I’ve used the bucket and carboy kit lots but now only use fastfermentor conical bud to the ease of use and not having to transfer. I’m going to buy my daughter in-law a kit to brew wine and wanted to see others opinions, is there a benefit to carboys and transferring vs conical? Also what would be good recommendations if there is something better than fastermentor?
New equipment kit
- Thread starter Cowboyfan
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Jacob_Marley
Well-Known Member
I would never start someone off on a conical fermenter system.
Even if all she will ever do is make wine using purchased juice ... I still would not recommend a conical system.
This hobby tends to become a compulsion ... and so the "longhand" way of winemaking provides much more flexibility, ability to be enlarged and upgraded, and importantly a much greater understanding of how and why things are done.
This is particularly the case because many people decide to try other wine styles (fruit wines ... whole grapes ... adjuncts etc). And the robustness and flexibility of a standard setup is superior.
What to provide a new winemaker in terms of equipment is a slippery slope.
It's so broad that it's difficult to discuss concisely here, but ...
At the farthest end of the simplicity spectrum are "one jug" operations to make things like:
Joe's Ancient Orange Mead (a recipe meant to be made in a single jug)
Simple Welch's GrapeJuice Wine
ReaLemon Lemon Wine ("skeeter pee")
(see links at bottom regarding these)
One step up from a one-jug operation ...
Essentials set up ... an open fermenting bucket ... gallon jugs - two of them to rack between; a racking cane and tubing ... and the standard supplies (yeast, metabisulfite, nutrients etc)
You can find suppliers online showing what equipment their kits contain.
A step up from that in terms of volume .... far as the containers ... an open-top fermenting bucket(s), a main "secondary fermentation" vessel such as 5 gallon carboy or demijohn ... and some graduated, smaller "step down" containers (assorted 1 liter to 5 liter jugs) to make the racking easier while managing "headspace" ... and airlocks for all.
A step up again, is using NSF rated (food safety rated) vats/containers like the common Rubbermaid "BRUTE" garbage pails sold at places like Home Depot etc. These make excellent primary fermenters and maceration vats for grape/fruit maceration "on the skins" (both pre/cold and also extended maceration). All Brutes are NSF food rated.
fwiw ... A sweet spot is a 5 gal carboy, an assortment of the smaller "stepdown" containers/fermenters, and a Rubbermaid Brute 10 gallon trash can (about $22 at Home Depot) with lid to use as the primary fermenter/maceration vat.
A conical system might be ok after the person has gotten a few batches under their belt using traditional methods ... and is going to really just be a juice wine maker.
By starting her off with the standard equipment setup, it will help her to become a better winemaker more quickly ... and if she continues down the rabbit hole, give you a potential list of Christmas gift possibilities for years to come.
==================
Simple and one-jug wines
Yooper's Welch's Grape Wine
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/welchs-grape-juice-wine.21093/
Joe's Ancient Orange Mead
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/joes-ancient-orange-mead.49106/
ReaLemon Lemon Wine ("skeeter Pee")
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/skeeter-pee.195681/
Even if all she will ever do is make wine using purchased juice ... I still would not recommend a conical system.
This hobby tends to become a compulsion ... and so the "longhand" way of winemaking provides much more flexibility, ability to be enlarged and upgraded, and importantly a much greater understanding of how and why things are done.
This is particularly the case because many people decide to try other wine styles (fruit wines ... whole grapes ... adjuncts etc). And the robustness and flexibility of a standard setup is superior.
What to provide a new winemaker in terms of equipment is a slippery slope.
It's so broad that it's difficult to discuss concisely here, but ...
At the farthest end of the simplicity spectrum are "one jug" operations to make things like:
Joe's Ancient Orange Mead (a recipe meant to be made in a single jug)
Simple Welch's GrapeJuice Wine
ReaLemon Lemon Wine ("skeeter pee")
(see links at bottom regarding these)
One step up from a one-jug operation ...
Essentials set up ... an open fermenting bucket ... gallon jugs - two of them to rack between; a racking cane and tubing ... and the standard supplies (yeast, metabisulfite, nutrients etc)
You can find suppliers online showing what equipment their kits contain.
A step up from that in terms of volume .... far as the containers ... an open-top fermenting bucket(s), a main "secondary fermentation" vessel such as 5 gallon carboy or demijohn ... and some graduated, smaller "step down" containers (assorted 1 liter to 5 liter jugs) to make the racking easier while managing "headspace" ... and airlocks for all.
A step up again, is using NSF rated (food safety rated) vats/containers like the common Rubbermaid "BRUTE" garbage pails sold at places like Home Depot etc. These make excellent primary fermenters and maceration vats for grape/fruit maceration "on the skins" (both pre/cold and also extended maceration). All Brutes are NSF food rated.
fwiw ... A sweet spot is a 5 gal carboy, an assortment of the smaller "stepdown" containers/fermenters, and a Rubbermaid Brute 10 gallon trash can (about $22 at Home Depot) with lid to use as the primary fermenter/maceration vat.
A conical system might be ok after the person has gotten a few batches under their belt using traditional methods ... and is going to really just be a juice wine maker.
By starting her off with the standard equipment setup, it will help her to become a better winemaker more quickly ... and if she continues down the rabbit hole, give you a potential list of Christmas gift possibilities for years to come.
==================
Simple and one-jug wines
Yooper's Welch's Grape Wine
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/welchs-grape-juice-wine.21093/
Joe's Ancient Orange Mead
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/joes-ancient-orange-mead.49106/
ReaLemon Lemon Wine ("skeeter Pee")
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/skeeter-pee.195681/
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