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Demijohn bungs changing colour

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Andyox

Andyox

NewBee
Registered Member
Mar 10, 2012
34
0
0
Oxfordshire, UK
Hi,

* Just thought I would post this slightly odd question -

* 3 of my demijohn bungs - the red pinkish rubber ones have been sitting bunged up so to speak in their respective demijohns - the demijohns had been bleached and rinsed and I had left then with a squirt of Campden and citric acid sanitizer solution in the demijohns - fitted an airlock with the same solution.
* - my thinking being for quick access for new brews - just pick one, rinse out with water and off I go.

Each bungs' body inside the demijohn is now bright yellow/orange

I'm guessing this is due to the gas produced by the sanitising mixture..

But, another bung bought from a different source, has not had this colour change, and is also providing sanitised airlock functionality for another demijohn :)

On to my question - are these maybe inferior bungs that could destroy my mead if I use them ?

Cheers

Andy
 
Some of my rubber bungs change colour a bit when they've been exposed to moisture for long periods as well. They're natural rubber after all, so its not a surprise.

If its something that annoys you, you can always mail order silicone bungs from Brouwland, or if you can find a shop that stocks Brupaks range (they get their stuff from Brouwland anyway).

The trick of trying to keep the DJ's ready doesn't work either. You're better off cleaning them out as normal, spraying a bit of CJJJJJJ's sanitiser in the cleaned DJ then turning them upside down and leaving them to dry completely. Then just keep them like that, but with a cotton wool bung to stop any bugs etc getting.
 
I've got bungs of various ages and brands too, I figure if it's not looking cracked, it should make a good seal, and if it's discoloured but doesn't smell funny, it should be OK for use. Mine turn yellow to orange with age and eventually they will start looking crackly, at which point I retire them, I don't want cracked bung bits in my wines :)

A bunch of my new bungs smell strongly of rubber, I'm hoping they don't make my musts taste rubbery, but I've been using them on a number of batches and so far I haven't noticed any odour problems.

(I love seeing posts where people remember that colour has a "u" in it! ;D)
 
skunkboy said:
I usually keep the bungs if they go funny colors as long as they don't smell odd, or start to fall apart. Only had to discard two that I can recall...
Click to expand...
Concur there. I've got quite a few that started pink in colour, yet some of them have been bleached lighter, presumably by the moisture generated during fermentation -or perhaps by the CO2 generated.

If they start too perish, then its curtains for the bung, of not I just sanitise and continue.....
 
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