# My 2 gallon ferment bucket is 90% full of must/juice



## Machine (Oct 7, 2013)

Grapes have been crushed for a while now so pretty juicy, just added pectic enzyme. How much juice should I expect to have once this is pressed? I expected to barely get a gallon, but right now looks like I might get more, and in any event it looks far to full to start fermentation as is.

Adding oak and some wine tannin and probably more sugar to get it up to 1.095 soon, then piching yeast tomorrow night (before which I may pull out a portion of the solid must and press it, just to get the volume in the bucket down to 75% full).

EDIT: ok just checked sugar, had to add more, and bucket definitely about 95% full now. If I get a 5-gallon bucket for less than 2 gallons of fermenting juice will that be an issue? I'm assuming no, and that preventing oxygen exposure is only an issue once fermentation is done and the vino is in a carboy...but I'm guessing so any help would be apprectiated.

Thanks!


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## jamesngalveston (Oct 7, 2013)

you are correct on the oxygen...you can use a carboy when it gets to around 1.100, are for me I let mine complete ferment in the primary, when its done i move to secondary add the air lock and wait for clearing and aging...


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## Arne (Oct 8, 2013)

Think maybe you should wait til it is about 1.010. It can be done all the way in a carboy, but it is easier to start in a bucket and transfer when ferment is done or almost done. Think James borrowed my fat fingers and mixed up his zeros and ones. LOL, Arne.


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## salcoco (Oct 9, 2013)

12 lbs of grapes will give 1 gallon of finished wine. Add a yeast nutrient. fermenting in a 5 gallon bucket okay.Ferment to at least 1.010 can go lower. Press into carboy. rack off of gross lees after three days add K-Meta rack again after three weeks add k-meta. again after three months age thereafter per desired style wine.


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