7.9 gallon bucket needed for primary, or 6.5 ok for a 6 gallon kit?

[D_Nyholm]

I just got my first kit that makes 6 gallons of wine. I have a 6.5 gallon bucket and a 6 gallon better bottle. Do i need to get a larger bucket for this wine for primary or will the 6.5 gallon bucket be ok? From what i've read, the wine doesn't create krausen like beer will, but I would assume it would make a foam head that might overflow? Which would you recommend that i use? I could also rig up a blowoff through the bucket as well if necessary, but I don't want to be losing the wine goodness!!

I would assume that it would be a bad idea to only top it up with water to leave enough headspace (say 5.75 gallons) and then when i transfer to secondary, to top it up the rest of the way? I guess it would make extra concentrated wine in the beginning, kind of like a partial boil would.

Thanks for the input!

 

[huesmann]

Worst case, you split your kit into two, put one part in the bucket, one part in the bottle.

 

[Yooper]

The 6.5 gallon is fine for primary, but you'll need a 6 gallon carboy for secondary for the wine. I assume your Better Bottle is a 6 gallon one, as they don't make them in 6.5 gallons.

 

[D_Nyholm]

The 6.5 gallon is fine for primary, but you'll need a 6 gallon carboy for secondary for the wine. I assume your Better Bottle is a 6 gallon one, as they don't make them in 6.5 gallons.

Yeah, you are right, 6 gallon better bottle, so I am good to go there. I filled the bucket with water up to the 6 gallon mark and it gives me about 2" of headspace, so I guess it looks good. If wine is anything like hard cider, I'm guessing there wont be much stuff forming on the top.

 

[Dicky]

Wine does foam a little, but not anywhere near as much as beer does. 2" should be fine.

But as has already been stated, you want a 6 gallon for secondary to reduce oxidisation.

Dicky

 

[scubasteve03]

I did a 6 gal kit in a 6.5 gal bucket with no issues. Racked to a 6 gal carboy for secondary. Your stuff should work fine.