Aluminum pot as Primary?

[avatar]

I bought a Wine Expert Pinot Noir kit and the instructions call for a 7.9-gallon primary fermenter. I have a plastic primary fermenter bucket I used for beer capable of 7 gallons to the brim and I have a 10-gallon aluminum pot I used to make 6 gallons of beer.

Will the aluminum give off-flavors to the wine if I use it as a primary, or should I use the smaller plastic fermenter bucket and adjust with water once I rack into a 6-gallon carboy? The aluminum pot has been conditioned and the beer turned out great.

Edit:
Looked around some and decided on using the beer fermenter and adjusting my water once racked to the glass carboy. Aluminum and acidic liquids do not get along.

 

[ColemanM]

I think you're confusing beer making with wine making. There is no need to adjust the water. I am assuming you're going for a certain pH for the water? I have never adjusted my water for my winemaking.

 

[vacuumpumpman]

I would not ferment it in a Aluminum pot - I would use a plastic bucket after sanitizing it. I believe home depot actually sells food grade buckets at a reasonable price.

 

[Jc5066]

Home Depot buckets won't be large enough. Most wine buckets will hold the 23 liters required for your wine kit and have space for your fermentation effects.

 

[vacuumpumpman]

Home Depot buckets won't be large enough. Most wine buckets will hold the 23 liters required for your wine kit and have space for your fermentation effects.

That is correct - but he did state (instructions call for a 7.9-gallon primary fermenter) If you have nothing else to ferment it in - you always could split the batch. Or better yet - buy a new bigger primary fermenter

 

[avatar]

I think you're confusing beer making with wine making. There is no need to adjust the water. I am assuming you're going for a certain pH for the water? I have never adjusted my water for my winemaking.

I was referring to adjusting the volume of water, not the pH.

 

[avatar]

That is correct - but he did state (instructions call for a 7.9-gallon primary fermenter) If you have nothing else to ferment it in - you always could split the batch. Or better yet - buy a new bigger primary fermenter

Good idea about splitting the batch. I'll buy a bigger primary fermenter for the next batch.

 

[richmke]

If you have not yet started, buy a pail just for wine making. You don't want your wine to pick up flavors from all the beer you have fermented (and vice versa).

If you still need some headroom, after mixing, but before pitching, remove one gallon of juice, and store in the fridge. After about 4 days of fermenting (get past the foaming stage), you can add back the 1 gallon.

 

[avatar]

If you have not yet started, buy a pail just for wine making. You don't want your wine to pick up flavors from all the beer you have fermented (and vice versa).

If you still need some headroom, after mixing, but before pitching, remove one gallon of juice, and store in the fridge. After about 4 days of fermenting (get past the foaming stage), you can add back the 1 gallon.

Great idea. Thanks for your reply.

 

[Greydog]

I stumbled upon some information on the net regarding bentonite and metal containers while researching bentonite's possible medical uses for my dog.

I discovered bentonite should never be used in a metal container as it will "draw" contaminants from the metal. I don't have the link but it would probably be easy to "Google".

Based on what I read I would never use aluminum for fermentation, especially with a kit, because most of them add Bentonite as practically the first step.