Secondary Ferm Headspace

[JimCook]

My Carboy Breeding Program™ has been working more successfully than originally anticipated and the carboys that I've been working with seem to have a gestatian period of 4-5 months. So far, their numbers have doubled four times in the last 18 months and there are some smaller "feeder" carboys growing up as well.However, now I'm running into space concerns so I hope they are just growing to match the size of their environment. One great limiting factor in this growth limit is SWMBO, which brings me to my question. Since headspace isn't supposed to be a concern during secondary fermentation because of the amount of CO2 that is exhausted from the must, I'd like to get a pro/con feedback about putting 3 gallons of wine into a 6 gallon carboy only during the period of secondary fermentation. By theory, I don't think this should be a problem, but I want to hear from other people before any adolescent carboys show up on the scene.


- Jim

 

[Wade E]

That would be OK as long as there is enough fermentation left to fill the void up with gas, say an SG of about 1.015 would be OK. That SG should produce sufficient gases to protect your wine till racking.

 

[geocorn]

Since your wine is still saturated with CO2, I don't think there is any issue for the 10-14 days in secondary. I would plan to stabilize at the 2 week point and then put into the appropriate sized carboy. Obviously, if the wine is still fermenting, the risk (if any) would be less.

 

[grapeman]

Jim maybe the solution to your dilemna is a proper shelfing system. If you make or buy some heavy duty deep shelves with adjustable shelves, you can make efficient use of the space and keep SWMBO happy and still get the needed adolescent carboys or cargirls. I think I have finally figured out which is which. The car"boys" are the glass ones-all hard andplump in the middle and the car"girls" are the "Better Bottles" (we all know girls are better). They are also generally softer with better lines.


I think what she wants is to avoid the appearance of clutter, so if you show her that you are making an effort to make less visual impact, you will be alright. We all know you can lift them full to wherever you want, but if need be, the smaller ones go up higher.

 

[JimCook]

The shelving system was just added, but the incoming addition of a spa room (sauna & steam shower) is causing a condensing of items into the unfinished basement area where I make wine (the demand for space went up but the supply of space stayed about the same). The InterMetro shelves I haveare full as is the wine bench area. I suppose all of this will just help make my case for just a couple of 3-gallon carboys, but we'll see.


The info here at least helps me to figure out if a 'jury-rigged' option iseven feasible if need be.


- Jim

 

[Rocky_Top]

I found some space in the basement, under the stairs, behind the coat closet. I wanted the closet. Insted I had to cut a hole and add a small door. The space is only 5 feet high and less.But theselves are deep. I can get 15 carboysunder there. ( three deep three wide and two high at the high end )With long arms I can just reach to fill the air locks if needed. It is a good space to bulk age.