What to do when you are a stopper short?

[derunner]

OK, I have a confession. I have 5 empty carboys, but I also have 5 kits I just bought so they will not be that way for long. And to be fair, I bottled 4 batches not that long ago.

I just racked the 9 red wines I have aging and cleaned all 5 empty carboys and put k-meta in them, but I only had 4 solid stoppers. I have plenty of holed stoppers.

First I was going try a holed stopper covered by an empty solid better bottle stopper upside down over the holed stopper. Seamed to work, but generally the stoppers get sucked in to the carboy as they cool and this fix might loose its seal.

Then I though of saran wrap. That seems to be working. Anyone know if K-meta will eat through saran wrap.

Any other suggestions for an easy fix. Duct tape?

 

[lawrstin]

You'll be ok. It is just about keeping the oxygen out.

Put a rubber band around the saran wrap until
You can get a stopper.

 

[djrockinsteve]

I never use solid stoppers due to atmospheric pressure changes. You can wrap plastic wrap a few times around and rubber band it tight. This will work until you get some more bungs.

 

[cedarswamp]

Saran wrap will work short term, but is air permeable, I wouldn't leave it long term.

 

[Boatboy24]

Why not just use a holed stopper with an airlock in it?

 

[wineforfun]

Why not just use a holed stopper with an airlock in it?

That was my thought too, that is all I ever use.

 

[JohnT]

Ditto,

I never use a solid stopper.

 

[WI_Wino]

I think the op is referring to storing the carboys empty or with just a bit of sanitizer in them. So there is no need for an airlock. I think using saran wrap until you can buy a solid stopper will be fine.

Personally I store my carboys dry and use a piece of paper toweling to keep dust out.

 

[wineforfun]

I think the op is referring to storing the carboys empty or with just a bit of sanitizer in them. So there is no need for an airlock. I think using saran wrap until you can buy a solid stopper will be fine.

Personally I store my carboys dry and use a piece of paper toweling to keep dust out.

Ah yes, after re-reading I believe you are correct. In that case the saran wrap is more than adequate.
Like you WI_Wino, I store mine dry. I store them upside down in their boxes.

 

[derunner]

I think the op is referring to storing the carboys empty or with just a bit of sanitizer in them. So there is no need for an airlock. I think using saran wrap until you can buy a solid stopper will be fine.

Personally I store my carboys dry and use a piece of paper toweling to keep dust out.

Yes, this is what I am doing storing them with a cup of k-meta sanitizing strength solution in them.

 

[Boatboy24]

Yes, this is what I am doing storing them with a cup of k-meta sanitizing strength solution in them.

Airlock. Unless you're storing them on their side or upside down.

 

[salcoco]

this is best approach, the sulfur evaporating from the sanitizer keeps carboy better than without.

 

[dessertmaker]

OK, I have a confession. I have 5 empty carboys, but I also have 5 kits I just bought so they will not be that way for long. And to be fair, I bottled 4 batches not that long ago.

I just racked the 9 red wines I have aging and cleaned all 5 empty carboys and put k-meta in them, but I only had 4 solid stoppers. I have plenty of holed stoppers.

First I was going try a holed stopper covered by an empty solid better bottle stopper upside down over the holed stopper. Seamed to work, but generally the stoppers get sucked in to the carboy as they cool and this fix might loose its seal.

Then I though of saran wrap. That seems to be working. Anyone know if K-meta will eat through saran wrap.

Any other suggestions for an easy fix. Duct tape?

Man the Saran Wrap is just fine for storing your carboys. And the kmeta won't eat through it. I found a 1 gallon buried under some of my bottles with Saran Wrap and kmeta in it. I had meant to use it for something and forgot about it. It had been sitting there like that for a year, saran wrap was intact with no visible damage and the sulphur still burned all my nose hairs off when I popped the saran wrap off and took a whiff inside.

 

[bkisel]

Man the Saran Wrap is just fine for storing your carboys. And the kmeta won't eat through it. I found a 1 gallon buried under some of my bottles with Saran Wrap and kmeta in it. I had meant to use it for something and forgot about it. It had been sitting there like that for a year, saran wrap was intact with no visible damage and the sulphur still burned all my nose hairs off when I popped the saran wrap off and took a whiff inside.

Saran Wrap is what I've been using but being new to this and trying to build stock no carboy has sat empty for much more than a month or so. I do get the strong smell when I unwrap. Good to know you can go months with the Saran Wrap.

EDIT: Oh, the advantage for me of using wrap over bung and airlock is that I can put the empty carboy, that is out of rotation, back into its empty box and can place/store something else on top.