Wine Backing up into Air Lock

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Mach1

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Hello Everyone,

I am new to winemaking, and just recently purchased my first wine kit.
I have been following the instructions that came with the kit, and am on
Day 3 of fermentation using a bucket and airlock.

My question is : I noticed this morning the wine backing up into the air lock and turning the water red (red wine). :( What do I do ?
I was thinking of removing the air lock, sanitizing and replacing, but perhaps I should just leave as is?

Any suggestions?
 
Arrrgh..small primaries with air locks. I hate 'em. But a lot of people use them. You've hit the main reason that I hate 'em. (I've had a 23 litre kit foam up and touch the lid of my 46 litre primaries. That would have been an unpleasant mess in a smaller primary.)

I would clean, and sanitize the air lock, and return it. But it will probably happen again.

Steve
 
Thanks for the advice :)
I appreciate the prompt reply.

I am glad to hear I havn't (already) messed up my first batch.
I think I will be investing in a larger primary to help reduce this problem in the future. May also try the cheesecloth method.
 
I am building a special 'foam-proof' airlock from
simple to get materials based on a picture which
is in the book from C.J. Berry.

Basically it comes down to putting a hose in the bung on the carboy (or primary) and putting the other end of the hose in a bottle with a sulphite solution.
It is in fact a bit more complicated as this but this may help you at this moment.

Luc
 
What Luc is talking bout is called a Blow off tube and used by many beer makers. A bigger primary is the answer to this, I sometimes use 2-7.9 gallon primaries for this reason and then rack into carboy when fermentation is almost done or when it is done depending on if there is fruit in there.
 
As you may have seen in one of my recent threads, I use a blow by tube going into sulphited water, not because of a foam problem, but because I am to cheap to by an airlock. You still want to make sure you have minimum airspace if you are in the secondary.
 

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