Make hole in lid?

[bristolsparks]

Hi guys

Got a couple of 6 bottle kits on the go and want to increase the volume. Dug out my old brewing kit and was wondering do i drill a hole in the lid of my 25l FV and just use a standard airlock or do i not need an airlock?

Regards

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Bucket lids need a grommet so the airlock is an air tight fit as they are very thin, you can just rest the lid on top of the bucket and the CO2 will lift it as it escapes, some members fit the lid properly and rely on it not being 100% air tight, i would not fancy doing this as with my luck it would blow off leaving the wine exposed..

 

[bristolsparks]

Thanks chippy. Ill get a grommet. I have read that wine is best in DJ not a bucket?

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Thanks chippy. Ill get a grommet. I have read that wine is best in DJ not a bucket?

I don't know where you read that but i would disagree, i have just made a WineBuddy Sauvignon Blanc 30 bottle Kit in my bucket and the wine was great, my bucket has a hole and grommet for the airlock.

You can read my WineBuddy Sauvignon Blanc 30 bottle Kit review here - http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=49224

 

[wezil]

I have read that wine is best in DJ not a bucket?

I don't know where you read that but i would disagree

so would I (having done 10gallon of blackberry last year in two buckets it was loved by most who tried it) I feel that many factors come into play before the bucket/fv/dj has anything to do with it. this is the same as the white sugar v's glucose debate or the scratches in fv's not being sterile etc! Bl**dy snobs!

 

[simon12]

I think wine is better in a demijohn (or anything glass) if you plan to leave it in for 3 months+ otherwise it makes no difference.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I think wine is better in a demijohn (or anything glass) if you plan to leave it in for 3 months+ otherwise it makes no difference.

If this is because plastic is air permeable and the wine ages faster because of it i would agree, if not could i ask why?

 

[simon12]

Are you saying wine ages better in plastic? and yes I was saying because plastic is air permeable.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Are you saying wine ages better in plastic?

It doesn't age better it ages faster than in glass DJ's/bottles, if like me you don't have much space for DJ's of wine and places to store it its a good thing, if you intend to age your wine for long periods glass is the better option.

 

[wezil]

Hi, air permeability will take a long time even in plastic, it isn't likely to happen in a few months. I left an opened bottle of blackberry wine loosely corked in a cupboard for 2 months and it was fine when drunk! Oxidisation is mentioned a lot about plastic, without thinking that cork is probably more permeable. And if plastic was that bad how come there are such long sell by dates on soft drinks etc they should change flavour due to oxidisation as well.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Hi, air permeability will take a long time even in plastic

I agree but as we don't know at what rate wine deteriorates in plastic compared to glass the latter is obviously the better option for long term ageing.

 

[Gorty]

You don't say at what point in the evening you drank said blackberry wine 'wezil' !!!

 

[Gorty]

'bristolsparks' putting two 6 bottle kits, in other words 10 litres, in a 25 litre FV IMHO is too much head space, you need a smaller FV or use two DJs.
The use of an airlock in a 25 FV depends on how volcanic the primary fermentation is and whether it can give good CO2 cover quickly enough and keep it covered. As has been said here, relying on a FV without an airlock depends on how tight the lid is, I make The Range kits which state to put on the lid but not tightly. I have one FV which if I forget to ease the lid there is a 'POP' when the gas pressure is too much, but it never blows the lid off enough to cause a problem.
When using a 25 litre FV you have to remember that the volume of gas produced is 5 times that of an ordinary 5 litre DJ, so a normal airlock will not be enough. My personal choice is the Hamilton Baird 'Major' only £1-2 each depending where you buy. a cheaper alternative is a length of syphon hose into a bottle of sterilising solution, probably safer when you have a particularly volcanic mix.

 

[wezil]

You don't say at what point in the evening you drank said blackberry wine 'wezil' !!!

:lol: The start! (of many)!

 

[Chippy_Tea]

a cheaper alternative is a length of syphon hose into a bottle of sterilising solution, probably safer when you have a particularly volcanic mix.

Good tip Gorty, i use a blow off tube on my buckets every time i use them.

I use tap water as it is not going to go anywhere near the wine, you only need to put enough water in the container to just cover the end of the tube, this leaves plenty of space for the wine coming out of the FV.