Is sececondary fermentation meant to be very lively?!?

[Floinksy]

Hi all,

I have a wilko wine kit, topped up with cooled boiled water today for secondary fermentation and now the bubbler is full of wine and froth and leaking out of the top of the bubbler. Is this just a case of very active fermentation?
I have put it in a cooler place to try to calm it down.
The temp was 25, now 22 degrees.
I dont want to lose anymore wine bubbling out of the top of the airlock.
Apologies for the upside-down pic!

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Is this one of the kits they tell you to top up on day two or three, if it is next time wait until day five, many of us have followed the instructions and had to clean up after.

 

[Floinksy]

Hello Chippy Tea,
Yes, it is one of those. I was warned about adding the water very gently otherwise I would create a gushing monster! So I added gently and it seemed to be ok. Then started to bubble away. Anyway, it has calmed down a bit as its in a cooler position.
Thanks for the advice. i will remember next time!

 

[Chippy_Tea]

When i make wine i always fill to the beginning of the shoulder as it saves having it come out of the airlock and makes degassing easier, you can top up after you have degassed and stabilised.

Have a look at the videos here, he has the same problem because he tops up before the vigorous fermentation has died down - http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=49462

Picture sorted. :wink:


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[Floinksy]

Ah, right, thanks for the info. Didnt know that you could top up after degassing.
And thanks for spinning my pic the right way round!

 

[Chippy_Tea]

No problem, let us know how your wine turns out, if i remember right the Wilko strawberry one we used to make was excellent.

 

[cheapbrew]

Adding the water adds oxygen which gives the yeast a boost, sometimes too much of a boost as you found out!

 

[Floinksy]

It has calmed down after being cooler overnight. it is still fermenting but airlock has clear water now. Lost about 100ml only so I guess it could have been worse. You certainly live and learn with this hobby.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

You certainly live and learn with this hobby.

You certainly do.

If you are going to make wine regularly and have a drill save yourself a lot of time and effort by making one of these - http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=48971


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[Floinksy]

I have a degassing wand - bought - that goes into my drill. Does a great job!