Expanding Production from 6 Gallons

[ShaunDanz]

I'v produced 22 wine kits since April of last year using the old 8 gallon primary fermentor and 6 gallon glass carboy. I'd like to double or triple production without adding much labor. Does anyone have suggestions for equipment to accomplish this? Is it time to invest in stainless?

 

[Boatboy24]

One of these and a few demijohns would be a good start.

http://baltimore.craigslist.org/for/3555577458.html

 

[Arne]

Get a Brute 20 gal. garbage can to use as a primary.(Check for threads on here about it) Get a couple of extra carboys. You can at least make two of the same kits at the same time with this. Arne.

 

[GreginND]

You do realize that with 22 kits you are already over the federal limits of wine production for an individual. If you double production you will be well over the 2 adult household limits for production. Are you planning on getting a bonded winery license?

 

[ShaunDanz]

You do realize that with 22 kits you are already over the federal limits of wine production for an individual. If you double production you will be well over the 2 adult household limits for production. Are you planning on getting a bonded winery license?

OH CRAP! I must have a serious wine drinking problem. I had no idea about the federal limits, I will have to research this.

 

[ShaunDanz]

Arne and Boatboy, yes, I considered a 20 gallon plastic container from finevinewines along with 15 gallon demijohns sourced locally. Do you have experience with this setup? Should I purchase a pump?

 

[GreginND]

Federal laws allow you to make 100 gallons per year for an individual. You can produce 200 gallons per year if you have 2 or more adults in the household.

 

[chitownwine]

I know laws are laws and I have no intention of breaking them, but any one hear or know of someone ever busted by the Feds. I mean do they have a dedicated team searching for home brewers making to many wine kits. Just seems like waste of government resources especially since it can be hard to track someone when they started a kit, purchased it or when it was bottled.

 

[ibglowin]

You may want to think about "reeling it in" just a bit! Not just because of the law but because your fast approaching way more than you could ever drink in 5 years probably. Its nice to have a well stocked wine cellar but remember it does have a shelf life and you may find yourself giving away most of it. I know I have had to and I was only making ~ 10 kits a year for the first few years. I easily gave away 50% of each kit just to make room for new wines that were bulk aging.

That 15G fermenter is a SWEET deal! But a 10-20G Brute trash can will work just as well for a Primary and it will only set you back ~$25 or so. You can then break down into 6G carboys for bulk aging.

 

[Rocky]

Arne and Boatboy, yes, I considered a 20 gallon plastic container from finevinewines along with 15 gallon demijohns sourced locally. Do you have experience with this setup? Should I purchase a pump?

Shaun, I have all of that stuff; the 20 gallon fermenter, 15 gallon demijohn and pump. I like to make triple batches of kits and buckets, i.e. starting with 18 gallons and eventually getting most of it into the demijohn and some gallon jugs. One caution, and I assume you are talking about a vacuum pump, pumping from the demijohn is no problem, but there is a certain level of danger in pumping into the demijohn due to its thinner glass and the pressure from the vacuum.

 

[ShaunDanz]

OK, thanks Rocky. I think this is the approach I'm going to take. I wasn't aware of the vacuum problem with the glass demi-johns. Is there a particular pump you would recommend? Will this pump work for bottling too?

 

[jimmyjames23]

My friend had an implosion with the 57 litre glass demijohns and vacuum pressure. The glass is much thinner than 6 1/2 gal Carboys.
Much!

 

[saramc]

Federal laws allow you to make 100 gallons per year for an individual. You can produce 200 gallons per year if you have 2 or more adults in the household.

Though some states allow even less.

 

[ibglowin]

Like say ALABAMA!!!!

Limit is a whopping 5 Gallons!

 

[ShaunDanz]

I'm in Wisconsin, so I'm OK. In this state, even my children under 18 are allowed to drink, as long as I'm present. And for some reason they won't touch my wine.

 

[Rocky]

Shaun, I recommend talking to our vendor Steve. He can give you alpha to omega on pumps, filtering, racking and filling. You can PM him under "vacuumpumpman."

This wine pump kit was designed to speed up and optimize the wine making steps of racking and bottling. It will help you to make a better product and enjoy it a bit faster. Advantages = Decreases racking time- Better quality wine- less air contact- No lifting of heavy carboys- No more bending over- Less chance of getting hurt, dropping carboys - Can be used to bottle with any shape or size bottles, Consistent liquid height and no overfill spillage- Easily degas wine (Co2 removal)- Odorless and oil-free,vacuum pump - You can easily install a inline filtering system,(whole house filter system-approx 35 dollars)

 

[jswordy]

I know laws are laws and I have no intention of breaking them, but any one hear or know of someone ever busted by the Feds.

Yes I do. Enforcement is not usually federal, but rather by state agents acting on tips. You are on the right track with bigger batches, as it is indeed about the same work. Bottling is more work, but not much.

I use the BRUTE food grade trash can for primary. Cheap and easily available at Home Depot. I had considered demijohns, but their fragility and a perceived difficulty cleaning them put me off. Since I usually do less than 20 gallons, I can handle that with my assortment of 5, 6, and 6.5 carboys. There's usually 15-18 finished gallons coming out of primary. Ten batches a year and I have to quit or get nailed by the law!

 

[shoebiedoo]

I'm with Rocky on the demijohn and a pump. I just got extra corboys but you do need slace for those. I make 199 gallons per year and I use the Brute trash cans for fermentors and then carboys for aging. I must be a major wino because I've yet to get 2 years ahead of my drinking

I too make tripple batches and I've found the carboys to be easier to deal with for cleaning and such, but again, I have the space to deal with it.

 

[ShaunDanz]

I'm with Rocky on the demijohn and a pump. I just got extra corboys but you do need slace for those. I make 199 gallons per year and I use the Brute trash cans for fermentors and then carboys for aging. I must be a major wino because I've yet to get 2 years ahead of my drinking

I too make tripple batches and I've found the carboys to be easier to deal with for cleaning and such, but again, I have the space to deal with it.

Shoebiedoo, do you use a pump to trasnsfer from primary to secondary and to rack between carboys?

 

[ShaunDanz]

OK. I just ordered my All in One Pump. You guys are such a bad influence on me!