What size fermenter do I need?

[metasyntactic]

I'll be making white wines (winexpert kits, most likely). Some sources are telling me to find a 30 litre fermenter, while others suggest a carboy may be sufficient for whites.

Could I get away with a carboy? I'm a bit prejudiced against plastic, so I'd be happier if I could avoid a bucket fermenter.

 

[Rocky]

You may want to rethink your "prejudice" against plastic. Glass carboys come in 3, 5, 6 and 6.5 gallon sizes and most kits make 6 gallons of wine. If you are using a carboy for primary fermentation, you would likely have a problem using one carboy, even a 6.5 gallon variety. The volume of juice and the amount of gas generated in primary fermentation would indicate that you would need at least 2 carboys of the 5 gallon size(assuming you split the batch). Then when you go to rack, you will need at least one more, probably a 6 gallon. On the other hand, if you buy a 7.9 gallon plastic bucket for fermentation, you would only need one 6 gallon carboy. Think it through. What is your prejudice against plastic? Most of us use these buckets without problems. I have seen stainless steel fermenters, but you are really talking serious bucks there.

 

[closetwine]

Plus you're not going to be able to aerate the must in a carboy... You'll slow or stall out your fermentation if you aren't real careful...

 

[metasyntactic]

One of the guides I read suggested leaving out some of the must to top off after primary fermentation. Is this a common/recommended practice?

Also, I have an aeration stone for brewing beer. Would it be advisable to use that for wine?

 

[closetwine]

Can't help ya there... I've not gotten into beer yet, and I don't do kits...

 

[jamesngalveston]

if you use a carboy for primary we will see you here again..
how come my wine is not fermenting,
yeast needs nutrient, and lots of oxygen to kick that ferment up.
a bucket with out a lid, and clean cloth top will ferment like crazy.
put that same wine in a carboy with an air lock...you may get lucky...
i doubt it.
a ss fermenter is around 180.oo a plastic trash can from home depot is 20

 

[WI_Wino]

You could use a stainless steel kettle to do a primary ferment in. Not plastic and easy to stir the must. But a 7 gallon stainless steel pot is probably north of $50 where the plastic buckets are $12 or so.