Airlock Keeps Blowing

[mshergold]

I decided to post this here as it's an equipment question, but if the mods feel it's more suited to the Winemaking board, please move it.

My girlfriend bought one of the good-quality 23 litre wine kits and we put it together on Friday. We used as per the instructions a 30 litre fermenting bin fitted with a two-piece airlock and we were within the specified range for both gravity and temperature. Ambient temperature within the room it's fermenting in is fine.

Fermentation has been rather vigorous and until Saturday afternoon it kept blowing the lid of the airlock (so it rested on the bottom). Saturday night and last night we weren't there, so I removed the lid of the airlock and pressed on the lid of the bin to try to get rid of some of the excess Co2. When my girlfriend got home this morning, the lid had been blown off completely and was resting on the lid of fermenting bin. She's replaced it and says it's still bubbling vigorously, so I'm assuming things are OK and that it's likely to have blown later rather than sooner.

We're also concerned a (we assume) vinegar fly nearby may have had a friend who's decided to have a go while the airlock lid was off. Can anyone reassure us Things will be OK? I've only had a ferment this vigorous with beer and everything turned out find.

[Fil]

cant guarantee its all ok BUT a fungus gnat would need to be able to fly/crawl in against the 'wind' of the escaping co2 of what sounds like a very lively fermentation so I would think your ok..

[wanus]

Hello mshergold.Forgive me for what may seem a daft question but are you referring to the little red cap on the airlock?If you are why do you keep it on during fermentation?I`ve just set off a brewferm abdij and its the most vigorous start to a fermentation i`ve experienced as its bubbling like mad.Am pleased its only 9Litre and its in a 25L fermentor or things would be realy messy!

[marcarm]

The op says a 2 piece airlock which I assume is one of these



Where the middle part is hollow.

I'm sure things are fine, maybe consider a blowoff tube if fermentation is that vigorous.

[JamesF]

I'm sure things are fine, maybe consider a blowoff tube if fermentation is that vigorous.

Yeah, what I've done in the past is run some tubing from the central stem of the airlock into a two litre PET bottle with a little water in the bottom.

James

[themadhippy]

dont like them there airlocks,much prefer the 1 piece u bend type

[Jocky]

I don't like using airlocks.

I either leave the lid on loose, or put a bit of foil over the airlock hole.

[gobuchul]

i don't make wine.

However I never bother with an airlock when fermenting beer. IMo completely unnecessary. I just leave the lid on the FV and it vents around the edges.

I have a couple of FV's with airlock holes in the lid and I just cover with a piece of kitchen roll. Never had a problem.

[mshergold]

Thanks guys.Specifically, Marcam is right, the airlock is a two-piece cup type - I hate the u-bend ones (specifically the ones with the 'bubbles') as I found them difficult to clean. Fil - that sounds like a reasonable assumption. James F - I'll bear that in mind for the future.