Rodders wrote:
> Hi
>
> I started two batches of red wine the other day and put them behind a chair
> which was pretty close to a radiator. Had a look today and one of the tops
> from the air lock had been forced off and wine had come out.
>
> Q) with no air lock in place for possibly a couple of days is there a
> problem with the wine?
>
> Secondly
>
> I started another new batch yetserday, which makes 4 demijohns on the go, 3
> are frothy but one has no froth at all but the air lock still shows signs of
> bubbles passing through it, (this is not the same bottle as above), is this
> fermenting properly?
>
> Thanks
>
> Rodders
>
>
If the wine is fermenting actively, there would be enough CO2 being
generated to protect the wine in a demijohn, even without the airlock.
It's only when the fermentation slows down that the wine needs
protection with an airlock.

I ferment even my white wines in a large plastic bucket just covered by
a towel and a frying pan lid until the sugar level gets down to about
8-9 deg Brix.

It is possible that your non-frothy ferment has gone quicker than the
other three. I'd only be concerned if there are any stinky smells in
this one (would indicate the yeast are struggling). You didn't mention
if this non-frothy one is a different kind of grape, a different
starting deg Brix/specific gravity, a different yeast, different yeast
nutrient amounts, and/or closer to a heat source. All of these would
affect the fermentation rate.

Gene