The Dang Neck of the Jug is Too

[cst]

Big. Or my stopper is too small.
Somebody'd posted about making their wine with some organic apple juice. I am generally opposed to the whole organic thing. I'm all about better living through chemistry. Anyhow, I was walking through the Safeway and saw a jug of the stuff and thought "well, I could use another gallon jug." So I paid nine bucks for a jug of cloudy juice. A three quart jug. I shoulda looked more closely at the label. Well the capacity was not the only thing that was not as I expected. The neck opening which looked like it should take a #6.5 stopper did. It swallowed it whole. I didnt notice this until I had mixed two and a half pounds of honey along with some additives into the juice. It turns out I havent got a spare gallon jug around and the closest homebrew store is about 75 miles away.
got any ideas for a stopgap until I can get a larger stopper in the mail?

 

[cst]

Oh yeah the cap the jug came with is metal, so I am not sure about drilling a hole and sticking a tube in it. I figured it might rust.

 

[grapeman]

If you are just beginning this, then you don't need an airlock yet. Cover it with something (yes even the cap screwed lightly to let air out) and get yourself a bit bigger stopper.

 

[cpfan]

cst...

From the description you need a #7.5 or #8 stopper. I have no experience with 3 quart jugs from Maryland though.

Steve

 

[robie]

hang onto that smaller jug. It will come in handy someday when you can't quite fill a 1-gallon.

 

[Flem]

Sounds like you need a gallon jug for your secondary. Go out and buy a jug of Carlo Rossi (cheap), drink the wine, and save the jug.

 

[almargita]

I love the apple juice or cider glass jugs. The large opening takes a number 8 stopper. I picked up a bunch for free, at a glass place

Al

 

[cst]

Yeah, all my gallon jugs are filled (theyve got the proper#6.5 sized openings) and while I am normally no snob I hate to be seen buying Carlo Rossi. People stop you and ask if everything is ok and then hand you their pocket change. Its prolly cheaper than driving over to the homebrew store though.

 

[Flem]

That's what I was thinking.

 

[Julie]

Yeah, all my gallon jugs are filled (theyve got the proper#6.5 sized openings) and while I am normally no snob I hate to be seen buying Carlo Rossi. People stop you and ask if everything is ok and then hand you their pocket change. Its prolly cheaper than driving over to the homebrew store though.

cst, have you ever thought that maybe you can get enough pocket change to pay for the carlo rossi?

 

[cst]

Very true, but the humiliation. The humanity!

 

[cst]

I ended up setting the bung in there and it is staying, but I dont trust it for airtightness. I think I shoulda gone for a big blowoff tube. I wonder how well wrapping the bung in saran wrap will do for a gasket till my new one comes in the mail? Either way the ferment is going well.

 

[grapeman]

You really don't lead to worry about air leakage at this stage. It is producing C02 which pushes out the 02. Also the active fermentaion can use a bit of oxygen for yeast multiplication.

 

[cst]

Yeah, I undersand. I was not expecting such a vigorous reaction from a mead variant. Ive experienced this with fruit wines before and beer but this is my first cyser. Even so a blowoff tube would help me keep things neater.

 

[JohnT]

I would drill a hole in the screw cap. This will hold you for now (until you can get a replacement).

One thought... how close is the nearest recycling center. You could try to get one there, then clean the SH*T out of it berfore use.