New carboy, what size?

[Elmer]

I apologize in advance for being solidly indecisive! Finally convinced my wife to let buy another carboy. All it took was for me to tell her I could make 2 batches of Pinot noir at a time ( she is a fiend for Pinot.)
This would allow me to bulk age more than 2 wines at a time

Now my issue is what size?
I currently have 3-6gallons
And
1- 5 gallon
4-1 gallons

I tend to use the 5 gallon for DB/SP sweetening, since I have it marked off with gallon marks.
I tend to rotate my kit wines racking from 6 to 6 gallon.

My issue with 6's are that when I am topping up kits, I have to buy store bought since they are really 6.5. Which leaves me with having to always buy wine to fill up.
But I guess the same could be said with having to rack up the single gallon when I rack smaller.

So is it easier to top up?
Or rack down ( into smaller)?

Can anyone make a case for a 6 over a 5?

 

[jamesngalveston]

elmer...if you have the go for carboy....and looking at what you have..
i would purchase two 3 gallon carboys.
three gallon carboys are excellent for testing for a bigger batch.
and comes in handy , if you make a 6 and have tons of lees...

just my thoughts...
btw....is it cold there where you live.

 

[vernsgal]

For me it would depend on what kind of kit I'm making. If it's high end kits I would go for the 6 and top up with wine. If it's lower priced kits I would get the 5 gal and bottle the excess into smaller bottle and use for topping up if needed otherwise I leave it til bottling time. IMO

 

[bkisel]

I like the 23L/6 Gal. Italian carboys except, like you've indicated, they're more like 6.5 gallons and require topping off. Having to top off does bother me and is part of the reason I got two BBs which are closer to a true 6 gallons. As my stock continues to build topping off with like wine will become less of an issue for me. Currently I'll top the 6.5s with as much as 500ML of water if the kit says to top off with water, then up to 750 ML of like wine and finally marbles if necessary.

So... I vote for another 6 gal. but with intentions of build up stock so that topping off with like wine becomes less odious.

 

[Runningwolf]

I agree three gallon carboys are nice. With only 1 five gallon I would lean towards getting another one of those. Now you can rack down from a 6 instead of adding store bought wine to a 6.5 gallon carboy. Gallon jugs are great and in addition to these save all 1.5 bottles for racking into also. I find these to be real handy. Remember if you're using universal bungs that are cupped shaped, you can flip them upside down and use them on wine bottles. Additionally getting another five gives you something to rack your current 5 into.

 

[sholomy]

i prefer 5 over 6 since i broke three 6 already and never had a problem with a 5. just the added weight and it being bigger makes it more susceptible to bumping, at least for me

 

[vernsgal]

i prefer 5 over 6 since i broke three 6 already and never had a problem with a 5. just the added weight and it being bigger makes it more susceptible to bumping, at least for me

I hope they were empty when they broke!

 

[sholomy]

I hope they were empty when they broke!

1 wasnt. it happened during racking the lees had hardened at the bottom so i poured instead of using a racking cane and i slipped. the carboy cracked at the top the wine started seeping out but i managed to save most.

 

[Pumpkinman]

Remember if you're using universal bungs that are cupped shaped, you can flip them upside down and use them on wine bottles.

No Kidding! Well hell, that is just about as cool as it gets, thanks for teaching me something new today!!!

Oh yea, the carboy...6 gallon!

 

[sour_grapes]

This is the way I have come to look at using commercial wine to top off: Okay, I possess this bottle of wine. I could either drink it now, or I could pour it into this carboy with this other wine, and drink it later. Either way, I will drink this bottle of wine eventually.

Gotta love mental accounting!

 

[garymc]

I vote 5 gallon. I also have another suggestion. Monitor Craigslist (or other such media) for carboys or carboy under all for sale. When you find someone who is giving up winemaking or inherited equipment, or whatever, show the wife the collection of 1, 3, 5, and 6 gallon carboys and point out what a deal to buy them all for a discounted price. Who can refuse a bargain?

 

[Elmer]

elmer...if you have the go for carboy....and looking at what you have..
i would purchase two 3 gallon carboys.
three gallon carboys are excellent for testing for a bigger batch.
and comes in handy , if you make a 6 and have tons of lees...

just my thoughts...
btw....is it cold there where you live.

Thanks for the advice...
Yes, we are heading into the cold season. The week previous it was in the 40s, 50s & 60s.
The last 2 days have been 20's & 30s and it will be that way until march.

My only issue with a 3 gallon is that my LHBS sells them for $36.95.
With a 6 gallon going for $49.95.
Considering I am trying to "tighten my belt", it would cost me almost $24 for 2-3's as opposed to 1-6.
it should be noted that a 5 gallon is 48.95. SO there is no real saving between a 5 and 6.

The whole reason I got to thinking about this, is because last night I prepped to bottle my last 6 gallons of a MM chianti. It was watery and thin, and I never intend to make a low end kit again.
However my current process with 3-6 gallon carboys is to always have 1 empty which enables me to rack into the spare.

While the spare 6 and the 5 (which is marked for sweetening) usually are used for DB/SP, which are racked into the 6, use sparkalloid (soon to be superkleer) and then into the 5, sweeten and bottle. I dont age these wines.

With this process, I currently have 1 super tuscan aging and a Pinot Noir waiting to be made. I can not make this until I have a spare carboy, so I will be bottling the Chianti this weekend.
My thought was if I had another 6 (or 5) I could make 2 Pinot Noir kits and make twice as much. (Pinot is my wifes favorite and truth be told I want to impress her, with a good quality wine that she will drink).

I find with a 6 gallon, I have to go to the store and buy usually atleast 2 bottles of $10 wine to top off with. So now I am spending $120+ on a kit, plus $20 for topping (but I get the bottles out of it), but if I do this numerous times a year it adds up.But I guess I could just rack from a 6 to a 5 and 1. If the 1 gallon is not full, it just gets bottled and racked.
I guess I am just looking to stop that initial 2 bottle top up while I up my production.

I know I am over thinking this and maybe even a little neurotic about it. However In the past 8 years of wine making I have been impulsive and impatient and that has caused me to make bad wine, which I now have to store and hand out. Whether it was rushing the progress by cutting corners or impulsively picking up bad kits.
I no longer want to be that wine maker.


This forum is becoming therapeutic, I might have to fire my therapist (my wife who doesnt listen to my wine making ranting anyhow!)

 

[sour_grapes]

Not buyin' my argument in re: mental accounting and commercial wine, huh?

 

[Elmer]

Not buyin' my argument in re: mental accounting and commercial wine, huh?

Actually I am on board with mental accounting!
I am all for giving my madness a name.

I do this already.
I am just trying to evolve past this.
But I most likely will not be able to, I have to accept that this is wine making!

 

[iVivid]

I have 4 of the 3gal ones and I love that size. Big enough to experiment and get a decent size result, and small enough for me to lift up high where my wine sits so that it's easy to rack. I have about 10 of the 6 gal, and 10 of the 1 gal, but the 3 gal are my favourite. Need more!