"Household Wine" container, AKA Fustino

[stbasil]

I am currently bulk ageing my very first wine project, a Cabernet Sauvignon kit. Thinking a few months ahead, I am intrigued with the idea of keeping some of the 6 gallons of wine for home use without having to bottle the whole lot. Some threads here have mentioned the old-world method of keeping wine in a spigotted, straight-side crock, or a stainless container (fustino), in which the wine is protected from oxygenation via a floating circular wood cover supplemented by olive oil around the edges (or maybe a baking soda/vinegar contraption to generate CO2 placed on top of the floater). I have found many "water dispensers" which unfortunately do not have straight sides. However, I ran across this

https://www.amazon.com/Northern-Brewer-Continuous-Container-Stainless/dp/B07R5X6BL7?ref_=ast_sto_dp

which is intended for kombucha. It looks perfect for the purpose of keeping wine, once I carefully fabricate a round oak floating cover, and maybe something to cover the top also. Yes, it is clear glass, but I would be keeping this in a dark pantry, not in our sunny kitchen!

I am interested in opinions as to whether this is workable or not, especially from some of the forum members who are using a similar setup.

 

[Rice_Guy]

@stbasil to do a fustino well requires some pretty good fabrication. To make fabrication easier I would look at acrylic which can be laser cut into a round and is a food grade resin. (look for someone who makes trophies)

If I am being practical the bag in box setup is off the shelf and works without tweaking the concept, or a corney beer keg with gas pressure on the head space. ,,,, yes I do have a laser cut round for a gas tight secondary fermentor concept, ,, and the reality is it makes a decent food grade press plate but needed more tweaking to be gas tight.

 

[ratflinger]

@stbasil I keg my table wine in corny kegs and use argon for pressure. I have found no taste change and the argon also displaces the oxygen. Kegs hold 5 gallons, so I just fill 5 bottles from the leftovers.

https://www.amazon.com/Gallon-Cornelius-Ball-Lock-Used/dp/B07F8XVT1X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=YOU08T9A4GPH&keywords=corny+keg&qid=1679062404&sprefix=corny%2Caps%2C192&sr=8-1&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.006c50ae-5d4c-4777-9bc0-4513d670b6bc

 

[Jim Welch]

I believe the bag in box or kegs are head and shoulders better than the kombucha container. Unless you will be rapidly drawing the wine out of the kombucha container in a matter of a couple days the risk of oxidation seems pretty high.
Using keg(s) requires an investment in additional supplies beyond the keg itself of course. I too utilize kegs, for me mostly as aging vessels but can and have easily draw(n) wine with a picnic tap. Bag in a box I believe only requires buying the bags/boxes.
With that said, I used one of my numerous kegs to free up some carboys last winter in a pinch. It worked so well for me and my MO that letting my wine spend their final aging in a keg has become de rigueur. Then I bottle right out of the keg under low gas pressure.

 

[stbasil]

Thanks, everyone. I think I will just go with the bags, much easier, though much less aesthetically pleasing!