Wine Kitz Airlock

[blkcloud63]

Hello, I have question about 61/2 gallon bucket fermentor and using a airlock. I questioned the Brew shop would this be enough room when the fermenting gets moving. I was told this is the correct size never an issue. Well I checked on it before going to work and the airlock was full of wine and the lid was bulging like it was going to blow! I quickly scrounged threw my all grain beer equipment and made a makeshift blowoff tube. I crossed my fingers and went to work. When I came home my blowoff container also had wine in it and the cover stayed on the fermentor. The fermentor was filled yo the six gallon mark. What are your thoughts? Is it normal to have such a ferment from a kit? Also do you just start off with a blowoff tube and replace when it slows down? Or is the bucket just to small and the guy just wanted to sell his stock. Thanks for the help.

 

[Brian55]

The bucket is too small. Definitely poor advice from the brew shop.

 

[blkcloud63]

The bucket is too small. Definitely poor advice from the brew shop.

The bucket is too small. Definitely poor advice from the brew shop.

Thanks what would be the correct size?

 

[Brian55]

Basic bucket: Plastic Bucket Fermenter With Spigot - 7.9 Gallons (30 L) | MoreWine

If you think you're going to stick with this hobby, go with this: Speidel Plastic Fermenter - 30L (7.9 gal) | MoreWine
Get the stainless spigot as well if you go with this fermenter.

 

[blkcloud63]

Basic bucket: Plastic Bucket Fermenter With Spigot - 7.9 Gallons (30 L) | MoreWine

If you think you're going to stick with this hobby, go with this: Speidel Plastic Fermenter - 30L (7.9 gal) | MoreWine
Get the stainless spigot as well if you go with this fermenter.

If I can polish my skills like I did with all
Grain beer I’m in!! Thanks for the advice!

 

[Jovimaple]

Many of us ferment in the bucket with no cover - just put a towel over it to keep out bugs and dust but let the yeastie beasties get the oxygen they need to reproduce at the beginning of fermentation. I rack and put the wine under airlock after the s.g. is below 1.000 or so.

That being said, I always use my 7.9 US gallon fermentation bucket for a 6 gallon kit.

 

[richmke]

Hack: Prior to adding yeast, remove 1 gallon of juice and store in fridge.
After the vigorous fermentation subsides, add the reserved juice (let it warm up for a few hours before adding).

 

[bstnh1]

I use a 7 gallon Fermonster. Its available with or without a spigot. PET, won't break. Has a 4" opening making it easy to clean.

 

[balatonwine]

PET

For short term use PET is okayish.... But PET can have a very high O2 and CO2 permeability rate, and so may not be ideal for longer term use. It depends.

https://www.presens.de/knowledge/basics/detail/oxygen-permeation-measurement-in-pet-bottles-1138

 

[gnarlysmiles]

For short term use PET is okayish.... But PET can have a very high O2 and CO2 permeability rate, and so may not be ideal for longer term use. It depends.

https://www.presens.de/knowledge/basics/detail/oxygen-permeation-measurement-in-pet-bottles-1138

The article raises question but also fails to ask questions. What is the volume for the bottles? What is the wall thickness for those bottles? What were the storage conditions? Many variables could affect the results. It superficially seems the bottles discussed are smaller than 2-liter. I would like to see the same test on 6 to 8 liter vesslels.

 

[johnkelsall]

or ferment 5 gallons in a 6.5-gallon bucket.

 

[Rice_Guy]

For the US market PET is the standard package for small containers as 100ml or 375ml, a typical finished retail product is given a two year code date. As @gnarlysmiles points out the exposure is related to the surface area and volume of product contained, the larger container has less surface versus volume therefore it will have a longer shelf life.
We/ industry know that caps leak (but they are a hundred times tighter than corks 5 to 20 mg oxygen per year). We also know that there is some variation in thickness of film over a bottle. We also know that winery operations as pumping or filling bottles can incorporate 5 or 12mg and more oxygen per liter of product (about 10ppm).
Risk is relative. Yup glass is better, but if we add other sources of oxygen the difference starts to hide in the background sample error.

For short term use PET is okayish.... But PET can have a very high O2 and CO2 permeability rate, and so may not be ideal for longer term use. It depends.

HDPE is used in fermentors ex Speidel in post #4 (with significantly higher oxygen transmission), normal storage might be six to nine months in HDPE. If you are looking for acetaldehyde you might pick it out but an average consumer wouldn’t know what the threshold flavors are. ,,,,, Risk is relative.

 

[Mike53154]

Hello, I have question about 61/2 gallon bucket fermentor and using a airlock. I questioned the Brew shop would this be enough room when the fermenting gets moving. I was told this is the correct size never an issue. Well I checked on it before going to work and the airlock was full of wine and the lid was bulging like it was going to blow! I quickly scrounged threw my all grain beer equipment and made a makeshift blowoff tube. I crossed my fingers and went to work. When I came home my blowoff container also had wine in it and the cover stayed on the fermentor. The fermentor was filled yo the six gallon mark. What are your thoughts? Is it normal to have such a ferment from a kit? Also do you just start off with a blowoff tube and replace when it slows down? Or is the bucket just to small and the guy just wanted to sell his stock. Thanks for the help.

I've had this same issue with a 6 gallon size primary bucket during fermentation. Since there was only a small distance between the must and the airlock, I had blowoff of juice in the airlock. My solution was to modify the airlock. See attached picture.