Fermenting in an old wine bucket

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petep1980

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I bought this wine bucket for wine this past fall. It was some dark italian red. Anyways, I decided it's a bucket, food grade, let's ferment in it.

I am making an IPA with re-used 1056 yeast.

How concerned should I be that the krausen has a bit of purple to it?
 
Seriously though. If your beer comes out with a slight wine flavor, I'd be interested to see what effect it has on the taste, especially on an IPA. Look at Goose Island. They do a few beers aged in wine barrels that are fairly popular at their pubs.
 
Seriously though. If your beer comes out with a slight wine flavor, I'd be interested to see what effect it has on the taste, especially on an IPA. Look at Goose Island. They do a few beers aged in wine barrels that are fairly popular at their pubs.

I'm growing more concerned about a name.
 
Guys I wanted to update you on this batch. It has a CRAZY (not pleasant) alcohol flavored finish. The beer is completely un-enjoyable.

I feel like if I de-gassed it for a couple weeks it might help, but that could add in other issues.

This is funny because the wine I made in the bucket I feel as if it doesn't have enough alcohol flavor.
 
I wasn't going to really de-gas it.

It's kegged and on gas, it may be lost. The rest of the flavor is un-impressive too.
 
Oh heck. It ain't going no where. I may as well, let it age longer in the keg.

Do you think low or mid 60s for again?
 
That's a bummer man. I have done the same thing but my beers were fine. The bucket even stained a bit but never affected a beer.
 
low 60s would be perfect.

You could always bottle it and forget it for a while so you don't have a keg occupied for 6 months.
 
low 60s would be perfect.

You could always bottle it and forget it for a while so you don't have a keg occupied for 6 months.

The only issue there is handling the CO2. It's already gased, and I don't have a working beer gun yet. I don't want to have to play any kind of balancing act.
 
After reading this I'm glad I decided not to ferment my wine in my plastic buckets. I decided to use my glass carboys for the wine to avoid this particular problem.
 
Were you using a kit or designing a recipe. I don't mean any disrespect, but it's entirely possible the recipe is the cause of your fusel flavors.

The first recipe I ever created had a very distinct flavor of gas. I realized it was because I added a pound of corn sugar pre boil and fermented too warm. After I tasted it from my keg, I poured to growlers full and they've been sitting, waiting ever since.

I guess some day I'll crack them open just to see what's become of them, but it's more for nostalgia sake.
 

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