Wine fermenters

[mstrick96]

I'm brand new at winemaking, and have three 1/2 gallon fruit juice bottles that have been fermenting happily away for about a week.

I think that in the future, I will want to use larger fermenting vessels than the 1/2 gallon grocery store bottle. I know I can't physically handle 5 gallon sizes. Too heavy. So I'm thinking of either one or 2 gallon sized fermenting bottles.

I've seen some conical fermenters that have a spigot valve at the bottom, which I assume is to allow the sediments to be easily drained off. Correct?

I've also seen bottles with a spigot in the side near the bottom. It looks like these spigots are about 1 1/2 inches from the bottom. I think that would be too high to drain off sediments. Would that be high enough to use for racking or bottling instead of siphoning? Would there be any drawbacks to using these 1 or 2 gallon side-spigot bottles?

 

[ChuckD]

Most primary fermentation is done in a loosely covered food grade bucket. If you are doing small batches get three and a five gallon buckets. When you start using fruit you will find you need lots of extra space for fruit solids and foaming!

For secondary fermentation they make three gallon carboys. If that’s still to heavy you can do multiple gallon and half gallon jugs. I haven’t used any of the PET plastic fermenters.

 

[VinesnBines]

You should move to bigger containers and plan for moving liquid with a pump. The All in One Pump is good but you can find smaller transfer pumps in the neighborhood of $60. Five gallons can be transferred in a few minutes and no carrying or lifting. I’m always afraid of jugs or containers with a spigot- the chance of leaking is too great.

 

[my wine]

The 3 gallon plastic carboys might work for you. You can place them in plastic "milk crates" which makes them easier to move and protects them. I use a transfer pump also to move my wine between containers and for bottling. So a 6 gallon wine kit in a fermenting bucket becomes lightweight if you manage it properly. Will you venture to grape wine in the future or are you sticking with fruit wine?

An welcome to WMT!

 

[mstrick96]

Thanks! Gives me some good information to think about.

To answer "my wine's" question: I would definitely like to try some grape wine at some point. Probably from one of the concentrates. I live in Georgia and remember gathering lots of wild muscadines and scuppernongs. I'd love to make some muscadine wine sometime. We bought some really good muscadine wine from a vineyard in Florida last month. That's part of what made me want to try to learn winemaking.

 

[Sailor323]

I agree that larger quantities are preferable. I used to heave those 5 gallon carboys up to a shelf but my poor aging body revolted. I used a come along to raise 15 gallon kegs above my head for siphoning. Now I use an inexpensive transfer pump to move things from one container to another.

 

[mikewatkins727]

For many a year I made 1 gallon batches of "experimental" wine. Then, one day talking to my barber, he said "Mike you should make 5 gallons. It's cheaper and you have more of it." I looked into it and decided that a 5 gallon carboy was too big for me but a 3 gallon one was more manageable for me. Today I have 7 3-gallon carboys andI have not regretted my decision. I own Steve's AIO pump system and recommend it because not only do you use it for transferring but also bottling. Try that with a small transfer pump.

 

[winemaker81]

I would definitely like to try some grape wine at some point. Probably from one of the concentrates. I live in Georgia and remember gathering lots of wild muscadines and scuppernongs. I'd love to make some muscadine wine sometime. We bought some really good muscadine wine from a vineyard in Florida last month. That's part of what made me want to try to learn winemaking.

Visit local wineries and try their wine. This will give you an idea of what you want to make.

 

[my wine]

I own Steve's AIO pump system and recommend it because not only do you use it for transferring but also bottling. Try that with a small transfer pump.

I've heard good things about the AIO pump system and all who have them are happy users. I personally have a small transfer pump that works very well for transferring and bottling.

 

[mikewatkins727]

I've heard good things about the AIO pump system and all who have them are happy users. I personally have a small transfer pump that works very well for transferring and bottling.

@my wine - If you figured out how to set up the transfer pump for bottling, more power to you. Guess I never applied enough brain power. Congratulations!!