I just ordered paint straining bags on Amazon that are recommended on here...I think you want to leave pulp in the bag while it ferments to extract color and tannins....then ring out the bag before racking and discard ....for 1$ a bag it makes it easy to do.
Fermented fruit in mesh bag
- Thread starter Ladeda
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Ohio Bob
Senior Member
It doesn’t sound like these bags were meant to be food safe. Sanitize before using of course but hopefully contact time with the must/juice will be minimal. Just something to consider when purchasing supplies.
Or get a bag meant for food prep like this: Amazon.com: Nylon Straining Bag- 10" x 23"- Coarse Mesh by Home Brew Ohio : Home & Kitchen
Very durable, but you do have to wash it.
Very durable, but you do have to wash it.
So now it’s time to put it in the Carboy but I have a feeling I’m going to have alot off air space…. Any ideas?
@Ladeda, not knowing how much you made or what size carboys you have, we need to figure out what you have or can get quickly to take up head space. Time is on your side, days or weeks is okay for a short time so long as you add the potassium metabisulfite on transfer. You can try to divide the wine into smaller containers that can be covered with a caps and water traps such that each container has little air space. Most people use marbles to take up volume, if you can find them. I will tell you what I have done but this will be something to use in the future. I used a whole tube of silicone caulk and squeezed it out into long beads onto old cookie sheet that you can peel the caulk off. Don't use wax paper. After the caulk beads have cured for a week or more cut them an inch or so long. They have to be heavy enough to sink. Trial and error. They will then need to cure for more than a month when they no longer smell.
I have collected juice bottles and wine/beer bottles to divide up the volume in order to reduce head space.
I have collected juice bottles and wine/beer bottles to divide up the volume in order to reduce head space.
The best choice is to plan batch size so that your primary container is filled, with overage in smaller containers. However, at this point, that's not gonna work.
The best choice for your situation is what Mike said -- find a smaller container. What size is your batch? Knowing this will make helping you far easier.
Some folks use marbles -- but you MUST ensure they are lead free. I'm not a fan of Mike's solution of using silicone caulk -- it MUST be food grade, and if it has to cure for a month, my guess is it's not.
Other folks use inert gas -- I don't like this solution as it's all invisible, and you have no idea what the ratio of gas-to-air is in the secondary.
The safest choice is to top with a compatible wine. You know 100% what's in the carboy and there is no guessing.
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I use a primary that has a ton of head room, one benefit is I get to plan my amount I finish with and have some on the side tobtop up carboys. Ok let me clarify that. I use 3 gallon carboys for aging, so when I come out of fermentation I like to have about a pint to much which I put in a pint bottle with airlock and use that for top off. Sounds like a lot but if I have a heavy amount of settlement before the first rack I have plenty to top off with, after first big rack I just use water.
A pint in 3 gallons is not too much. I don't cut things that close -- I'd rather have half a gallon too much. Having a collection of bottles from 125 ml and up makes any overage not a problem.
