Bucket to Carbouy Question

[SPR]

I am a newbie so forgive this basic question but I was wondering when you guys transfer your wine from the usual plastic bucket into a carbouy.

I have been making wine for around 4 months and fermenting in a plastic sealed bucket with airlock for the first 7-10 days and then transferring to a carbouy with an airlock for the following stages I was wondering if it's OK to leave in the bucket with an airlock until it's been stabilised and de gassed as it saves transferring it around as it's much easier to degas In a bucket than carbouy

I'm making the high end Winexpert kits mainly and Kenridge.

 

[WVMountaineerJack]

Why do you ferment with the lid on and an airlock in the bucket, are they white wines? There is a range some people aim for transferring to a carboy, some do it as 1.020 and some let it go all the way to dry, since its saturated with CO2 even at the dry end its safe in a bucket, then you transfer it to a carboy with an airlock to let it clear and age. If you are making high end kits you need to treat them like high end kits and stop thinking its a PIA to rack, its a normal part of the whole process. WVMJ

 

[AZMDTed]

I say no, for two reasons. First you need to get the wine off the lees and oak chips during the process and racking is what helps you do that. Second, at least my primary bucket, does not have an air tight lid. During primary that's not an issue because the fermenting wine releases CO2 which is heavier than air and creates a cap between the wine and oxygen. As fermenting slows and stops this cap can be disturbed leaving your wine exposed to oxygen. The surface area of a bucket is much much larger than the surface area exposed in a carboy, plus you will get a better seal with a bung and airlock than the lid of a bucket and airlock.

 

[bkisel]

Most of my low end kits have been RJS VdV kits and with them I will ferment to dry in the primary bucket. With a good stirring just before pitching the yeast you can, if you want, lock it down with no issues. For whatever reason I've gotten in the habit of not locking down until around SG 1.020. With higher end kits I'll follow the directions which have always had me racking to a carboy at a given SG to finish fermentation. With fruit wines I'll follow the recipe... I've had both instructions to ferment to dry in the bucket and to rack to a carboy at given SG.

 

[NorCal]

Like most answers, I think it depends. If my ferment is chugging along, I let it go dry open to the atmosphere and rack to an airlock container. If it is struggling near the end, I'll rack early, but within 1-2 brix and get it under an airlock.

 

[heatherd]

I am a newbie so forgive this basic question but I was wondering when you guys transfer your wine from the usual plastic bucket into a carbouy.

I have been making wine for around 4 months and fermenting in a plastic sealed bucket with airlock for the first 7-10 days and then transferring to a carbouy with an airlock for the following stages I was wondering if it's OK to leave in the bucket with an airlock until it's been stabilised and de gassed as it saves transferring it around as it's much easier to degas In a bucket than carbouy

I'm making the high end Winexpert kits mainly and Kenridge.

I start in primary with a loose lid. After a few days, I lock down the lid and add an airlock. I will often ferment to dry in the primary and then rack to a carboy.

Definitely rack prior to stabilizing and degassing. Otherwise, you'd be stirring all the funky gross lees back into the wine when you stir to mix or degas.

 

[ceeaton]

+1 to Heather's answer, I just lock it down like you do from the beginning. Old beer making habits die hard. Have never had an issue locking it down from the beginning and it has always gone dry for me.

 

[Jc5066]

I keep a loose lid for all of my primary. Once I get down to 1.00, or pretty close, I rack to a carboy where I use an air lock to finish fermentation.

I want my wine off the lees as soon as possible.