Setup to Bottle directly from 225L barrel

[JustinTG]

Hello,

This Fall, we'll be bottling either 2 or 3 225L barrels. I am having trouble finding an economical system to bottle directly from the barrel without having to siphon (did 1 barrel that way last year and it was no fun).

Right now, it seems like our best option (under $1.5k) is to siphon/pump into a gravity filler and use that.

Am I missing some other obvious option?

 

[ChuckD]

I’m sure the All-in-One Wine Pump can be outfitted to do that. I don’t have one yet but it’s a lot less than $1.5K.

 

[NorCal]

I predominately make wine from grapes in barrels. I've used an All-in-one (AIO )on over 10K bottles, works like a champ. However, I always rack out of the barrel, into another container, prior to bottling, to prevent sediment in the bottle. As long as your bottle filling height is higher than the vessel you are pulling the wine from, the AIO will work fine. I would recommend the professional version for doing that qty of bottles at one time.

 

[JustinTG]

Thanks. I was thinking about that but since it works on vacuum pressure and barrels are not air right, I was wondering if that would cause issues.

Also, I can imagine it taking a long time to "re-vacuum" if we had to pause, say 3/4 of the way through the barrel. Either way, I'd love to hear more and if anyone has experience.

 

[JustinTG]

I predominately make wine from grapes in barrels. I've used an All-in-one (AIO )on over 10K bottles, works like a champ. However, I always rack out of the barrel, into another container, prior to bottling, to prevent sediment in the bottle. As long as your bottle filling height is higher than the vessel you are pulling the wine from, the AIO will work fine. I would recommend the professional version for doing that qty of bottles at one time.

Thanks. I suppose if we need to rack out, might as well go to a carboy and use the all-in-one rather than pump into a gravity filler.

 

[NorCal]

And that is why it was named an AIO; it does a nice job vacuum racking into carboys as well as a very capable vacuum bottling system. Both at racking and bottling, the wine has minimal exposure to oxygen. For <$300 it is a good tool to have in the wine making toolbox.

 

[JustinTG]

And that is why it was named an AIO; it does a nice job vacuum racking into carboys as well as a very capable vacuum bottling system. Both at racking and bottling, the wine has minimal exposure to oxygen. For <$300 it is a good tool to have in the wine making toolbox.

Certainly sounds like it.

Are you saying you've used the AIO to go from barrel to carboy with positive results?

 

[winemaker81]

Thanks. I was thinking about that but since it works on vacuum pressure and barrels are not air right, I was wondering if that would cause issues.

Talk to Steve (@vacuumpumpman) about what is necessary to pump from a barrel to another container.

 

[NorCal]

Certainly sounds like it.

Are you saying you've used the AIO to go from barrel to carboy with positive results?

I've drawn wine into glass carboys many times with the AIO. The AIO creates the vacuum in the carboy and draws the wine in from whatever vessel you have. The limitation is that the vessel you are drawing into has to be able to withstand the vacuum without collapsing, as could happen with plastic storage containers; spiedel, flextank (although I have heard with low vacuum this can be accomplished too)

I also use the AIO as my source for vacuum when I use my WineEasy to press my fermented must. It is the Swiss Army knife of the home winemaker.

 

[JustinTG]

I've drawn wine into glass carboys many times with the AIO. The AIO creates the vacuum in the carboy and draws the wine in from whatever vessel you have. The limitation is that the vessel you are drawing into has to be able to withstand the vacuum without collapsing, as could happen with plastic storage containers; spiedel, flextank (although I have heard with low vacuum this can be accomplished too)

I also use the AIO as my source for vacuum when I use my WineEasy to press my fermented must. It is the Swiss Army knife of the home winemaker.

My knowledge of physics is completely backward. I get it now. Thank you.

 

[Rice_Guy]

Also, I can imagine it taking a long time to "re-vacuum" if we had to pause, say 3/4 of the way through the barrel.

You can prevent losing a full siphon/ vacuum line by having a check valve in it on the low end. ,,, It sure reduces sediment risk to rack to another container when you are not watching a filler.

 

[bjoll001]

I use the Enomatic Wine Bottle Filler. Works great and fast. Has its own built in pump. Can be adjusted to fill to desired bottle level and stops automatically.

I rack out of barrel first though to clean container to avoid sediment.

 

[vacuumpumpman]

Thanks. I was thinking about that but since it works on vacuum pressure and barrels are not air right, I was wondering if that would cause issues.

Also, I can imagine it taking a long time to "re-vacuum" if we had to pause, say 3/4 of the way through the barrel. Either way, I'd love to hear more and if anyone has experience.

- Please PM me directly and I can go over any questions and or concerns you may have.

You can go easily into or out of a barrel - I typically like using 1/2'' setups and it will increase your flow as well. Here is a youtube video going into a 15 gallon flextank in about 6 minutes =

 

[vinny]

Certainly sounds like it.

Are you saying you've used the AIO to go from barrel to carboy with positive results?

You don't need to create vacuum in the barrel. You can put a racking cane into the barrel and the vacuum is built in the wine bottle you are filling or the carboy you are transferring to which causes the suction from the barrel.

If you are looking at $1.5k. you will be super happy with the cost of the AIO and what it will do.

 

[JustinTG]

Thank you all. You've convinced me to AIO is the way to go. I might restart the thread once I start using it but as always, the help is much appreciated.

 

[balatonwine]

I would suggest a nozzle bottle filler. Very easy to use. No where near 1.5K in price. Example:

https://vigopresses.co.uk/2-nozzle-bottle-filler

 

[balatonwine]

I am having trouble finding an economical system to bottle directly from the barrel without having to siphon (did 1 barrel that way last year and it was no fun).

Curious... how did you siphon? Did you use a simple bottling tool with a siphon? Or a more professional tool such as:

https://vigopresses.co.uk/super-automatic-bottle-filler/