I have a 6 gallon plastic carboy and there's about 4 to 5 inches of head space in it. Should I beconcerned about this amount of head space? I've just racked off from first fermentation and it needs to sit for a while so a bit concerned about all that head space. Should I worry or fill it up with something?
Head Space 6 Gallon Carboy
- Thread starter rebusify
- Start date
Help Support Winemaking Talk - Winemaking Forum:
5 to 6 inches, i've read from long timers on here that it is ok but i believe a big part would be worried i would top it up but that is just me, i always when i ferment make extra to put in a small bottle,jug, so i can top off with what i am making, sorry i can't tell you if it is alright or not, i hope another member might cruise through here and give you a answer,
Dawg
Dawg
use the search feature for,,,,, headspace in upper right corner
Dawg
Dawg
If you are going to age it for any length of time (more than a couple weeks, IMHO), you should top it off. I am not aware of any reason NOT to. Do you have a reason not to do so?
@rebusify, is fermentation still active, e.g., is the airlock bubbling? If so, the head space is not a concern for a week or so. The CO2 given off cushions the wine from the air. Note: the airlock may be bubbling after fermentation is complete as dissolved CO2 is emitted, but that's ok, too.
I agree with @sour_grapes. While there is disagreement regarding how much head space is too much, 4 or 5 inches is a lot. You have 2 choices:
1. Top the carboy with a similar wine, e.g., you're making merlot, add a commercial (or homemade) merlot. Or cabernet sauvignon or something. Anything is better than too much head space.
2. Buy a 5 US gallon carboy, move the wine into it, and put the excess in smaller bottles. Use the excess to top the carboy after future rackings.
6 gallon/23 liter kits often say to use a 6 gallon carboy, but that's a mistake. After the mandated rackings, the volume will always be less than 6 gallons.
Last fall I fermented 3 different grapes. For a month or two my wine area was a sea of airlocks. I have 27 .... 25 were in use.
I agree with @sour_grapes. While there is disagreement regarding how much head space is too much, 4 or 5 inches is a lot. You have 2 choices:
1. Top the carboy with a similar wine, e.g., you're making merlot, add a commercial (or homemade) merlot. Or cabernet sauvignon or something. Anything is better than too much head space.
2. Buy a 5 US gallon carboy, move the wine into it, and put the excess in smaller bottles. Use the excess to top the carboy after future rackings.
6 gallon/23 liter kits often say to use a 6 gallon carboy, but that's a mistake. After the mandated rackings, the volume will always be less than 6 gallons.
Last fall I fermented 3 different grapes. For a month or two my wine area was a sea of airlocks. I have 27 .... 25 were in use.
BernardSmith
Senior Member
Not someone who routinely makes wines from kits but a couple of weeks ago I purchased a pinot noir kit from my LHBS mainly because I wanted to help my local economy to the tune of a scant $100 and the 6 gallon batch after racking to a "6 gallon" carboy sits about 4 inches below where I would normally fill my carboys. Active fermentation has ended but the airlock still shows that the headroom is filled with CO2 (given the height of the liquid in the S bend) but before I degas I do think I want to transfer this to a 5 gallon carboy and store the excess in bottles or a growler.
@BernardSmith, If I understand correctly, you are going move to a 5 gallon carboy before degassing? This appears to indicate before fermentation ends.
IMO, that is an extra work.
At the first racking prior to fermentation completing, I put 3/4 gallon in a gallon jug and the remainder in a 5 gallon carboy (don't own any 6 gallon). The wine sits about a week, at which point fermentation is normally complete. This is the equivalent of putting the wine in a 6 gallon carboy, as I have a large head space filled with CO2. If I owned a 6 gallon carboy, I'd use it instead of the gallon jug.
At the second racking I degas, fine, and fill the 5 gallon carboy, with the excess in whatever size bottles are required.
Early in my wine making career I filled the carboy after the first racking, and the fermentation was vigorous enough that it spurted out the airlock. After the second time this happened, I realized the guy that told me to fill the carboy to the brim was just a bit off on when to fill the carboy. Either that or he didn't mind cleaning up messes ....
IMO, that is an extra work.
At the first racking prior to fermentation completing, I put 3/4 gallon in a gallon jug and the remainder in a 5 gallon carboy (don't own any 6 gallon). The wine sits about a week, at which point fermentation is normally complete. This is the equivalent of putting the wine in a 6 gallon carboy, as I have a large head space filled with CO2. If I owned a 6 gallon carboy, I'd use it instead of the gallon jug.
At the second racking I degas, fine, and fill the 5 gallon carboy, with the excess in whatever size bottles are required.
Early in my wine making career I filled the carboy after the first racking, and the fermentation was vigorous enough that it spurted out the airlock. After the second time this happened, I realized the guy that told me to fill the carboy to the brim was just a bit off on when to fill the carboy. Either that or he didn't mind cleaning up messes ....
BernardSmith
Senior Member
Not sure I see where there is extra work. The gravity was supposed to be below 1.000 before first racking and mine was .996 so I racked from my 7 gallon bucket to a 6 gallon carboy and found that there was at least a good quart of headroom (I'd say at least 1000 ml) but after racking the instructions were to stabilize the wine immediately and this I did so there was a blanket of CO2 in the carboy but there would be no more CO2 being produced. But the next action instructions asked me to take was to degas. So that blanket of CO2 would be gone and in a 6 gallon carboy that surface area is quite large - about 64 sq inches (dia = 9 inches). And so as part of my degassing I racked and forced the wine to hit the inside wall of the target carboy as it flowed allowing the CO2 to escape.
What is curious is that the instructions state that there is no requirement to top up the secondary despite the fact that the wine will be in the secondary for about 6 weeks.
What is curious is that the instructions state that there is no requirement to top up the secondary despite the fact that the wine will be in the secondary for about 6 weeks.
DizzyIzzy
Senior Member
Have you, or anyone, used the "breathable" silicone bungs (which do NOT need airlocks)? If so, what has been your experience with them?
Mario Dinis
Senior Member
Always top it off.
BernardSmith
Senior Member
I agree that we should always ensure that there is no headroom but I wonder why this kit states that there is no requirement to top it off. And I suspect that the manufacturer is "concerned" that a novice wine maker will top off the wine right to the tippy top and then take out the drill with a degassing rod and set that rod spinning so that a gallon or more of the wine erupts from the neck of the carboy. and given that these kits suggest 8 weeks in carboys before bottling it may be that the manufacturers view the possible cost (loss of wine due to degassing) to be greater than the likely benefit (reduction of risk of oxidation)... when it comes to novice wine makers working their kits.
If you search .”silicone” on WMT you will find a number of threads which talk about them. Are they better? the jury is out. Are they worse? the jury is out.
I've been using them for years with wonderful results. Once my grapes have been pressed and the wine goes into carboys to complete AF and MLF, the silicone vented bungs go on. I've had wine under the bungs for two years with no issues at all.
Funny you should ask just now. I just purchased a couple of new vented bungs, and I got a number of them with a used demijohn purchase last fall. If they seal correctly, they are a valid choice over airlocks, as they eliminate keeping the airlocks full.
Vented bungs can probably be used in place of airlocks for fermenting wine. However, I like to see the activity an airlock shows, so I doubt I'll used bungs until the wine is stable.
One caveat -- if I backsweeten a wine, I'll leave the airlock in place to help me sure that a renewed fermentation has not happened. Sure, the hydrometer will tell me the truth, but the airlock will give me a clue.
I apparently misunderstood your original post.
i'll stick with rubber bungs and S airlocks, that allows me to see if my air lock is sealed correctly, using S airlocks the fluid level will not be the same unless i have a leak,
Dawg
Dawg
Trust is required for vented bungs. I've own a bunch for 9 months but haven't trusted them until I purchased the new ones. Early on when I tried them, a few rode up in the carboy. However, now all (new and old) are staying in place. It may be a matter of simply showing them who is in charge.
I stopped using the double-bubblers as when you get crud in them, there's no cleaning them. 3-piece locks can be cleaned., which I do at every racking.
YMMV
I stopped using the double-bubblers as when you get crud in them, there's no cleaning them. 3-piece locks can be cleaned., which I do at every racking.
YMMV
i keep my S airlocks clean with pipe cleaners, a smoking pipe, but i have 3 piece as well, but when the plastic starts looking dingie , i throw them away, as for riding up wrap a rag or paper towel around your finger and dry the inside of the neckTrust is required for vented bungs. I've own a bunch for 9 months but haven't trusted them until I purchased the new ones. Early on when I tried them, a few rode up in the carboy. However, now all (new and old) are staying in place. It may be a matter of simply showing them who is in charge.
I stopped using the double-bubblers as when you get crud in them, there's no cleaning them. 3-piece locks can be cleaned., which I do at every racking.
YMMV
Dawg
