Ideas for a 1 gal primary please?

[newbietowine]

I went to go order some 2 gal plastic primary's, but the shipping was more than the buckets!!! Any idea what would work well for a makeshift primary when I am using a bag for fruit/veggies? I have old 1 gal wine bottles for the secondary.

 

[jamesngalveston]

a 2 gallon white food grade bucket at home depot are walmart, will work.

 

[dessertmaker]

Walmart sells a 2 gallon glass jar with a lid for storing flour and such. I don't really trust their plastics, "food grade" or not. Get the wrong plastic and the taste will leach into the wine.

But you can ferment 1 gallon in a standard 6 gallon brew bucket with no issues if you keep things sanitary. Primary fermentation creates a CO2 blanket that protects the must. I've never had "plasticy" tasting wine out of my brew buckets.

 

[Dugger]

Go to a pastry store or section at the grocery store. They have lots of buckets this size from frostings, etc. that they will give you.

 

[cpfan]

I got some nice buckets with lids from a local ice cream shop.

Steve

 

[newbietowine]

Thanks for all the ideas! Do you guys just drill a hole for the plug for the airlock in the lid of the smaller ones? What do you use for the top on the large glass ones to have the airlock?

 

[Norske]

We get ours free from the bakery shops at the grocery stores. I purchased the food grade grommets for the air locks from an online wine supply store, drilled a hole in the lid, and inserted the grommet. Works great.

 

[jamesngalveston]

for jug type carboys, you buy a bung with a pre-drilled hole, for your primary i would cover the top with muslin,cheesecloth, etc and secure with rubber band, bungee, etc...when you take it secondary you add the bung and airlock...

 

[newbietowine]

Thanks everyone! I'll go ask around the stores today and see what I can find!

 

[cpfan]

Thanks for all the ideas! Do you guys just drill a hole for the plug for the airlock in the lid of the smaller ones? What do you use for the top on the large glass ones to have the airlock?

I don't use an airlock on a primary fermenter. Transfer to glass about 1.005 if possible.

I have seen two different neck sizes on gallon jugs. Most take a #6 bung, but I have seen some that take a larger one (#8, I think).

Steve

 

[Dugger]

Thanks for all the ideas! Do you guys just drill a hole for the plug for the airlock in the lid of the smaller ones? What do you use for the top on the large glass ones to have the airlock?

For an airlock lid I simply drill a hole large enough to take the carboy bung, eliminating the need for a grommet. Grommets can be pushed into the bucket and is a place for dirt to accumulate.

 

[dessertmaker]

I use blowoff tubes. They've saved my butt many a time when the primary gets too active.

 

[analog_kidd]

We have Food Lion stores in the area, and they give me three gallon buckets that frosting came in. They are the perfect size for a small batch.