Turning Air into Wine

I’m a bit perplexed. The liquid level in a five-gallon carboy is rising. The liquid level in a one-gallon and half-gallon carboy is remaining constant. I have no idea what is causing this to happen. I know that Jesus turned water into wine. Can I assume that I am turning air into wine? Probably not! Perhaps it is the air pressure as a result of the change of seasons. Last night the liquid level had risin to the top of the carboy and into the airlock. It knocked of the hole-covered top.

Last week I had to clean the airlock because a small spot of mold was growing in it. I put some of the potassium metabisulfite solution that I mixed up in the airlock. Then yesterday I had to remove it and clean it again, no mold this time. Since the wine was at the very top of the carboy I decided to taste it. The wine was dry. So I don’t think there are residual sugars that have decided to ferment. There was also a bit of heat on the finish. Is the alcohol high enough to kill of bad things? I then cleaned the airlock and replaced it again putting in some potassium metabisulfite in the airlock. A winemaker did tell me to use vodka in the airlock, but I didn’t have any in the house.

What ideas do you have that would cause the wine to rise in the carboy?

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