Primary head space

[guscampag]

Does headspace matter in the primary?

I have about 3 gallons of cherry wine in fermenting bucket with the cherries and am ready to remove the cherries and put it into a carboy. I don't have a 3-gallon carboy and would like to put it into a 5 gallon. When it is ready for secondary, I would transfer to 1 gallon glass jugs. Is this okay? Or do I need to go directly into 1 gallon containers and/or buy a 3 gallon?

thanks,

gus

 

[mmadmikes1]

it will be fine. I have 3 gallons in a 5 gallon carboy right now

 

[Yooper]

If you're removing the cherries, I think you're moving the wine to secondary? It's not primary anymore, if the SG is under about 1.020 or so.

If you're moving to a carboy, and active fermentation is slowing down, it needs to be in a carboy with very little headspace and under airlock.

I guess this all depends on where you are in the fermentation, though. I usually leave my fruit wines in primary for 3-5 days, and then remove the fruit and rack to secondary.

 

[guscampag]

I'll check the sg when I remove the cherriesl. Actually, they have been in there 2 weeks tomorrow per the Jack Keller cherry recipe #1-Dry cherry wine.
I'll see what we got and proceed from there.
Thanks all
gus

 

[Yooper]

I'll check the sg when I remove the cherriesl. Actually, they have been in there 2 weeks tomorrow per the Jack Keller cherry recipe #1-Dry cherry wine.
I'll see what we got and proceed from there.
Thanks all
gus

Wow- two weeks? Then you're not going back into primary, it's secondary for sure. Rack quietly and make sure it's topped up and airlocked. Fermentation is probably about finished.

 

[guscampag]

Yep, you are right, Yoop. (as usual)

sg is .996. So I put it into secondary gallon jugs with airlock.

thanks again,

gus