Carboys to big?

[BaccusIsWine]

Stupid question but will I be ok making 5 gallon batches in 6 gallon Carboys? Will the extra airspaces oxidize or ruin the wine im trying to make? Stupid me when I ordered more carboys I got 6 gallon plastic ones instead of the 5 gallon. Anyways will this be a problem?

 

[Runningwolf]

No you cannot do a five gallon batch in six gallon carboys without serious consequences. Why don't you just make six gallon batches?

 

[BaccusIsWine]

No you cannot do a five gallon batch in six gallon carboys without serious consequences. Why don't you just make six gallon batches?

Thanks. I will consider it. Just that many of the recipes i have are for 6 gallons and lower. Thanks

 

[ffemt128]

I have to agree, if you only have 6 gallon, make upsize the batch to be for 6 instead of 5 then start looking for 5 gallon carboys. You will need some 1 gallon and 1/2 gallon as well for after you rack.

 

[ffemt128]

Thanks. I will consider it. Just that many of the recipes i have are for 6 gallons and lower. Thanks

Increase everything by 1/5th the requested amount with the exception of the yeast.

 

[reefman]

I have to agree, if you only have 6 gallon, make upsize the batch to be for 6 instead of 5 then start looking for 5 gallon carboys. You will need some 1 gallon and 1/2 gallon as well for after you rack.

Newbie Question:Why do you need the 1 gallon and 1/2 gallon after racking?

 

[jet]

Newbie Question:Why do you need the 1 gallon and 1/2 gallon after racking?

You would make that much extra and use it for topping up in order to replace the volume lost during rackings. When racking out of the primary, the extra would go into a smaller jug.

 

[ffemt128]

Newbie Question:Why do you need the 1 gallon and 1/2 gallon after racking?

Unless you are topping up with a like wine, you will have less volume after leaving lees/sediment behind. I generally try to start with a little more volume than I hope to end with to allow for toping up.

 

[ffemt128]

You would make that much extra and use it for topping up in order to replace the volume lost during rackings. When racking out of the primary, the extra would go into a smaller jug.

or if starting 6 gallons, you could go to a 5 and a 1/2 if need be. Bungs are available to fit regular wine bottles which are also handy in both 750 ml and 1.5 liter size.

 

[reefman]

If you start with 6 gallons, how much do you end up with typically?

 

[BobF]

If you start with 6 gallons, how much do you end up with typically?

I start with 6-1/2 to end up with 6. Exception is WE IM kits. I start at 6 and top up with a 750 of Oak Leaf appropriate for the kit.

 

[ffemt128]

After topping up and sampling I usually end with 5 - 5 1/2 gallons if you start with 6. Your initial rack will leave behind the heavy lees which depending on the wine could be substanitial.

 

[reefman]

So if I start primary fermentation on a 6 gallon kit, in a 7.9 gallon pail, then I theoretically can rack it to a 5 gallon carboy and possibly a 1/2 gallon jug, for secondary rather than a 6 gal. carboy.
, and when it's ready to bottle, I could be down to 5 gallons? So I really don't yield 30 750 ml bottles from a 6 gallon kit as they claim?

 

[ffemt128]

So if I start primary fermentation on a 6 gallon kit, in a 7.9 gallon pail, then I theoretically can rack it to a 5 gallon carboy and possibly a 1/2 gallon jug, for secondary rather than a 6 gal. carboy.
, and when it's ready to bottle, I could be down to 5 gallons? So I really don't yield 30 750 ml bottles from a 6 gallon kit as they claim?

The kits I've done I usually ended with 29 or 30 bottles because I topped up with a similar wine. If you are taking the above approach, you will need about 26 bottles or so with some extra for sampling.

 

[BobF]

So if I start primary fermentation on a 6 gallon kit, in a 7.9 gallon pail, then I theoretically can rack it to a 5 gallon carboy and possibly a 1/2 gallon jug, for secondary rather than a 6 gal. carboy.
, and when it's ready to bottle, I could be down to 5 gallons? So I really don't yield 30 750 ml bottles from a 6 gallon kit as they claim?

Racking with minimal volume loss requires a bit of skill and patience. Even with careful racking a primary that's starts out with exactly 6g will more than likely end up yielding some amount less than 6g.

How many bottles depends:

6g = 6 x 3.7854 = 22.7124 liters.

22.7124 liters = 30.28 750ml bottles .....

My "6 Gallon" carboys are *actually* 23 liters ....


There is very little in this hobby that is this exacting

 

[Runningwolf]

I have started pouring my sediment into wine bottles. You usually end up with another 200-500 ml of wine you can save.

 

[jet]

...
There is very little in this hobby that is this exacting

You can say that again! This past weekend, I racked a 5.25gl batch out of primary into a "5gl" carboy and ended up with about .5gl of head space.

 

[BobF]

You can say that again! This past weekend, I racked a 5.25gl batch out of primary into a "5gl" carboy and ended up with about .5gl of head space.

OK, "There is very little in this hobby that is this exacting"

 

[gloo]

I'm making my first batch and will try using sanitised marbles after racking.