Tilted carboy

[TJsBasement]

Instead of tilting the carboy on a 2 x after would it work the same if the carboy was already sitting tilted when empty. I'm racking my brain ( is that where the saying comes from ) to plan a wine area and wondering if I can just build the carboy shelfs to hold the carboys on the same tilt, should it work the same as tilting after. Thanks guys.

 

[Runningwolf]

You could do that. I prefer a level playing area and then if I decide to tilt a carboy it's pretty easy to just throw the 2x4 under it. I think if you were to build a table that was slanted that much you might be dissappointed in the end depending how big the table was.

 

[TJsBasement]

My room will be skinny like 6'x15' and 10' high so I'll be using vertical space. I'm think about making a bookcase looking thing to hold rows of carboys up the wall, I should be able to get at least 3 rows vertical then just use the pump to fill them.

 

[Rocky]

Seems like it would work to me, TJ. It would be a variation on the principle of the "conical" fermenters that are sold and where the sediment settles in the bottom cone and the clear wine is on top. I am not sure what would be going on at the top of the carboy and the airlock, though. For long term buld aging, you would have to make sure there was no air trapped below the shoulder of the carboy. It would be easy to model with a single carboy filled with water. I would give it a shot.

 

[Wade E]

I dont think I would do that, there are many instances where the carboy is just to tipsy when tilted and you might be asking for trouble that way!!! Another thing is when ready to rack you want to tilt it gently the other way and in your situation you would need to turn the carboy 180* and that is asking for stirring it up instead of just resting the carboy straight, removing the wedge and gently tilting it back the other way.

 

[TJsBasement]

Good call Wade, I can always stick a shim in later. Took me a minute to figure out what you was saying. You tilt then drain to very low then tilt the other way to pick the lees up above liquid level then drain the remaining right. See I was wasting to much wine by only tilting once.

 

[BobF]

Another consideration is that sometimes, especially early on, I will 'twist' the carboys quickly to dislodge sediment on the sides and ridges. That mighr be difficult with a tilted carboy.

 

[Rocky]

TJ, don't be so quick to abandon an idea. I think yours has promise and I plan to pursue it. I will let you know how I make out.

Christopher Columbus never gave up, Benjamin Franklin never gave up, Oliver Twiddledee (Who's He?!). See, you don't know because he gave up.

 

[jeepingchick]

Rocky Now that was just funny!

I think the idea in theory is fantastic!! I would like to see how to finagle it to where the reverse tilt for racking works easier than rotating... what about a tilted lazy suzan thing??? if you made it REALLY strong with lips around the edges it may work... but may be just a PITA to design and follow through ... oh and you would have to lock it in place .... maybe a slidy lock thingy would work... LOVE my descriptive words huh *rolling eyes*

 

[Minnesotamaker]

Kind of on the same line as BobF's comments, you might find that starting with a tilted carboy would actually encourage sediment to settle on the side ridges of the glass on the lower side. Even when the a carboy stands straight up, you can get some sediment that wants to hang on the sides of the carboy, having it inclined might make things worse.

 

[MurphyTexas]

Interesting comments. I would think that tilting it would cause sediment to settle on the side as well. Then there is the tilted air lock issue. Are you looking at this as a secondary or longer term aging after a second rack?