AIO vs Wine Pump

[Christopher Anderson]

To all you knowledgeable humans out there. I am debating whether to buy a AIO system or a Wine Pump. Now that this "newbie" has 30+ carboys filled with wine (over the last 2 years), it is time to advance.
I could pump from the carboy into a fermentation bucket with a valve to fill the bottles or use a pump top move from one carboy to another. But using an AIO, how do you move wine into a bucket? The bucket would be used to add k-meta or whatever before filling the bottles. Of course, I could move from one carboy to another and add the k-meta and other additives to another carboy and then bottle from the new one.

 

[vacuumpumpman]

To all you knowledgeable humans out there. I am debating whether to buy a AIO system or a Wine Pump. Now that this "newbie" has 30+ carboys filled with wine (over the last 2 years), it is time to advance.
I could pump from the carboy into a fermentation bucket with a valve to fill the bottles or use a pump top move from one carboy to another. But using an AIO, how do you move wine into a bucket? The bucket would be used to add k-meta or whatever before filling the bottles. Of course, I could move from one carboy to another and add the k-meta and other additives to another carboy and then bottle from the new one.

Why move it to a bucket and add all that additional oxygen to it ?

I will transfer using the allinone,to filter or just to make sure that the wine is entirely consistent and add any additional chemicals to the receiving carboy on the floor. Then I am able to bottle while standing or sitting at a table, without lifting a full carboy.

Any questions - feel free to PM and we always have a 30 day full return policy

 

[VinesnBines]

I never pump into a bucket after primary fermentation. I’ve had wine oxidize and nothing can save it.
The AIO is amazing and Steve is fantastic. Talk to Steve, he’ll help you know what you want and need.
The vacuum racking is great but the bottling alone is worth it the investment.
Plus Steve will call within minutes of dropping him a message.
I used a small transfer pump until it died then I went with the AIO. If I had some spare cash I would get a second AIO because I make wine in two locations plus two people can bottle at the same time with two AIO.

Edit: with the AIO I never overflow a carboy or a bottle. Once I reach the fill point the overflow goes into the receptacle. Before the AIO, I had to mop up wine - every racking or bottling. With a spigot or bottling tube, I spilled wine and never got a consistent fill.
You are going to get a lot of reasons why or why not. Good luck.

 

[winemaker81]

Why move it to a bucket and add all that additional oxygen to it ?

It depends on the situation. I make large batches (15+ US gallons) of varying size, depending on the yield from the grapes. I homogenize the pressings after settling so I get a consistent result, e.g., the monthly topup wine is identical to what's in the barrel. I use 32 gallon Brutes as a receptacle, as nothing else I have works.

For bottling? I have 55 liter class barrels that need to be racked at bottling time, and homogenized with any remaining topup, which may vary from 1 gallon to 1+ carboys of wine. Again, the Brute is the target. When my output of a batch is 7-12 cases, I want them to taste the same.

OTOH, if I was making all 23 liter kits, the AiO is perfect for that need.

It just occurred to me that a 25+ gallon keg would work as an intermediate container for my situation. I'll think about it more.

 

[Sailor323]

I looked at the AIO and decided to stay with my transfer pump. Yes, it's slower but does completely eliminate the need to lift carboys. The necessity for the carboy to be lower than the bottle when filling was a deal breaker for me. I use the transfer pump when racking from one carboy to another and to fill a bottling bucket that has a spigot when bottling.

 

[vacuumpumpman]

I looked at the AIO and decided to stay with my transfer pump. Yes, it's slower but does completely eliminate the need to lift carboys. The necessity for the carboy to be lower than the bottle when filling was a deal breaker for me. I use the transfer pump when racking from one carboy to another and to fill a bottling bucket that has a spigot when bottling.

I am not here to change your mind - just trying to understand. You mentioned having a carboy lower than bottling was a deal breaker?
There is no need to use the bottling bucket as you would be pulling directly from the carboy that is on the floor or lower than you're bottling. I enjoy it because I can stand or sit while bottling and get consentient liquid level heights that are fully adjustable. No more overspilling and having to wipe down bottle prior to installing the labels on them.

 

[winemaker81]

I am not here to change your mind - just trying to understand. You mentioned having a carboy lower than bottling was a deal breaker?
There is no need to use the bottling bucket as you would be pulling directly from the carboy that is on the floor or lower than you're bottling. I enjoy it because I can stand or sit while bottling and get consentient liquid level heights that are fully adjustable. No more overspilling and having to wipe down bottle prior to installing the labels on them.

This is a selling feature for me, as I'm down low with a filler tube, handing each bottle off to my son to fill.

 

[ratflinger]

If moving carboy's for bottling purposes is getting out of the question, then there is this:

https://www.amazon.com/Hydraulic-Capacity-Supermarket-Warehouse-Construction/dp/B0DRCST3SG

I'll probably need one in the future. I do not have an AIO pump, but I do have Steve's premium filler and associated connectors. The are fine, quality products. I will buy an AIO when my vacuum pump fails.