So pretty new at this. I started a couple five gallon batches and ran into the conundrum of not having appropriate sized containers. My 5+ gallon sized primaries from MoreWine weren't quite big enough to allow for caps on grape wines without making a big mess so I had to split my batch between 2 5-gallon primaries, then combine when I racked to secondary (less than ideal in my book). Also by the time I'd racked off lees, I had less than 5 gallons and had to top off with a commercial. I just got a nice big 10 gal primary for my newest batch (5 gallons of cranberry wine) and had to deliberately adjust my calculations to account for volume loss.
What's the best way to approach this to minimize headspace, volume loss, etc? Do I need big primaries, a 6 gallon carboy, and multiple 5 gallon carboys? I know the wife is keeping an eye on the ever-expanding collection of containers in the basement.
Tell me about what setup worked for you when you were starting off! I'd like to go from primary to secondary to bulk aging with minimal containers and minimal loss.
What's the best way to approach this to minimize headspace, volume loss, etc? Do I need big primaries, a 6 gallon carboy, and multiple 5 gallon carboys? I know the wife is keeping an eye on the ever-expanding collection of containers in the basement.
Tell me about what setup worked for you when you were starting off! I'd like to go from primary to secondary to bulk aging with minimal containers and minimal loss.