Head space

[Joanie]

How much head room do you need in a primary fermenter to avoid a big bubble-over? Does it make a difference if you have a sealed lid and an airlock??

 

[Wade E]

 

[Wade E]

This depends on how much wine tou are making, The kind of wine your
making and the kind of yeast your making. I have heard of a lot of
people making the Crushedo kit overflowing into the airlock or worse.
Some yeasts foam up alot more than others. I usually use the Red Star
Premier Cuvee or The Cotes Des Blanc for the wines that I make and they
dont foam up very much at all. With these two I would say 1 1/2" is
fine , as for others hopefully someone else will chime in soon.

 

[Joanie]

I'm using Cotes des Blancs in a 7.5 gallon fermenter that makes me nervous it's so full! Ok, ok... so I didn't figure on displacement! 8-l I'm thinking another smaller container might be a good idea! =)

 

[masta]

Using the standard 7.9 gallon bucket and making a 6 gal batch gives you roughly 454 cubic inches of head space volume or 2.75 inches from the top. I have never had a wine kit foam up enough (including two of the four Crushendos) to cause problems but some beers and mead fermentations create quite a bit of foam and need to be monitored closely.
I do not think sealing or not sealing the lid has any effect on the amount of foam that is created in the fermentation. The composition of the must and yeast would play a bigger role in creating foam.

 

[sangwitch]

Joan, is this your peach wine?

 

[Joanie]

Yes it is, Sang.

 

[Wade E]

How many inches do you have left. The cotes Des Blanc Does not really foam up very much. It just fizzes alot.

 

[Joanie]

I have about an inch and a half is all. If I take the bag of peaches out it would be the right amount.

 

[Wade E]

That should be sufficient room for Cotes Des Blanc. I think your in good shape. Are we bubbling awat now?

 

[Joanie]

Not yet! I'm trying to be patient, but it's difficult!!

 

[sangwitch]

I feel ya!

 

[Joanie]

A watched primary never bubbles, ya know!

 

[PolishWineP]

So, how's it going? Bubble over? We like to set our primary in a large plastic tub, just in case...