Juice buckets

[kendo]

Can you just ferment the juice in a carboy?.. What I'm asking is I have 2 buckets that I just got can I transfer the juice in my carboy and put a airlock on it and do the primary in the carboy instead of the pails?

 

[Rocky]

Kendo, you would need a great deal of free space in the carboy to do primary fermentation else you would experience the dreaded "wine volcano" and have wine flowing up through the airlock or possibly blowing the airlock off the carboy. I assume that you don't have an 8 gallon fermenting bucket. Were I in that position, I would ferment the wine in the bucket that the juice is purchased. I know that it will be near the top of the bucket and you may want to remove a gallon and ferment that in a stainless steel stock pot or something similar. When the fermentation begins to slow (at or near SG 1.030 or so) you could move the wine to a carboy.

 

[Julie]

As Rocky stated, it isn't a very good idea. I ferment mine in the buckets they come in and I never take any out and I have not had any "wine volcanos" as of yet.

 

[kendo]

Thk you, Julie did u remove the lid and just place it back on top or did you just put a airlock in the top of the pail?.thks kendo

 

[Julie]

Yes, I lay the lid on loosely and no airlock. Actually, once it is down to aroun 1.010 and 1.000, I snap the lid down, add an airlock and let if ferment to dry in the primary.

 

[kendo]

Thk u for the help.. I'm going to open the lid and place back on loose and when it drops down to 1.010 I will snap it on and ad a airlock till dry .

 

[cimbaliw]

"the dreaded "wine volcano""
Didn't leave enough head space on two of my juice bucket secondaries after adding raisins to them. A quick check this afternoon turned out to be a cleaning opportunity.

 

[kendo]

). Think I will keep it in the pail for primary..))