Carboys for primary fermentation?

[Yassemine Khawajkie]

Hi everyone. I'm making wine for the first time with the Argentina Ridge Chateau Shiraz 4 week kit.

I have 4 glass 6 gallon carboys and one plastic bucket fermenter without a lid. The stores near my place don't have a lid for my bucket.

Can I mix everything up in the bucket and then split it into two carboys for the primary fermentation? I figure if I split one kit into two carboys then it will provide plenty of head space for all the foam. Any idea if that will work or cause problems?

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[pillswoj]

Cover the bucket with a piece of plastic, or even a towel.

 

[Scooter68]

Use a cloth or towel and tie it down with a piece of string. Lids really provide nothing better/more than a towel or cloth during primary. AND they will keep out bugs/fruit-flies - A loose fitted lid...maybe.

 

[Yassemine Khawajkie]

Thanks for the advice! I covered it with a towel as in the picture. Fingers crossed!

 

[Scooter68]

View attachment 50893 Thanks for the advice! I covered it with a towel as in the picture. Fingers crossed!

That should work great. One advantage is that if it foams up a lot you will see the evidence in the cloth(stain from the wine) But other than getting the cloth damp you shouldn't have any overflow issue

 

[Thig]

I never use a lid for the primary, a towel stretched across the top works great. You definitely don't want to go to a carboy too soon.

 

[NorCal]

Carboys are difficult to clean, I don’t do primary in them. Aging yes, AF no.

 

[GaDawg]

I never use a lid for the primary, a towel stretched across the top works great. You definitely don't want to go to a carboy too soon.

And hold it in place with a bungee. Make our hobby as easy as possible.