Do I need a 23L Carboy

[Thesparky]

I'm current fermenting a Melbec wine kit and the instructions say to syphon from the fermentation bucket to a 23 L carboy once it's below 1.010. Do I need one of these or can I syphon it into another fermentation bucket of the same size leaving the sediment behind. Please explain why so I can learn more.

Thanks in advance.

 

[mickthetrick]

you can just use another fermenting bucket. no problem at all :thumb:

 

[keith1664]

You don't need a 23L carboy but ideally you want something airtight so I'd advise against a bucket as these don't tend to be. As the gravity has dropped the fermentation is less active and it's producing less CO2 which keeps the bugs away, hence you ideally want it in something airtight with an airlock.

 

[Brewtrog]

I always do it from one bucket to another and I've not had any problems yet.

 

[evanvine]

You can get a "fermenter" from Wilkinson with a 4" screw on iid.

 

[yellafella]

I don't have any 23l sized kit, however would it be ok at this point to rack to individual DJ's and finish the wines from this point on? Easier to store 5 DJ's around the place this upsetting the wife less than having a large fermenter/carboy sitting on the sideboard!!

 

[Moley]

Racking to another bucket at 1.010 would seem pointless and wasteful. There has been another recent topic on this issue, see here.

Likewise, if you had one of those large screw-topped fermenters, use that right from the start and then quit mucking about with it and let the yeasties get on with their job.


Yellafella: Racking to multiple DJs would be quite acceptable, although I would certainly leave it until fermentation had finished.

 

[yellafella]

Thanks Moley, I do have in the loft an old screw top fermenter from a friend who used to use it for beer, suppose i could just throw it all in there and leave till done, only issue would be access through the hole, but i suppose a good clean with VWP and a brush and I wouldnt really need to access much

 

[Thesparky]

Thanks for all the advice, lots of information. It appears that it won't matter what I do, put it in another bucket, into a carboy, or leave it alone.

 

[Thesparky]

Thanks for the link Moley interesting reading so I'm going to skip the 1st racking so I don't loose a few glasses.