I saw a posting for a liquid to put in air locks to reduce evaporation but for the life of me I cannot remember what it was, could anyone help me out. I have been using a potassium metabisulphite and water solution but it seams to evaporate quickly.
Glycerin is not only not able to evaporate at room temps, but it is also hygroscopic, means it soaks up water from the air.
HTH
I must confess that I never have used glycerine as an additive to my fermentation locks. I always ensure that the solution of Sodium/potassium Metabisulphite occupies a good measure of the available "u bend". I always cap my locks with a suitable cap which seems to prevent major evaporation loss. Clearly there is virtually no activity in the wine except for expansion and contraction of the bulk of the wine and I ensure that the quantity of solution is such that there will be no "suck back" into my wine -- just air in extreme circumstances -- but then the head space above my wine is minimal.. I should be more worried about suck back of a glycerine solution than of SO2 solution
Glycerine is a perfectly normal natural chemical and is even added to many wines to give them body and sweetness. Don't worry, be happy!
Bob, Cant say for fact, but I am relatively sure that there is more than one form of Glycerin as I have seen it specifically stated to acquire "food grade". HTH John Dixon
Sodium/potassium
evaporation
I think glycerin is glycerin. It's a chemical compound (I can't quote the atomic composition). I think the reason to use "food grade" glycerin is that you want to assure that any impurities in the product won't be hazardous to human health. Many chemicals come in lower quality grades for industrial purposes - the purest ones are used for pharmaceuticals and in food processing. You should be able to find "food grade" glycerin at most drug stores (look for the initials USP somewhere on the label).
Doug
Oh I am not concerned about the glycerine "tainting" the wine --I just wouldn't want it to affect the body of the wine that I have gone to great lengths to be crisp and dry. I do use glycerine as a additive to my homemade liqueurs to improve the "mouth feel" but I use sugar to adjust the sweetness in them.
Glycerin can be a by-product of beef fat IIRC, but most glycerin is vegetable glycerin. I have no idea what plant it would come from, and my books all seem to imply that it is only from animal fats. So much for my remembery....
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