Do I need a 23l carboy/DJ with a 30-bottle kit ???

[Welsh_Wizard]

Got myself into a bit of flap now...

My 30 bottle KenRidge Barolo has arrived. Reading the instructions and it says once the primary ferment in the FV is done, after 7 days or so, rack to a 23l carboy / DJ...

I don't have one of those !!!!

When you look at 'premium 30 bottle kits' from all the major websites, they always come with 2 x FV's and they are drilled etc etc with grommets and taps....

Thats what I now have but it already seems to be defective. 2 x 23 litre bins, lids drilled for bubblers and sides drilled for taps / little bottlers.

HELP !

 

[kentmark]

When i've brewed a 30 bottle wine kit i've just used my 2 25L FVs that i use for beer brewing. No airlock or anything but the lids aren't totally airtight even when fully clipped on.

 

[bobsbeer]

I use the 25lt screw top type, but I have 4 of them so generally have one for racking. Although I do also have a 20lt better bottle type for clearing. I've never seen a kit wine that came with buckets. Mine have all come with a bag of juice. Or was that a starter set?

 

[Welsh_Wizard]

Sorry Bob - me not being clear because of the panic..

I have bought a 30 bottle Barolo Kenridge..

I have then gone onto various sites to view their 'premium 30 bottle production kits'. All of them always contain 2 x 25 litre FV's with a range of drilled options for extra fee's.

I have bought one of these premium kits.

All of it has arrived today and i've ripped open my new pressies like a 5-yr old on Christmas day to read the 2nd part of the instructions on the wine kit (which came with 10litres of juice in a bag!)..step 2 : rack into 23l carboy !!

Errr.... I don't have one of these !!!

Will the headspace in my bins cause a problem???

If i primary ferment in the one bin, them rack into a 2nd, will I bugger up the entire kit ??

Do i have to persuade SWMBO that the wallet needs to be dusted off again ???

 

[narmour]

Sorry Bob - me not being clear because of the panic..

I have bought a 30 bottle Barolo Kenridge..

I have then gone onto various sites to view their 'premium 30 bottle production kits'. All of them always contain 2 x 25 litre FV's with a range of drilled options for extra fee's.

I have bought one of these premium kits.

All of it has arrived today and i've ripped open my new pressies like a 5-yr old on Christmas day to read the 2nd part of the instructions on the wine kit (which came with 10litres of juice in a bag!)..step 2 : rack into 23l carboy !!

Errr.... I don't have one of these !!!

Will the headspace in my bins cause a problem???

If i primary ferment in the one bin, them rack into a 2nd, will I bugger up the entire kit ??

Do i have to persuade SWMBO that the wallet needs to be dusted off again ???

If you intend on bulk ageing it's best to get something with very little headspace. 23 litre glass carboys are ideal. You can get PET versions also. Not many HBS will deliver glass by post so PET is probably what you will find if you have to do mail order. Just make sure you get a CORK stopper for it, not a rubber one, as a rubber stopper can taint the wine with a nasty flavour. I have buggered up a batch of cabernet sauvignon with this. But I have left wines and ciders for months with larger than recommended headspaces (my latest turbo cider has been in a 25 litre fermenter since March 2013 with no ill effects).

If you are worried about it, and the wallet just can't take another post Xmas bashing, just rack the wine off the lees into your second bin and clear. It should be fine for a week or two on a large headspace. then bottle ASAP.

 

[Pearlfisher]

Have you a 5 gallon plastic water container you could use? , if so rack the wine into it and use a piece of clear plastic fastened with an elastic band as as airlock or some cling film , it will be easier to degas in this than with a 5 gallon fermenting bucket.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

if you are worried about it, and the wallet just can't take another post Xmas bashing, just rack the wine off the lees into your second bin and clear. It should be fine for a week or two on a large headspace. then bottle ASAP

.

I only have one bucket and make my 30 bottle kits in it from start to finish, there ia at least three inches of head space, as above I bottle as soom as its clears and have never had a problem.

 

[tonyhibbett]

The Kenridge barolo is very good stuff and is ready to drink once clear. That's one of the reasons for the fairly high cost.The cheaper cal con version is just as good, but needs some maturing.I use a 20 litre polypin, containing oak chips, for storing and dispensing, then bottle the last few litres for posterity.

 

[sam51]

I am in the process of finishing off 23 litres of beaverdale merlot.
I brought a 23 litre glass carboy, to mature it in.
with hind sight was this a bad buy,should I have got 5 litre demi jons.
I am worried about the weight of the 23 litre glass carboy.
when filled. not going to be easy to move when I need to. :?

 

[Chippy_Tea]

If you intend moving it then the DJ's would have been a better buy, when you rack could you do it somewhere where once done you do not need to move the carboy?

 

[Welsh_Wizard]

Cheers for the replies..

I think i was jumping the gun with my worries.. Once i had completed the instructions and topped everything up, the bucket itself doesn't have that much headspace in fairness so we should have any problems at all..

Cheers all :thumb:

 

[Pearlfisher]

I am in the process of finishing off 23 litres of beaverdale merlot.
I brought a 23 litre glass carboy, to mature it in.
with hind sight was this a bad buy,should I have got 5 litre demi jons.
I am worried about the weight of the 23 litre glass carboy.
when filled. not going to be easy to move when I need to. :?

Buy some 5L containers of water from Tesco or Asda , much cheaper and you can use the water for making the wine . They're ideal for bulk maturing.

 

[Madmatt]

I am in the process of finishing off 23 litres of beaverdale merlot.
I brought a 23 litre glass carboy, to mature it in.
with hind sight was this a bad buy,should I have got 5 litre demi jons.
I am worried about the weight of the 23 litre glass carboy.
when filled. not going to be easy to move when I need to. :?

Buy some 5L containers of water from Tesco or Asda , much cheaper and you can use the water for making the wine . They're ideal for bulk maturing.

Great idea,
I use the 'better bottle' plastic carboy and find it works well though

 

[Tim_Crowhurst]

I am in the process of finishing off 23 litres of beaverdale merlot.
I brought a 23 litre glass carboy, to mature it in.
with hind sight was this a bad buy,should I have got 5 litre demi jons.
I am worried about the weight of the 23 litre glass carboy.
when filled. not going to be easy to move when I need to. :?

Buy some 5L containers of water from Tesco or Asda , much cheaper and you can use the water for making the wine . They're ideal for bulk maturing.

PET bottles are fine for maturing wines as long as it's not long-term. For wines like sloe or elderberry, which need several years, a glass demijohn is better.

 

[Pearlfisher]

I am in the process of finishing off 23 litres of beaverdale merlot.
I brought a 23 litre glass carboy, to mature it in.
with hind sight was this a bad buy,should I have got 5 litre demi jons.
I am worried about the weight of the 23 litre glass carboy.
when filled. not going to be easy to move when I need to. :?

Buy some 5L containers of water from Tesco or Asda , much cheaper and you can use the water for making the wine . They're ideal for bulk maturing.

PET bottles are fine for maturing wines as long as it's not long-term. For wines like sloe or elderberry, which need several years, a glass demijohn is better.

Why? , that's worrying , I've some expensive Kenridge showcase and Selection wines stored in them. :?

 

[Chippy_Tea]

PET bottles are porus so oxygen can reach the wine and ruin it, this makes them ideal for short term. ageing but not for long term.

 

[Pearlfisher]

Thanks , how long is long term?

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Thanks , how long is long term?

Great question and one i have no answer to, my wine never lasts long due to lack of storage space so i have never worried about not using glass for storage.

I am sure someone will soon advise.