I have some red wine from a kit ready to start. Do I cover the food bucket
that I'll be using to ferment? The bucket comes with a lid, which seems to
be quite airtight (got this from a wine supply shop online). Should I use
that? I thought it shouldn't be airtight, but as you can see I am getting
confused.

This is the 3rd or 4th simple question that I've asked thus far, and the
help has been great. Thanks to all of you.

Dave

Nevermind. Closer inspection reveals a hole + grommet + airlock. Still,
the cover is very tight and it seems like a lot of work to remove it & then
reseal it each time I want to take a SG reading, which is daily according to
the kit directions. Is that just a fact of wine-making life?

"Dave" > wrote in message
...
> I have some red wine from a kit ready to start. Do I cover the food
bucket
> that I'll be using to ferment? The bucket comes with a lid, which seems
to
> be quite airtight (got this from a wine supply shop online). Should I use
> that? I thought it shouldn't be airtight, but as you can see I am getting
> confused.
>
> This is the 3rd or 4th simple question that I've asked thus far, and the
> help has been great. Thanks to all of you.
>
> Dave
>
>

Dave, It is not that critical to take the S.G. reading everyday, but most
beginners do and it cant hurt so that you can observe the changes the must
turning into wine has to go through. It is a good idea to keep an eye and
nose on things to detect any problems early in the process when it is
possible and usually easier to correct. Follow the instructions closely for
your first batch and it is hard to go wrong. The only varience that everyone
seems to recommend is additionnal clearing and bulk aging time once the wine
has completed. (stabilizing faze) HTH
John Dixon
"Dave" > wrote in message
...
> Nevermind. Closer inspection reveals a hole + grommet + airlock. Still,
> the cover is very tight and it seems like a lot of work to remove it &
then
> reseal it each time I want to take a SG reading, which is daily according
to
> the kit directions. Is that just a fact of wine-making life?
>
> "Dave" > wrote in message
> ...
> > I have some red wine from a kit ready to start. Do I cover the food
> bucket
> > that I'll be using to ferment? The bucket comes with a lid, which seems
> to
> > be quite airtight (got this from a wine supply shop online). Should I
use
> > that? I thought it shouldn't be airtight, but as you can see I am
getting
> > confused.
> >
> > This is the 3rd or 4th simple question that I've asked thus far, and the
> > help has been great. Thanks to all of you.
> >
> > Dave
> >
> >
>
>

I don't use an airlock on my primary, I just put the cover on and lay a
paper towel over the hole to keep anything from falling in it. It is my
understanding that during the primary fermentation that it needs some air
for the yeast to work. When I rack it into the secondary carboy I put an
airlock on it.
"Dave" > wrote in message
...
> I have some red wine from a kit ready to start. Do I cover the food
bucket
> that I'll be using to ferment? The bucket comes with a lid, which seems
to
> be quite airtight (got this from a wine supply shop online). Should I use
> that? I thought it shouldn't be airtight, but as you can see I am getting
> confused.
>
> This is the 3rd or 4th simple question that I've asked thus far, and the
> help has been great. Thanks to all of you.
>
> Dave
>
>

"Dave" > wrote:

> Nevermind. Closer inspection reveals a hole + grommet + airlock. Still,
> the cover is very tight and it seems like a lot of work to remove it &
then
> reseal it each time I want to take a SG reading, which is daily according
to
> the kit directions. Is that just a fact of wine-making life?

Dave, for a red wine during primary fermentation, I cover the primary very
loosely, and put a 1-2 lb. weight on the lid to "seal it". Thus it acts as
it's own airlock, and allows easy access for stirring, taking sg, etc. Some
types of lids either have to be hammered into place, or they leave a
wide-open gap. In that case, I use a different lid.

"Dave" > wrote in message

> Nevermind. Closer inspection reveals a hole + grommet + airlock. Still,
> the cover is very tight and it seems like a lot of work to remove it &
then
> reseal it each time I want to take a SG reading, which is daily according
to
> the kit directions. Is that just a fact of wine-making life?

You only take daily readings on the first kit. By the time the second is
fermenting you'll be down to once a week or less.

Be sure to let the wine age longer than the instructions tell you. If this
is the first kit you will want to try it as son as it is "done". but then
you will realize it is not really "done" until it has aged for a year or so.
Ed

When I started making kits (1996) my first primary had no lid. It came
with a sheet of clear plastic, which I used to cover it and I tied
string around it to hold it in place. Not air tight, but not a lot of
circulation. After the first kit, I would cover that primary with a
plastic garbage bag and make an almost air tight seal (to keep out
fruit flies). I bought a second primary a year or two later, and it
came with a lid and an air lock. I have a third bucket that I have
used as a primary. It came with 23 litres of juice in it (inside a
foil bag). Its lid has no hole, so I made a tiny hole and I put a
sheet of plastic wrap over it... not tightly though. I've never
noticed a difference in the quality of the wines based on where the
primary fermentation was done. I have had an air lock blown off the
top, with a bit of a mess on the wall, table and floor. I guess that
was a particularly active fermentation.

My understanding is the high levels of C02 dissolved in a fermenting
must as well as in the air above guards against oxidation with or
without a tight lid. Covering serves mostly to protect from dust and
other undesirable "drop ins".

Once the fermentation becomes less active (at about 1.00 SG for
example) you will want to transfer to a secondary with an airlock.

I stand to be corrected but I've made some nice kit wines with
"loose-fitted" coverings on the primary.

Thanks for the responses. I followed the general advice and reduced the
tightness of the cover.

It's been about 24 hours since I mixed the ingredients, and not much in the
way of bubbles. Temperature looks good, right around 75-76F. Should I be
concerned yet?

Dave, Not to worry give it another day and you should see some activity for
sure. HTH
John Dixon

"Dave" > wrote in message
...
>
> Thanks for the responses. I followed the general advice and reduced the
> tightness of the cover.
>
> It's been about 24 hours since I mixed the ingredients, and not much in
the
> way of bubbles. Temperature looks good, right around 75-76F. Should I
be
> concerned yet?
>
>

"Dave" > wrote:

> Thanks for the responses. I followed the general advice and reduced the
> tightness of the cover.
>
> It's been about 24 hours since I mixed the ingredients, and not much in
the
> way of bubbles. Temperature looks good, right around 75-76F. Should I
be
> concerned yet?

How long has it been since you added the yeast? That is the defining factor.

Did you use sulfite (or campden tablets)? That can delay the onset of
fermentation, as it tends to stun even cultured wine yeasts temporarily.

Did you use a yeast starter, or just sprinkle the yeast atop the wine? A
yeast starter can speed up the onset of fermentation, as well as assuring
that your yeast are alive and kicking.

Did you add a lot of sugar? That can make it difficult for yeast to start
up.

If there are NO bubbles, no foam forming on the surface, no sign of
activity, you should start trying to figure out what's wrong. If there is
sign of activity, it's just got off to a slow start. Give it a stir to
oxygenate the must (yeast need oxygen to grow initially), and wait another
12 hours.

You could also kick up the temperature a notch.

I've found some kits to be active and some not so much.... one
unmistakable sign is that you will come home and will be greeted to
the smell of yeast... this takes from 1-3 days in my experience with
about 15 kits.

I have a primary with an airtight lid that can accept an airlock. The lid is
hard to remove (you get on top of it with your knee, use a bunch of brute
force, a few grunts and groans...). Instead of the lid, I use two pieces of
Saran wrap, taped together (so it will cover the whole top of the bucket)
and hold it in place with a rubber band. Or if I don't have a band that big
at the time, I tie a paper clip to each end of a piece of string (of
specific length), and then connect the two paper clips with a regular rubber
band. The gassing off slightly balloons the wrap up, but is enough to keep
the air and dust from getting in.

As for SG's, I couldn't be bothered with doing it daily. When it's bubbling,
I know it's working. When it slows down or stops, I know it's time to do
something with it.

"Dave" > wrote in message
...
> Nevermind. Closer inspection reveals a hole + grommet + airlock. Still,
> the cover is very tight and it seems like a lot of work to remove it &
then
> reseal it each time I want to take a SG reading, which is daily according
to
> the kit directions. Is that just a fact of wine-making life?
>
> "Dave" > wrote in message
> ...
> > I have some red wine from a kit ready to start. Do I cover the food
> bucket
> > that I'll be using to ferment? The bucket comes with a lid, which seems
> to
> > be quite airtight (got this from a wine supply shop online). Should I
use
> > that? I thought it shouldn't be airtight, but as you can see I am
getting
> > confused.
> >
> > This is the 3rd or 4th simple question that I've asked thus far, and the
> > help has been great. Thanks to all of you.
> >
> > Dave
> >
> >
>
>

Hey Dave,

Welcome to the online BREW JUNKIES retail operation in disguise! You
would get all of this in one shot from a local kit dealer, it's OK to
keep asking BEFORE something goes wrong.

We use a plastic sheet/trash bag and a large rubber band (or loop of
garment elastic). The idea is that it is self-venting and releases
CO2 at its own rate
but stays sealed from undesired stuff the rest of the time.

We never sold lids as they were not necessary for the primary
fermentation,and the lid probably will blow off anyway. We did not
recommend the plastic bucket for secondary or aging. It's useful to
mix in additives and siphon to/from. I would use the lid to keep the
primary free of dust in between batches, that's all.

Irene (who has heard MUCH crazier questions...)

"Dave" > wrote in message >...
> I have some red wine from a kit ready to start. Do I cover the food bucket
> that I'll be using to ferment? The bucket comes with a lid, which seems to
> be quite airtight (got this from a wine supply shop online). Should I use
> that? I thought it shouldn't be airtight, but as you can see I am getting
> confused.
>
> This is the 3rd or 4th simple question that I've asked thus far, and the
> help has been great. Thanks to all of you.
>
> Dave