Cheap fermentation vessels for wine...Plastic ok???

mikesalvo · 05-05-2009, 01:19 PM

so, if Im not mistaken, for winemaking, I should prepare my must in a bucket, strain, transfer to a carboy for fermentaition, and then rack to ANOTHER carboy for finishing before bottling. is this correct?

I am on a tight budget, and im looking for the cheapest vessels I can. I will be at Wal Mart later, and I do believe they have plastic water carboys. Can I use these, and if I can, what can I use for tops????

Mr. Nice Guy · 05-05-2009, 05:16 PM

The cheapest way to get something useable for a primary (I'm cheap and have tried everything) is to get a 6.5 gallon bucket at a brewing supply. I brew it 3$ #1 plastic buckets from wal-mart but when I rack to secondary (you have to for most wines) I am always a little short of 5 gallons. They are also harder to sterilize because of ridges they have from the mold. You could make cider/apfelwein in one, never rack and that is all you need.

Get a 5 gallon glass secondary for wine if you plan on bulk aging. Better bottles are good too.

I honestly think this is the cheapest way to do it right. I have stuff ranging from 2 gallon ss pots with tinfoil for primaries on my fruit wine to 1/2 gallons of juice fermenting with the lid on loose to a 15 gallon glass carboy, I try to do it all to see what works the best.

Oh yeah, no straining, you rack, that is using a siphon hose to get the wine off the junk that sinks to the bottom.

Snuffalupagus · 05-05-2009, 05:23 PM

I've made Many many, batches of assorted goodnes in 5 gallon water bottles and I still live...

plus they are free -put on a set of coveralls with a name tag on em' and predtend to be the alhambra guy so you steal em' empty from office buildings.

Mr. Nice Guy · 05-07-2009, 08:36 PM

If they question you just tell them Jim sent you, it always works.

rmchair · 05-10-2009, 01:10 PM

Oh good idea, when I told them Barrack sent me, they threw me out. What jerks, right?

I would advise against the blue walmart camping "aquatainer" jug. It is a one use wonder. The thing is nigh impossible to clean. Too bad though, because the fittings on it, and the size and shape are great.

Pogo · 05-10-2009, 04:31 PM

If you are making wine from juice you are free to use buckets and/or carboys as primaries and/or secondaries. And, usually, your primary will also serve as your secondary, without the need to rack (a la Apfelwein) unless you get a quarter inch, or so, of sediment.

If you are making wine from fruit you will need a bucket for the primary, for ease of getting the crushed fruit into, and out of (and cleaning) the primary. After the primary fermentation of your crushed (then pressed) fruit, it is your choice of fermentors for the secondary...a bucket again or a carboy.

Pogo

Mr. Nice Guy · 05-10-2009, 07:13 PM

[QUOTE=Mr. Nice Guy;1304232]3$ #1 plastic buckets from wal-mart QUOTE]

#2 plastic is what I meant to say...

Mongo64 · 05-11-2009, 10:40 PM

I've also found 2 gal. paint buckets from Home Depot are good for primary fermentation on a 1 gal. batch. They are about $2-3, are #1 plastic and don't have ridges inside. Lids avaible as well.