Go big or go home... Right?

[JoshDivino]

Well I just got done with my taxes for the year and my return will be about $900. With that money my plan is to buy 4 carboys (3-5gallon and 1-6gallon) an 8 gallon fermenter, a straining bag, and a red mountain trio kit. All of this totals to about 400 dollars. My plan is to use the 6 gallon for my kit then let it age in the carboy for a year then bottle and age for another year. While thats going on I want to do several batches of skeeter pee, and many other less time sensitive wines. What do you guys think about this plan?

 

[Rodnboro]

Sounds like a good plan to me. But wait, you still have $500 left!

 

[JoshDivino]

Sounds like a good plan to me. But wait, you still have $500 left!

Yeah I'm going to save that for whatever comes next, maybe even the all in one wine pump

 

[SmallTown]

I vote for a Floor Corker...

 

[tchuklobrau]

I vote for a Floor Corker...

+1 floor corker definitly a good thing to have.

 

[JoshDivino]

I actually like using my handheld double lever, at least while I'm young and can bottle that way ha

 

[spaniel]

Check local wine stores...one near my work rents a high quality floor corker (the kind it is hard to even find any more) for $5/day. So I bottle once per year...far better than owning one.

If you are looking for other equipment to buy I would think of...do you have space/interest in starting vines/trees, or perhaps testing equipment (pH meter etc).

 

[JoshDivino]

Check local wine stores...one near my work rents a high quality floor corker (the kind it is hard to even find any more) for $5/day. So I bottle once per year...far better than owning one.

If you are looking for other equipment to buy I would think of...do you have space/interest in starting vines/trees, or perhaps testing equipment (pH meter etc).

Yeah I think PH equipment will be first then a corker, won't have space for vines or trees for about 5 years

 

[Deezil]

Skip the 8 gallon fermenter and get a Brute or Roughneck trash can... 32-33 gallons.. If its over 6 gallons, it'll fit in most cases for the home winemaker.. They're only about 20 bucks, couple bucks more than you'd pay for that 8 gallon fermenter

Check out the Vinmetrica SC-300 before you spend the other 500

Floor corkers are so easy though, its hard to not have one

 

[keena]

You might find it handy to have a second 6 gal carboy for racking purposes.

Skip the 8 gallon fermenter and get a Brute or Roughneck trash can... 32-33 gallons.. If its over 6 gallons, it'll fit in most cases for the home winemaker.. They're only about 20 bucks, couple bucks more than you'd pay for that 8 gallon fermenter

Wait, WHAT!? are those food safe? I totally want to do 30 gal of skeeter pee! Where you get them?


Edit: like this? Seems too simple.. Lol

http://m.homedepot.com/p/Rubbermaid-Roughneck-32-Gallon-Trash-Can-Black/100656030/

 

[Deezil]

Should be... I have a rectangular, green, 33 gallon roughneck

They arent wine-safe for long periods of time, but primary fermentation isnt usually a long amount of time - not long enough to worry about the acids leaching anything out of the plastic in any amount that'd hurt anyone..

It's worked just fine for me in the past, with no ill effects

Grapeman has a picture around here somewhere where he has like half a dozen brute trash cans when his vines put off more than he expected, he had to come up with more fermenters fast & they worked out for him as well

 

[Boatboy24]

I'd be tempted to go with 2 five gallon carboys and 2 sixes; instead of 3 fives and 1 six.

If you find a Red Mountain Trio, please let me know. Mine is clearing now, and I'm wishing I had another.

 

[UBB]

Don't buy your straining bags from a wine shop. Just go to your local home improvement store ie Menards, Lowes ect ect and buy the 5 gallon paint straining bags. You can get a 2 pk for about $4. Sanitize and you're GTG! Much cheaper option.

 

[southlake333]

Wait, WHAT!? are those food safe? I totally want to do 30 gal of skeeter pee! Where you get them?

Genius!

But I bet my wife would kill me...

 

[keena]

Haha, yea that ones a bit tough to hide, but I think I'm gunna go for it

 

[JoshDivino]

Haha, yea that ones a bit tough to hide, but I think I'm gunna go for it

wooh! Good luck, let me know how it turns out!

 

[Dend78]

well if your going big might as well make it 4 sixes or 5 if your getting a 32 gallon trash can err uh primary

 

[keena]

Haha, I don't think josh is goin to do the trash can idea. I have roughly 10 carboys in the 5-6.5 gal range. And about half are empty, I know I know... What's wrong with me. Haha

 

[JoshDivino]

Yeah Im not ready to do the 32 gallon primary yet, it'll be some time before I have that kind of space.

 

[Dend78]

i hear ya 32 gallon primary, could you imagine a bad batch