be, Arnie, JohnT, Runningwolf, Vacumpumpman, and many more, you happen to need a transfer vacuum racking pump and with Addison AL bottling filler that fills the bottles straight from carboy to your wine bottle leaving the right fluid height in your wine bottle, not counting no more lifting an worlds faster racking as well as much quicker bottling, in that case I highly recommend vaccumpumpman, (steve.
I have his equipment and aint nobody taking it from me, you'll not only save a lot of time, since you'd be using a sealed carbot to carboy racking as well as a sealed carboy to bottling wine bottle you'll keep the oxygen out helping greatly increase the storage time, as well as keeping oxygen out of your wing which will increase you flavor over time, its well worth what he gets for his vacuum racking system and the bottling set up hooks up to the same vacuum pump. .
best of luck to you an may god bless you an your family.
Richard (HOUND DAWG)::

That is the question. I'd love to hear an explanation as to why some people say to cover with a lid (snapped down, with airlock on) and others say to loosely cover with a towel? I've watched DOZENS of videos and half show them snapped down, and half show them loosely covered. What's the REAL DEAL guys?

 

[hounddawg]

during fermentation it produces enough gas to protect your wine down to around 990 then rack into carboy as first racking, the towel keeps dust flies and other trash out of your must,,, a hard lid works to I use a hard lid but leave it loose so the gases can escape, but as noted ask ten get 20 different answers,,,lol
good luck an godbless

That is the question. I'd love to hear an explanation as to why some people say to cover with a lid (snapped down, with airlock on) and others say to loosely cover with a towel? I've watched DOZENS of videos and half show them snapped down, and half show them loosely covered. What's the REAL DEAL guys?

 

[JohnT]

I am a big fan of open fermentation, but then I am fermenting way more than 5 gallons at a time.

There are many reasons why I prefer open. First, I find that open fermentation aids in expelling excess heat. In addition to heat, I find that yeasty and off aromas are also expelled more thoroughly. Also, the limited amount of oxygen that the must is exposed to is actually beneficial for a healthy fermentation. Finally, by fermenting open, I eliminate the risk of eruption due to a clogged fermentation trap (I once had a tank lid blow. It was not pretty).

 

[BernardSmith]

Hi jayhkr, By "reduction" I think people mean not the number of bubbles per minute (which is zero if you ferment in a bucket and use a cloth as your screen or lid) but when the specific gravity drops to near 1.005 or thereabouts. CO2 is produced (as you know) as alcohol is produced by the yeast. When there is no more sugar left or when the yeast has to make do with sugars they don't prefer, then the rate of alcohol production drops as does the rate of CO2 production. CO2 acts as a blanket to protect the wine from oxidation so when that blanket is no longer being replaced and filling the top of the fermenter, you want to transfer (rack) the wine in the primary fermenter to a vessel that is filled to the top (no headroom for air) and to which you DO seal with a bung and an airlock.
Bottom line - you need an hydrometer to determine when to transfer the wine from the primary to a secondary vessel... Counting bubbles is not useful.

 

[jayhkr]

Thanks everyone for the great feedback and help! So much to learn, so much fun learning it!