Hello all!
Please be kind if this is a really 'dumb' question - but I am new to winemaking, and starting with kits as I learn more about the process (eventually I will venture into making wine from fresh fruits and veggies, but for now, the kits are a great way to learn).
I have made three full-size fruit wine recipe kits (one bottled already, one finishing/clearing now, one actively fermenting). All three of those had noticeable airlock activity within hours of pitching the yeast, and, that airlock activity remained pretty vigorous until tapering off between days 10-12 or so for the first two kits; the third kit is still doing fine one week in.
One week ago I also started my first 'Small Batch Cabernet' using the recipe/ingredient kit that came with the starter equipment set. Followed the instructions exactly and set it up to ferment, applied a fermentation heat wrap to keep temp steady at about 74-76 degrees F (and monitoring that every few hours). Airlock activity did not start nearly as quickly as with the fruit wine recipe kits - after one day I did not note any; however, there were other signs of fermentation including clusters of bubbles on the surface of the must. By the end of that second day we had airlock activity, though, still not as frequent/active as what I have noted with the fruit varietals.
Today we are at the one-week mark. Last night I noted some airlock activity, but, several minutes between each 'bloop' of rising bubbles. Today, nothing, after hanging out near the fermenter for a good 15 minutes to watch. I also noticed that the water/sulfite solution in the airlock (the double-bubble "S" style model) is now starting to level off, as opposed to the water being pushed largely to one side (as happens when CO2 is regularly pushing its way through).
I have not taken a hydrometer reading yet - though I suppose that is the next step. Before I remove the airlock and expose the contents to air, though - is it normal for the airlock activity to be more or less vigorous, based on the type of wine/must? (e.g. my batches of Very Black Cherry, Green Apple, Pineapple Pear Pinot Grigio, have all had very robust airlock activity, the Cabernet Sauvignon a lot less/subtler). Is it simply different due to the small batch size?
Holly
