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How to use a water seal for fermentation. What is a water seal? We make a water seal with our own hands. How to make a water lock for wine with your own hands

In this material, we will discuss such a seemingly insignificant device as a water seal for mash. What is it for, and what is it? It is needed, first of all, to remove carbon dioxide from the fermentation tank. This gas is continuously formed in the fermentation tank and is released about four cubic meters per liter of alcohol produced during the fermentation process. But this gas must not only be removed, but removed in such a way that oxygen does not enter the mash along with air - otherwise, in parallel with alcoholic fermentation, other processes harmful to proper mash may develop. For example - the formation of acetic acid, and the souring of mash. Thus, the water seal during the fermentation process should perform the function of a check valve. Secondly, the water seal serves as a kind of indicator that fermentation is in progress, and its intensity can be judged by the rate of release of gas bubbles. By the way, this is the most reliable method for determining the readiness of the mash - the "bubbling" in the water seal has stopped - which means that the formation of carbon dioxide has stopped, and the fermentation is over. All other "folk" methods for determining the readiness of the mash, such as flashing the vapors of boiling mash, or extinguishing a match over the mash, can only say that there is already some amount of ethyl alcohol in the mash or carbon dioxide accumulates above its surface.

And thirdly: a water seal can also serve to divert the tse-o-two released during the fermentation process not into the atmosphere of the room, but straight into the sewer, and a description of such a water seal design will be given below. This is especially true for an apartment - a water seal with a drain into the sewer completely eliminates the smell in the home during the fermentation of the mash. And here is a schematic representation of the operation of a water seal for mash with gas discharge into the sewer:

In this scheme, carbon dioxide from the fermentation tank enters the water seal through a hose, where, overcoming the pressure of the liquid column h, it is sent to the sewer. And the gases from the sewer cannot overcome the pressure of the liquid column and remain where they are supposed to be. But we will assemble such a water seal with our own hands.

The easiest way, it seems to me, is to make such a device from a jar with a tightly screwed lid, from under mayonnaise, for example.

In the market, I bought these homemade stainless steel fittings.

Their diameter is about 12 mm, just under the commercially available 12 mm PVC tube. They are not expensive at all - 5 pieces cost me about $ 1. And the fact that they are of different lengths does not bother me much, it does not play a serious role! We drill two holes in the selected cover for the water seal:

True, I did not have such a large drill at my disposal, and I drilled with what was:

And to the required diameter, it was flared with a cone-shaped object of suitable sizes:

In my case, thin-nosed pliers fit perfectly:

A water seal for mash is a device without which the process of preparing an alcoholic beverage can occur uncontrollably. This can result in apple cider vinegar instead of the expected drink in the fermentation tank.

The purpose of the water seal

To understand why a water seal is needed, you should know what the fermentation process is. Fermentation is a set of complex biological and chemical processes. The main one for winemakers is the breakdown of sugar, which is part of organic substances. This produces alcohol. Yeast and bacteria play a major role in wine fermentation. Bacteria can carry out their activities both in the air and without atmospheric oxygen. In the first case, the decay product is apple cider vinegar, in the second, alcohols and carbon dioxide.

Winemakers are interested in obtaining alcohol, so their task is to ensure fermentation conditions without air access. Simply sealing the fermentation container will not succeed. For every liter of alcohol produced, about 4 m³ of carbon dioxide is released. The pressure created by carbon dioxide is so great that it can burst the fermentation tank.

To ensure normal pressure in the tank, a water seal is used. This is a valve that releases excess carbon dioxide from the tank and prevents atmospheric oxygen from entering it.

Homemade water seals

You can buy a ready-made water seal, but it's easy to do it yourself.

medical glove

This is the simplest and cheapest type of water seal. Gloves can be purchased at any store. Due to its elasticity, it fits tightly on the neck of any glass container. If the neck is narrow, the glove must be secured with tape or tape. Some winemakers leave the glove intact, others pierce a hole in one of its fingers.

In the first case, it is possible that the glove will burst. In the second case, carbon dioxide formed during fermentation creates excess pressure and prevents atmospheric oxygen from penetrating into the tank.

But it is preferable to insert a tube into the hole to remove carbon dioxide into a container of water.

During the fermentation process, the glove inflates and by its appearance one can judge the degree of readiness of the mash.

Classic way

If the bottle has a narrow neck and it is equipped with a plastic, rubber or wooden stopper, a hole must be drilled in it for a glass or metal tube on which a hose is put on. You can do without a tube by inserting a hose into a drilled hole. The junction of the tube and plug must be sealed. If the neck of the bottle is designed for a plastic cap, you can use it. But you need to think about how to fix the cover so that the excess pressure of the gases does not tear it off.

The free end of the hose is lowered into a bottle of water.

During fermentation, gas bubbles come out of the hose into the water. If their formation has stopped, then fermentation is over.


In all cases, the length of the hose must be chosen so that it does not get confused or kinked. The diameter of the hose does not play a special role, but you should not take less than 5 mm, it can become clogged with mash. The hose can be purchased at a hardware store or auto parts market.

Disadvantages of homemade hydraulic seals:

  • at any inopportune moment, the rubber glove can burst;
  • not everyone likes the sound (gurgling) of the outgoing air;
  • in the room where fermentation takes place, there may be an unpleasant smell.

You can get rid of the bad smell. As a container with water, you need to take a jar with a plastic lid, in which 2 holes are drilled. A hose from the fermentation tank passes through one and its end is in the water. A second hose passes through the other. One end of it is in a jar above the surface of the water, and the other is attached to a ventilation grill or window. The gases removed from the fermentation tank are collected under the lid and removed outside the room. Unpleasant odors disappear.

Alcohols are the waste products of bacteria. When their content in Braga is 15%, the living conditions for bacteria will become unfavorable, they will stop their activity and fermentation will stop.

Everyone who produces alcoholic beverages at home knows that at the fermentation stage, a water seal should be made for the mash.

What is it for?

A water seal during fermentation is necessary:

  • To ensure the removal of carbon dioxide formed in enormous volumes (4 cubic meters per 1 liter of mash) from the tank.
  • In order to prevent oxygen from entering the homebrew, which will disrupt the proper process of alcohol production and lead to oxidation and souring of the product, which will spoil the taste and quality of the final product.
  • To control the phase of the fermentation process - in the active stage there will be a lot of bubbles, in the final stage there will be no carbon dioxide at all.

Scheme of a standard water seal

The classic water seal used at home has a standard scheme:

  1. The container with the mash is tightly sealed, and a certain solid adapter is inserted into the cork - a glass, metal or plastic tube. It should have a fairly wide cross section - this way carbon dioxide will “collect” more efficiently and the adapter will not clog with foam.
  2. A flexible rubber or silicone hose of optimal section is attached to the tube. All joints are securely sealed.
  3. The end of the gas exhaust hose is lowered into a container with water, such as a bottle or a jar.

A do-it-yourself water seal for making mash can be made from various improvised materials. So, in recent years, dropper tubes have been used as a gas outlet hose. They are sterile, do not have a specific smell, and the transparency of the silicone allows you to control the state of the “hose” lumen and replace it if it is clogged with foam.

To ensure the best “collection” of gas, disposable syringes are used as an adapter, the plastic body of which is inserted into the cork or cap with the nose up. Improvised materials are used as a sealant - plasticine, glue and dough.

Despite the fact that now the industry produces a lot of accessories and devices for winemakers at a relatively inexpensive price (a purchased water seal will cost you no more than 300 rubles), lovers of homemade alcoholic beverages continue to create gas exhaust systems on their own.

One of the options for a water seal from the store

Many options that are used at home are difficult to call a word with the root "hydro". A true water seal must have a container with liquid in its design. But winemakers continue to install popular options for removing carbon dioxide and call them water seals in the old fashioned way.

When choosing the right way to make a reliable water seal for mash with your own hands, first of all evaluate the tightness of the system. It is this factor that determines the taste of the final product in the future.

Glove

This invention of the Soviet times still does not lose popularity due to the availability of "material", visibility and the ability to put on a glove on any wide neck, ensuring the tightness of the container.

  • a medical glove is put on the container in which the mash is poured and must be tightly tied to the neck and shoulders with adhesive tape so that it is not torn off by pressure;
  • so that carbon dioxide comes out, a hole is made in the fingers with a needle;
  • according to the fullness of the glove, the stage of the fermentation process is determined: if it has fallen, the drink is ready for the next stage.

Classic variant

This method of water seal device is very simple and affordable. Carbon dioxide through a sealed system of tubes enters a container of water. To prevent the outlet tube from falling off due to being torn off during periods of active fermentation, it is recommended to attach it to the vessel with tape.

The classic version of the organization of gas removal has one drawback - the specific smell of fermentation will constantly stand in the room where the container with the future alcoholic beverage is located.

With outlet

This option of gas removal will allow you to avoid problems with a specific smell. The container into which carbon dioxide is supplied from the mash is made airtight by organizing an inlet for two hoses in the lid or cork. According to one of them, carbon dioxide from the mash will enter the water, as in the classical method. The second hole is intended for the removal of gas from a container of water. The end of this tube should slightly protrude from the lid into the vessel with water, without touching the liquid, the other end should be taken out into the street or into the ventilation, so you can put the mash and not be afraid of the smell.

Assessing your capabilities and following your desires, you can always find your ideal “recipe” for a water seal device. It will help you provide yourself with delicious home-made drinks.

We recommend watching a video on how various types of water seals are made.

A water seal is needed to remove carbon dioxide from the tank where fermentation takes place. Together with oxygen, bacteria enter the wash. It is necessary to restrict air access and close the container. How to make a water seal for mash with your own hands to get a quality product?

The process of making moonshine must be controlled and monitored at all stages. Preparation of raw materials, fermentation - an incomplete cycle of product preparation. This is a complex process of interaction of components. At all stages of preparation, certain rules are observed.

Water seal for mash

Winemakers monitor the fermentation temperature. When using fruit and berry raw materials, a water seal is installed - it prevents the contact of the liquid with air and removes carbon dioxide.

The resulting alcohol, upon contact with oxygen, forms acetaldehyde, methane, ethanol and other harmful oxidation products. It is important to exclude the interaction of mash with air. This applies to the preparation of cognac alcohol and fruit and berry raw materials.

After the end of the active phase of fermentation, water seals are installed, which are:

  • industrial;
  • homemade.

With their own hands they assemble such structures:

  1. Classic.
  2. Medical glove.
  3. Cotton plug.
  4. Silent shutter.
  5. From a plastic bottle.

The water seal is installed depending on the temperature conditions. During the fermentation of wine, the juice is drained for 6-7 days. A rubber tube 40 cm long is installed on the cylinder. The diameter of the hose is 8–10 mm. One end of the tube is necessarily hermetically mounted in the cylinder cap, the other is lowered into a glass of water.

Fermentation under water lock lasts from 12 to 20 days. The duration of the process depends on the temperature and the method used.

Hydraulic seal designs

1) The simplest water seal is done as follows. A medical glove is put on the jar and pierced at the tip of the finger. As it ferments, it inflates. Carbon dioxide exits through a hole in the glove. You can also put a rubber ball on the jar.

The fermentation process stops when the glove is lowered.

2) For the manufacture of a glass-type water seal, it is necessary to use:

  • jar for analysis;
  • 2 syringes - 10 and 20 ml;
  • container cover;
  • gun or glue "Moment";
  • drill.

In a 10 ml syringe, cut off the top and bottom. Before this, the needle is first removed. A hole is made in the cap and the plunger from the syringe is fixed.

A hole (16 mm) is drilled in the bank for analysis. All irregularities are polished with a file. Make holes in the cap and plunger of the syringe.

Cut off the top and bottom of a 20 ml syringe. The outlet is sealed, and then the structure is assembled. The glass sticks to the syringe (10 ml). The top of the 20 ml syringe is placed over the plunger of the smaller syringe.

The structure is closed with a lid, a tube is attached and tested.

3) A "quiet" water seal can be built from a can with a metal lid. 2 holes (14 mm) are drilled in the upper part. Automobile nipples and tubes are inserted into them. For reliability, use a sealant for high temperatures. Carbon dioxide goes through a hose into the water, and enters the atmosphere through another tube.

4) Distillers created a design - a heated water seal. The mobile system is used for different containers. For the manufacture of a barrel shutter of 100 liters, use:

  • union;
  • nut;
  • hose.

A hole is made in the cover, a fitting is inserted, the entire structure is mounted and the nut is tightened. A cable is passed through the tube and put on the fitting. Then the hose is twisted and fixed with electrical tape.

The water seal can be used for other vessels. The hose, respectively, take a smaller size. The lift level must be high so that the liquid does not splash out. The system is mobile, it can be moved to any place.

5) The simplest design is a shutter from a dropper. A jar of mash is closed with a plastic lid, which is pierced with a needle. The free end of the system is lowered into a vessel with water. Thanks to such a simple design, oxygen does not enter the wash, but carbon dioxide exits.

Fighting odor

In the active phase of fermentation, the smell spreads throughout the house. How to get rid of odors? To do this, reduce the temperature or transfer the container to a cooler room. When violent fermentation ends, the vessel should be returned to its original place. The temperature in the room should be optimal.

Some distillers say that the shutter is also made to combat unpleasant odors. In this case, it is advised to fill the tube with water. They recommend special nozzles that absorb odor, but this does not always help.

The smell from the apartment can be removed as follows. A water seal is installed directly into the sewer, where gases are removed during fermentation. They cannot overcome the liquid column and remain in the sewer.

The water seal is an indicator of the intensity of the process in the mash. If bubbles are not released on the surface of the liquid, anaerobic digestion is over. Braga acquires a specific smell and taste. The end of the process can be determined using a wine meter.

A water seal is needed to obtain a quality product. This design is necessary when the fermentation process is slow.

Fermentation is a complex process of decomposition of organic substances, the stable course of which is impossible without a water seal. Ready-made devices are available for sale, but they are not always suitable for the containers used. Making a water seal from improvised means takes a matter of minutes, and the cost of the product is a penny.

The process of processing sugar into ethyl alcohol is accompanied by an abundant release of carbon dioxide. Accumulating inside a hermetically sealed container, it creates high pressure, which will inevitably lead to its rupture. To avoid this, the gas must be vented, but simply opening the lid will not solve the problem.

As long as the container is hermetically sealed, the bacteria in the mash are not active. But as soon as oxygen gets inside, they begin to multiply and process alcohol into acetic acid. The result is not wine, but an acidic, unusable liquid.

To prevent this from happening, a one-way valve is installed on the container, which is called a water seal - it removes carbon dioxide, but at the same time prevents oxygen from entering. In addition, the device allows you to control the fermentation process and determine the degree of readiness of the mash.

Watch a video that explains what a water seal is, why you need it, and how to make it yourself:

Making a device from improvised means

It is not difficult to make a water seal on your own, it does not require expensive tools and materials - you just need to choose the most suitable model in this situation. There are several popular designs whose effectiveness has been tested by time.

Classical

The most common design, characterized by simplicity and reliability.

For its manufacture you will need:

  • cap or stopper;
  • flexible tube;
  • glass jar with a capacity of 0.5 liters.

Manufacturing process:

  1. A hole is made in the center of the lid along the diameter of the tube.
  2. The tube is inserted into the hole.
  3. The junction is sealed with plasticine, wax or silicone glue.
  4. A lid with a tube is put on a container with mash.
  5. The second end of the tube is lowered into a jar of water, so that it does not rest against the bottom.

The disadvantage of such a device is the possibility of an unpleasant smell in the room. This problem can be solved by putting a lid with two holes on the jar. In one, a tube from a fermentation tank is wound up and lowered into the water. Another tube is passed into the second hole so that its end is above the water level. The free end is led out of a window or sewer, thereby ensuring the removal of carbon dioxide outside the premises.

Attention! A classic water seal allows you to determine the readiness of raw materials with maximum accuracy. If there is no release of bubbles in the liquid for a day, then the phase of active fermentation has ended and the mash is ready for further processing.

For a classic water seal, it is advisable to use a silicone tube - when in contact with alcohol-containing liquids, it does not change its characteristics and does not emit odor. The easiest option is to buy a dropper at the pharmacy. At the end it has a rubber tip, which does not require sealing when installed in the opening of the cover.

medical glove

The fastest and most affordable option, but not the most successful.

This method is mainly used by women, since no male skills are required to make a water seal from a glove:

  1. The glove is put on a container with mash and tied at the base with a strong thread.
  2. In one or more fingers, punctures are made with a sewing needle to release gas.
  3. The carbon dioxide released will inflate the glove. When the fermentation process is over, it will deflate and hang on the container.

The medical glove is suitable for use on containers with a wide neck. It copes with the task no worse than more complex hydraulic seals, but it is advisable to use it on containers less than 20 liters - a large amount of gas released will simply break it. Another drawback is the unpleasant smell of mash in the room, and nothing can be done about it.

Attention! A condom or a balloon can be used as a water seal for containers with a narrow neck.

cotton plug

To block the access of oxygen to the mash, the neck of the container is plugged with a piece of cotton wool or other porous material. Not a very reliable method, but for use in emergency cases when other materials are not at hand, it is quite suitable.

The structure of the wool allows carbon dioxide to escape, but does not provide complete tightness. Especially when the fermentation intensity drops and the gas pressure decreases, at this point oxygen gradually begins to penetrate into the bottle. The disadvantage of using cotton wool is also the inability to visually determine the degree of readiness of the mash and the unpleasant smell in the room.

"Quiet"

When using a classic water seal, the release of gases is accompanied by gurgling sounds. During the day it is almost not noticeable, but at night it causes irritation for some people.

You can make a silent water seal from a transparent silicone tube with a diameter of 12-14 mm and a length of 40-60 cm:

  1. One end of the tube is inserted into the hole on the cork of the bottle and sealed with a plastic material.
  2. The tube is folded so that a loop forms on it, and the second end sticks up and is fixed with tape.
  3. A small amount of water is poured into the tube, which forms a water seal in the loop.

The carbon dioxide will pass through the water loop in small bubbles without making any sound. The disadvantage of this method is the evaporation and splashing of the liquid during strong fermentation. To eliminate it, a cap is inserted into the free end of the tube, which allows gas to pass through, but retains liquid.

From a syringe and a dropper

It takes literally 5 minutes to make such a water seal. and a minimum of materials:

  • 2 syringes of 10 ml and 50 ml;
  • dropper;
  • tape or rubber band.

Manufacturing process:

  1. The fittings are removed from the syringes.
  2. A syringe of a smaller volume is hermetically fixed with the spout up in the opening of the lid of the fermentation tank.
  3. A second syringe is fixed to it with tape or an elastic band with the spout down.
  4. A tube of the required length is cut from the dropper and the internal filter is removed.
  5. Connect the nozzles of the syringes with a tube so that there are no kinks on it.

The result is a design in which a small syringe serves to collect gas, and the second, filled with water, prevents oxygen from entering the bottle.

Store shutter for wine

Shop water seals, unlike home-made ones, are compact and do not require assembly.

There are two main types of devices on the market:

  • two-chamber shutter;
  • glass type shutter.

The two-chamber shutter is made of food-grade plastic. It has a monolithic design and consists of two flasks connected in series. A similar device has a device made of two syringes and a dropper.

The tightness of the connection with the fermentation tank is ensured by a special rubber stopper, which is mostly sold separately. The device significantly increases the height of the container, which is not always convenient when stored in a cabinet.