Easing into grapes

[Rocky]

To answer the question on the Brute. I couldn't find a food grade brute locally.

Crushday, do you not have a Home Depot in your area? They have the Brutes and they are certified to NSF Standard #2.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rubberm...ey-Round-Trash-Can-with-Lid-2031186/100211748


SORRY, NORCAL. I PULLED THE TRIGGER BEFORE I SAW YOU HAD REPLIED TO THIS.

 

[crushday]

Home Depot carries brutes. I wanted white ones and they delivered them free to the store for pick-up.

I did order one but it won't be at the store until the 16th - 21st. I'll keep my current trajectory and use the Brute for the next batch. Thanks for the help, @NorCal I so much appreciate it.

 

[crushday]

To answer the question on the Brute. I couldn't find a food grade brute locally.

Crushday, do you not have a Home Depot in your area? They have the Brutes and they are certified to NSF Standard #2.

I do have a HD and a Lowes a few miles from my house that does have Brutes. However, I was unable to verify if they were food grade so I was hesitant to purchase. Thanks for the education and the lead...

 

[CDrew]

The gray ones are food grade as are the white ones. The others I’m not sure about. But the gray ones are always in stock.

I like the square ones that nest in the back of the van better. But those I had to order from Amazon

 

[Johnd]

I, too, started with the grey ones, you should be able to find them very easily at HD or Lowes. All of my current fermenters are the white food grade containers, some Brute, and a couple of a different brand that I got a good deal on one year.

 

[stickman]

Here is the statement from Rubbermaid:

"Rubbermaid Commercial Products is proud to announce the expansion of NSF/ANSI Standard 2 Food Equipment and Standard 21 Thermoplastic Refuse Container certification to all standard colors and sizes of round and square BRUTE bases. Certification also applies to all standard round lid colors as well as square lids in gray and white. Our Brutes are also BPA Free."

 

[Rocky]

I do have a HD and a Lowes a few miles from my house that does have Brutes. However, I was unable to verify if they were food grade so I was hesitant to purchase. Thanks for the education and the lead...

Just look for "NSF" on the underside of the container. The top is included.

 

[crushday]

Thanks again to everyone who has weighed in on my Tempranillo project. Now that I have started, and seeing what I actually have, my original idea of getting the bucket and adding the grapes to my three Tempranillo WE LE19 kits was extremely ill advised. You all helped me avoid a very big mistake.

Both buckets are well on their way. I should be able to add the yeast tomorrow morning. After the fermentation is complete, I’ll press the grapes and add the pomace to the wine kits and begin those. I can’t wait to taste the difference between the buckets and the kits.

 

[Chuck E]

I, too, started with the grey ones, you should be able to find them very easily at HD or Lowes. All of my current fermenters are the white food grade containers, some Brute, and a couple of a different brand that I got a good deal on one year.

White Brutes here too! Easier to keep clean.

 

[crushday]

I'm pretty surprised at the temp this morning. Yesterday at 12:30pm, it was 46 degrees. Last night, prior to going to bed, it was 56 degrees. This morning, it is only 58 degrees. I have a wireless thermometer inside one of the buckets and a thermometer on top of the bucket lid. You can see from the picture that it's 73.6 degrees on top of the bucket. That's pretty close to the floor so I'm happy with the temp as I have it set to be 75 degrees in my fermentation room which is well insulated.

I'll check again tonight. I would like the must up to about 70 degrees before I pitch the yeast. The VRB temp range is 58-85, so I'm currently at the low end of the range. Too risky...

 

[crushday]

I just this evening put two and two together. I leave town on Thursday morning this coming week for a quick business trip. I’m scheduled on the first flight Sunday morning home. I could come home late Saturday night but that puts a strain on Mrs. Burgin to retrieve me from the airport late at night. I guess I could pay $35 a day at the parking garage at Sea/Tac but that’s like getting your car out of impound. I’ll be getting back around 8:15am on Sunday.

Mrs. Burgin is going to have to “punch the cap” while I’m gone. I’ll give her an in service tomorrow morning.

I ordered the buckets a couple days before Christmas and because of Christmas and New Year, they were not shipped to me until January 8th. I was expecting them on the 3rd. But, as circumstances would have it, I fear I’m risking O2 on the wine as I won’t be able to press until late Sunday morning or early afternoon and get everything sealed up.

Will I be Ok?

 

[cmason1957]

You could always cool it down and let it ferment very slowly. There is a winery in Missouri that does that with their reds. Works out great.

 

[Johnd]

I would like the must up to about 70 degrees before I pitch the yeast. The VRB temp range is 58-85, so I'm currently at the low end of the range. Too risky.

It’s really not risky to pitch your yeast at the low end as your temps come up. The yeast will activate at a speed controlled by the temps, so slowly at first, increasing as your temps do. Didn’t recall that you added sulfite, your cultured yeast may also shove some other inhabitants to the side as it takes up more and more space. They’re there, acclimating to the rising temps, trying to establish a foothold, so the sooner the better for that. When doing frozen must, pitch temp was 50, nary a worry.

 

[Samuel Alecci]

Have you looked into the gofermenterjr? It punches automatically. You set the schedule. Also eliminates the need for fermenter and press it does it all. The equipment isn’t inexpensive but you buy it once and then use Replacement bags for fermentation and racking. You can even store wine with no oxidation in the racking bags. Add oak chips etc. Little sanitation required, no added sulfites needed. Excellent wine results especially with reds. https://www.gofermentor.com/gofermentor-jr/

 

[mainshipfred]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I really don't see what the problem is. If you were able to pitch the yeast today, especially if you just sprinkled it on top, it wouldn't start until tomorrow sometime. My guess would be 6-7 days from now there would still be plenty of CO2 to protect the wine.

 

[crushday]

You could always cool it down and let it ferment very slowly. There is a winery in Missouri that does that with their reds. Works out great.

Craig, that’s a good suggestion and one I hadn’t thought of. The temp is currently 64 degrees. When I went to bed, it was 62. The increases in temp are way slower than I would have expected. I pitched the yeast yesterday (Saturday) morning.

I’ll keep you posted.

 

[crushday]

It’s really not risky to pitch your yeast at the low end as your temps come up. The yeast will activate at a speed controlled by the temps, so slowly at first, increasing as your temps do. Didn’t recall that you added sulfite, your cultured yeast may also shove some other inhabitants to the side as it takes up more and more space. They’re there, acclimating to the rising temps, trying to establish a foothold, so the sooner the better for that. When doing frozen must, pitch temp was 50, nary a worry.

John, yep, I didn’t add sulfite. And, I pitched the yeast yesterday morning when the must was 61 degrees. Last night it was 62 and this morning, 64. No noticeable yeast activity. Certainly, I’ll poke my head in there a couple times today and note the changes. Thanks for the help.

 

[crushday]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I really don't see what the problem is. If you were able to pitch the yeast today, especially if you just sprinkled it on top, it wouldn't start until tomorrow sometime. My guess would be 6-7 days from now there would still be plenty of CO2 to protect the wine.

Fred, that’s what I need to hear. I did sprinkle it on top, yesterday morning. Last night, I stirred it all in with the GoFerm. This morning, must is 64 degrees and nothing to suggest I inoculated. Once I see some mid paced activity, I’m planning on adding the bacteria for MLF.

That actually opens up another catalog of questions. Since I’m planning on adding the pomace to the WE LE19 Tempranillo kits, that will have just been taken out of the Brehm batches, can I really add the pomace (laced with MLF bacteria) to the wine kits?

And, barrel aging... Can I put MLF’d wine in a barrel and six months later but a kit back in it? Or, do I need to dedicate a MLF barrel(s)?

 

[crushday]

Have you looked into the gofermenterjr? It punches automatically. You set the schedule. Also eliminates the need for fermenter and press it does it all. The equipment isn’t inexpensive but you buy it once and then use Replacement bags for fermentation and racking. You can even store wine with no oxidation in the racking bags. Add oak chips etc. Little sanitation required, no added sulfites needed. Excellent wine results especially with reds. https://www.gofermentor.com/gofermentor-jr/

@Samuel Alecci Thanks for the link. I checked it out. Cool concept. Real question related to the fermentation bags that have a 1.5” opening. How do you conveniently get the must through that tiny opening? That alone could feel like purgatory.

Update: Should have watched the video. It doesn’t leak from the gathered bag secured by a hose clamp?

 

[mainshipfred]

Fred, that’s what I need to hear. I did sprinkle it on top, yesterday morning. Last night, I stirred it all in with the GoFerm. This morning, must is 64 degrees and nothing to suggest I inoculated. Once I see some mid paced activity, I’m planning on adding the bacteria for MLF.

That actually opens up another catalog of questions. Since I’m planning on adding the pomace to the WE LE19 Tempranillo kits, that will have just been taken out of the Brehm batches, can I really add the pomace (laced with MLF bacteria) to the wine kits?

And, barrel aging... Can I put MLF’d wine in a barrel and six months later but a kit back in it? Or, do I need to dedicate a MLF barrel(s)?

I can't/won't touch the kit/MLF/barrel question since I don't do kits and don't give it much thought. Plus you are going to get some differing opinions. There is a member who just recently did an experiment separating the same kit and doing MLF on one with positive results. I believe he is now waiting for it to age to see if the balance issue widely discussed plays a role with the wines.