Moving a carboy

[arh13p]

I will be moving into a new home in three weeks. I have four 5 gal carboys already cleared and bulk aging. Is there a problem with racking the week I am going to leave then moving them to the new location to finish aging? What should I do?

 

[olusteebus]

I think that would be bes assuming all fermentation has stopped. If it has cleared to the point that it has no sediment, I wouldn't bother.

 

[vacuumpumpman]

I will be moving into a new home in three weeks. I have four 5 gal carboys already cleared and bulk aging. Is there a problem with racking the week I am going to leave then moving them to the new location to finish aging? What should I do?

I like the idea of racking prior to leaving - any sediment in the wine will definitely be disturbed while traveling.
You need to explain a little more -
like are you personally traveling with them or a moving company
how long is the trip - and where - the moving van will get quite hot during the day and will bounce around alot more due to the stiffness in suspension.
How are you planning on insulating the carboys -?

 

[arh13p]

I am only moving 15 minutes away. The wine is at 66 degrees and I am moving my self. . I plan to just put in my vehicle and drive the to the new location. 20 minutes top

 

[vacuumpumpman]

I am only moving 15 minutes away. The wine is at 66 degrees and I am moving my self. . I plan to just put in my vehicle and drive the to the new location. 20 minutes top

Just wrap them well - so they don't hit each other or anything else and treat them like newborn babies and you will be fine.

 

[JohnT]

Just to add to what the others have said...

I would get a number of #16 tapered cork stoppers. they are inexpensive and would work better than a fermentation trap during transport.

johnT.

 

[Dugger]

An alternative to the cork stoppers suggested by John would be water bottle caps (the 5 gal bottles). I use these on my empty carboys when they are sitting with kmeta in them. They seal well and are usually readily available for little or no cost.

 

[dessertmaker]

Water bottle caps? Tell me about these caps? Do they work with 5 gallon better bottles?

 

[Dugger]

These are the caps used on the large bottles of water sold by many vendors. They fit glass carboys but would be too small for a better bottle - I think they take something like a number 11 bung vs a no. 6.5/7 for glass.
These are the two types I use.

 

[wineon4]

A great way to degas, Just had to say it HAHA.

 

[pjd]

Just put a solid stopper in or a carboy cap and go ahead and move them. I moved a port that i've been working on from Florida to Pennsylvania with no ill effects. It was a 5 gallon carboy and it fit perfectly into a 6 gallon juice bucket. You might want to fit them into a milk crate or bucket to protect them from bumping into something.