Size of Primary for 5G of Red Wine

I plan to do a 5 gallon batch of red wine this month, using local grapes. That means the grapes will be destemmed, crushed, and added to the primary. How big should the primary be? I'm wondering how much extra space the grape skins take up?

I have a 5 gallon glass carboy for the secondary fermentation. I have a few 6.5 gallon buckets, one 7.5 gallon, and my 15 gallon main brew pot.

I would go with the 6.5 maybe 7.5 if you dont crush well because the head will rise.
well for primary I would be safe with 7.5 and measured head start and during and finish for future records,it wont really matter as the amount of co2 produced

What to cover it with? Towel, screen, or bucket lid?

larrybrewer said:

What to cover it with? Towel, screen, or bucket lid?

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I use a towel, because I think fruit flies can work their way around a screen or bucket lid. A towel with a big rubber band to hold it down would be perfect.

I just use a big Rubbermaid container with a snack on lid. Works really well for my muscadine wines.

toddrod said:

I just use a big Rubbermaid container with a snack on lid. Works really well for my muscadine wines.

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How big is it? I have an 18 gallon one of those for washing bottles, but I'm not sure it is food safe. The color is navy blue. The plastic is much thinner and it feels more like rubber than the hard white plastic in my brewing buckets.

117 pounds of grapes came out to 11 gallons of must.

Counting for head space, I'll need a bigger primary fermenter. Right now the must is in two 6 gallon buckets.

Split it into 3 buckets -- especially when fermenting on the skins.... The cap rises quite a bit and you need lots of room for that cap to expand.... or it all ends up on the floor.....

The grape skins and muck take up quite a bit of space -- Last few batches I made -- I averaged like 2 volumes of grape pomace = 1 volume of fermenting must racked into the secondary.....

It's worth it, though....

Thanks

I went with a 24 gallon fermentor from the LHBS for $25. Worked out perfectly. Only took 5 crushes in the press.

The cap did rise probably about 6-8 inches!