The last empty carboy

[BobF]

I've always kept one carboy set aside for racking into when the time comes.

I'm sitting here looking at an empty 3 gallon carboy that *could* be doing something besides waiting. One out of a dozen 1 gal jugs didn't seem so bad. One out of four 3 gal carboys seems a proctivity waste.

How do you deal with this? I'm tempted to start racking into a bucket, cleaning the carboy and transferring back.

Too much oxygen exposure? OK as long as sulfites are sufficient?

 

[cpfan]

Bob:

I mostly make 6 US gallon batches, and always keep at least one carboy empty. I own 5 glass carboys, and 3 Better Bottles, but currently would be hard pressed to find room for all eight when full.

I also have two or three 3USG carboys, but haven't used them in a long time. I'm got some thoughts, but haven't done anything.

Lots of folks do the carboy-to-primary, clean carboy, primary-to-carboy shuffle. Usually folks just starting out, who only own one carboy. As a former store owner, it is sometimes difficult to get them to do the entire shuffle the same day. Leaving wine in the primary for a length of time is likely to lead to oxidized wine.

Some folks say that it is easier to degas your wine by stirring in a primary.

Steve

 

[BobF]

Bob:

I mostly make 6 US gallon batches, and always keep at least one carboy empty. I own 5 glass carboys, and 3 Better Bottles, but currently would be hard pressed to find room for all eight when full.

I also have two or three 3USG carboys, but haven't used them in a long time. I'm got some thoughts, but haven't done anything.

Lots of folks do the carboy-to-primary, clean carboy, primary-to-carboy shuffle. Usually folks just starting out, who only own one carboy. As a former store owner, it is sometimes difficult to get them to do the entire shuffle the same day. Leaving wine in the primary for a length of time is likely to lead to oxidized wine.

Some folks say that it is easier to degas your wine by stirring in a primary.

Steve

Great idea. Transfer to bucket. Stir vigorously to degas and get a layer of co2 up. Cover.

Clean carboy, transfer back.

Simple. I would need to be very heavily medicated if I was going to leave it in the bucket for more than a few minutes

Thanks for the post.

 

[BobF]

Bob:
I also have two or three 3USG carboys, but haven't used them in a long time. I'm got some thoughts, but haven't done anything.

Steve

Steve - I'll PM you my shipping address for the 3 gal carboys

 

[NSwiner]

This going to get some of you wondering what I'm thinking I just cleaned 4 (23liter) carboys to put in the basement with the other 6 (23 liter) we aren't using right now . Next week we will have 2 back in use from the wines I justed started over Xmas . Hopefully we have them all in use over the next year but we are so new at it and aren't bulk aging at this time they are empty .What i want to get this year is a couple of 11.5 liter carboys so I can bulk age some and bottle age some from same batch .

 

[cpfan]

What i want to get this year is a couple of 11.5 liter carboys so I can bulk age some and bottle age some from same batch .

Good idea. It's something that I have talked about, but never done.

Steve

 

[mmadmikes1]

Hell the economy has me out of fermentables. Hope times are better before April Southern hemispher harvest. I have 3 empty Primaries, 2- 5 gallon carboy empty and 5 -6 gallon carboys empty. Yes I am going though withdrawl. Was even thinking of buying a cheap kit and try tweaking with it for something to do. If I drive to sister she has apples in cold storage from this years crop, but that is 300 miles.Maybe I can find something on craigs list

 

[mainecr]

What does an empty carboy look like? Just finished racking 12 gallons of pear. Had to rack into 6 gallon primary, clean the carboy(s), and re-rack. It's been a busy season....
We've fermented everything we could get free, or cheap. Blackberry, blueberry, plum, pear, peach, apple, elderberry, concord grape, chokecherry ....and the latest.....1075 pounds of canned blueberries.

 

[Hillbilly Bill]

What does an empty carboy look like? Just finished racking 12 gallons of pear. Had to rack into 6 gallon primary, clean the carboy(s), and re-rack. It's been a busy season....
We've fermented everything we could get free, or cheap. Blackberry, blueberry, plum, pear, peach, apple, elderberry, concord grape, chokecherry ....and the latest.....1075 pounds of canned blueberries.

Holy Cow!

 

[arcticsid]

Mike have you taken a look at this?

http://www.skeeterpee.com/Skeeter_Pee/Recipe.html

You may have seen ryans thread about this. This is pretty cheap. I actually have this on hold till I can get yeast nutrient on Monday. Even here those green bottles of lemon jice were only like 2.50 each.

So I too, am looking at an empty fermenter. It looks all lonely without something in it.

Mike, you could always look at frozen concentrates or premixed juice. There are some qood quality ones available. For decent frozen at $2/can its $30 to make 5 gallons, but I was looking through the winemaking catalog and you can buy just the juice that comes in the kits for around the same price. Just gotta add your own stuff. No biggie.

 

[mmadmikes1]

problem solved today , Troy I went to Winexpect factory and got 2 expired kits for $60 . one is a crusho kit with skins. and a Pinot Gri. God loves me. BTW I am drunk for 4th tome in 25 years tonight. My son best friend and I started a party in middle of Mt Baker hyway with free wine(guess where that came from) Cops estimated 250 people ran when they came and I laughed and told them to write me the J walking ticket..... $40 is cheap for the fun we started