10 gallon Brute/6 gallon lid question

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cimbaliw

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I have a WE Eclipse Merlot festering away in a 10 gallon Brute trash can heated by a brew belt. All is as is should be at day two. I'd like to finish both primary and secondary fermentation in the plastic pail, without racking to a carboy. I can get an upside down 6 gallon fermenter lid to fit pretty snugly, deep enough inside the Brute to minimize head space. Any thoughts on this? I have to think that the snug fit and 2-3 inches of dead air space will make for a successful secondary starting around 1.010. Yes I do have a crochet hook type bent coat rack for removing the lid through the airlock grommet.

Thanks
Bill C.
 
the dead yeast and the other sediment is more of a problem than the head space. leaving the wine on this sediment will cause bad odors
 
Hey Julie, when making kits, as the SG approaches 1.010 it is recommended to rack to a carboy and let fermentation continue. That's what I'm referring to as "secondary." A few weeks ago I read, perhaps from you, that some folks, instead of racking to a carboy, simply snap down the lid of a plastic primary, add an airlock and ferment to dry. This is what I'm after, fermenting to dry in the primary with a tight lid, getting the benefits of "secondary" without racking.

BC
 
Like Sal said, I heard that not racking risks the sediment breaking down into undesirables. But, if you are dead set on it:

Fill the air in the pail with CO2. Then put on the lid. Fill the area above the lid with more CO2. Cover the top of the trash can with whatever clean thing that works. The CO2 above the inner lid will minimize what O2 will try to migrate past it. The top cover will minimize what O2 will try to diffuse into the upper CO2 chamber.
 
Thanks BC, I thought that is what meant but Iwanted to be sure. Yes I am one who ferments dry in the primary. And no, leaving the wine will not cause bad odors. You only leave it until it is done fermenting. Can you put an airlock on the lid? If you can get that lid to fit in real snug with an airlock I say go for it.
 
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I would urge caution on this. I see words like "pretty snugly" and "snug fit" which I do not read as "air tight." I don't think I would chance it.
 
I apologize, I assumed your secondary fermentation was another matter. You can ferment to dryness without any effort in your primary fermenter. No need to add CO2.there is still some generated by the wine. at most from 1010 to dryness is two days, no harm during this period.
 
Now that I think about it, I have primary fermented beer from 14-21 days before going directly to bottle. I wouldn't go any longer than that with wine.
 

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