Whole cluster volume

[jpcart]

I am going to be picking up a few 500lb batches of grapes this Fall. I'm trying to get a sense for the weight to volume ratio so that I can figure out how many plastic totes I'm going to need for hauling. A "half ton" macrobin has a volume of around 180 gallons. So while that would translate to 18 gallons of capacity per 100lbs, I've seen some comments here and there that an 18 gallon tote fits 65-75lbs of grapes. (One resource says X lbs divided by 4 = capacity in gallons.)

So, anyone have a sense of what volume 100 lbs of whole cluster grapes should take up? Thanks!

 

[BarrelMonkey]

From TCW: 1T whole cluster grapes = 240gal volume. So 12 gal per 100lb

But I seem to recall from when I picked grapes that a standard 5-gallon bucket holds about 20lb, which would be equivalent to ~1/2T in 240gal, 25 gal per 100lb (which is in line with your 65-75lb/18gal tote). Maybe there is less of an 'edge effect' packing grapes into an S-bin vs a bucket or tote? I guess it also depends on the kind of grape (small tight clusters vs long stringy ones).

ETA another data point: In this thread, the first picture shows my 1/4T (16S) bin overfilled with Syrah grapes. There were 674lb grapes and the nominal bin volume is 120gal. So 100lb volume is >17.8 gal in this case.

 

[Obbnw]

I am going to be picking up a few 500lb batches of grapes this Fall. I'm trying to get a sense for the weight to volume ratio so that I can figure out how many plastic totes I'm going to need for hauling. A "half ton" macrobin has a volume of around 180 gallons. So while that would translate to 18 gallons of capacity per 100lbs, I've seen some comments here and there that an 18 gallon tote fits 65-75lbs of grapes. (One resource says X lbs divided by 4 = capacity in gallons.)

So, anyone have a sense of what volume 100 lbs of whole cluster grapes should take up? Thanks!

When I pick grapes I fill up 7 gallon ferment buckets to about the 6 or so gallon mark. It's usually about 25 to 30 lbs which is a little more then your 4 lbs per gallon.

4 lbs per gallon seems like a safe or conservative estimate. With a little squishing 5lbs per gallon is probably easy to meet.

 

[winemaker81]

I use Rubbermaid Brutes. Three 36 lb lugs (108 lbs) fills a 20 gallon Brute about half to two/thirds. I'm not exact on size, but I know that 4 lugs would have overfilled it for fermentation, as I never fill a primary more than 3/4 full.

 

[BarrelMonkey]

Three 36 lb lugs (108 lbs) fills a 20 gallon Brute about half to two/thirds.

But that's after crushing/destemming, right? I think @jpcart wants to know how much container volume he needs for hauling whole cluster grapes...

 

[winemaker81]

But that's after crushing/destemming, right? I think @jpcart wants to know how much container volume he needs for hauling whole cluster grapes...

Gotcha. For simple transportation, my answer is the same, about 3 lugs in a 20 gallon Brute.

 

[Garagista]

In California with thristy vines and small grapes, 4 pounds per gallon is always a good estimate. Therefore, 500 pounds will be about 125 gallons. I have logs of every pick we have done going back 5 years and 4lb/gal is very close.

 

[jpcart]

Thanks all!