The temperature-caused rise and fall of the wine in the carboy is a
prime reason why you want to keep the carboy in a room which has fairly
constant temperature... all the expand-contract cycles increase the
risk of sucking air into the carboy if the liquid level in the airlock
falls too far. And any air leak around the air lock seal becomes deadly
for air intrusion.

Gene

jim wrote:
> No I meant it as I said it, but since my only first hand reference for cooling a liquid is water (and without having
> looked at wikipedia) I thought all liquids probably expanded when frozen - if only because they are mainly made of
> water. Thanks for pointing out that water is erroneous in doing so in the 0C - 4C range purdue I didn't know
>
> I forgot momentarily I was internet savvy and could look stuff up. The thermometer is a good example of liquids
> expanding when warm and contracting when cooling. From what I have read the lowered agitation oin a cooled liquid mean
> that the molecules can sit closer together and therefore the liquid contracts.
>
> If I could have google hardwired into my brain - with a nudge everytime I wondered something - I would be an even
> happier man. Sadly I'll probably die a few generations years before it's comfortably possible, but I digress...
>
> Thanks for your most educational replies.
>
> Jim