Airlock or not for MLF?
 

Hi,

I've been reading here and other sites/books, but I don't see the
answer for my particular question. This is our first harvest year, of
very small batches, and we pressed this morning, after acheiving 0
Brix, and stable hydrometry reading at 1 for the past 2 days (pH =
3.2-3.4).

We have glass carboys ready for the different grape types, but....
Airlock on the plug or no? I think yes, but I thought I'd run it by
the more experienced.

Cheers!

Saxon

Airlock or not for MLF?
 

On Oct 10, 10:03 pm, CheeseMonger > wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I've been reading here and other sites/books, but I don't see the
> answer for my particular question. This is our first harvest year, of
> very small batches, and we pressed this morning, after acheiving 0
> Brix, and stable hydrometry reading at 1 for the past 2 days (pH =
> 3.2-3.4).
>
> We have glass carboys ready for the different grape types, but....
> Airlock on the plug or no? I think yes, but I thought I'd run it by
> the more experienced.
>
> Cheers!
>
> Saxon

Air lock can't hurt.

Airlock or not for MLF?
 

On Oct 11, 8:04 am, wrote:
> On Oct 10, 10:03 pm, CheeseMonger > wrote:
>
> > Hi,
>
> > I've been reading here and other sites/books, but I don't see the
> > answer for my particular question. This is our first harvest year, of
> > very small batches, and we pressed this morning, after acheiving 0
> > Brix, and stable hydrometry reading at 1 for the past 2 days (pH =
> > 3.2-3.4).
>
> > We have glass carboys ready for the different grape types, but....
> > Airlock on the plug or no? I think yes, but I thought I'd run it by
> > the more experienced.
>
> > Cheers!
>
> > Saxon
>
> Air lock can't hurt.

Excellent, thanks. We put the airlock on, and will leave it.

S

Airlock or not for MLF?
 

On Oct 11, 4:11 pm, CheeseMonger > wrote:
> On Oct 11, 8:04 am, wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > On Oct 10, 10:03 pm, CheeseMonger > wrote:
>
> > > Hi,
>
> > > I've been reading here and other sites/books, but I don't see the
> > > answer for my particular question. This is our first harvest year, of
> > > very small batches, and we pressed this morning, after acheiving 0
> > > Brix, and stable hydrometry reading at 1 for the past 2 days (pH =
> > > 3.2-3.4).
>
> > > We have glass carboys ready for the different grape types, but....
> > > Airlock on the plug or no? I think yes, but I thought I'd run it by
> > > the more experienced.
>
> > > Cheers!
>
> > > Saxon
>
> > Air lock can't hurt.
>
> Excellent, thanks. We put the airlock on, and will leave it.
>
> S- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

I would airlock it too, MLF isn't looking for oxygen but that wine
sure is. If your pH is at 3.2 you are on the edge of too sharp an
acid but should be OK. Just don't sulfite now and top most of the way
up to keep the oxygen exposure lower, wait until your MLF completes.

Joe

Airlock or not for MLF?
 

On Oct 13, 6:19 am, Joe Sallustio > wrote:
> On Oct 11, 4:11 pm, CheeseMonger > wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > On Oct 11, 8:04 am, wrote:
>
> > > On Oct 10, 10:03 pm, CheeseMonger > wrote:
>
> > > > Hi,
>
> > > > I've been reading here and other sites/books, but I don't see the
> > > > answer for my particular question. This is our first harvest year, of
> > > > very small batches, and we pressed this morning, after acheiving 0
> > > > Brix, and stable hydrometry reading at 1 for the past 2 days (pH =
> > > > 3.2-3.4).
>
> > > > We have glass carboys ready for the different grape types, but....
> > > > Airlock on the plug or no? I think yes, but I thought I'd run it by
> > > > the more experienced.
>
> > > > Cheers!
>
> > > > Saxon
>
> > > Air lock can't hurt.
>
> > Excellent, thanks. We put the airlock on, and will leave it.
>
> > S- Hide quoted text -
>
> > - Show quoted text -
>
> I would airlock it too, MLF isn't looking for oxygen but that wine
> sure is. If your pH is at 3.2 you are on the edge of too sharp an
> acid but should be OK. Just don't sulfite now and top most of the way
> up to keep the oxygen exposure lower, wait until your MLF completes.
>
> Joe- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Thanks, Joe.

We have a small vineyard, and after many trials and tribulations and
much learning about the growing process, we actually had a harvest
this year- not much, but something!

So, while we've done kits before, when it's your own grapes, the
pressure's on to reap something from the efforts. I've done some
research about diacetly levels in semi-aerobic and anerobic
conditions, and I figure that lots of O2 was introduced in the
decanting to the carboy, plenty for a semiaerobic state. We will
start monitoring the pH next week, keeping it tightly closed for the
first 3 weeks, as we know the MLF will take a bit to get going.

Thanks everyone for your posts, I'm learning a LOT.

Saxon