Darwin Vander Stelt wrote:

> "Mark" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>I know that for 5 or 6 gallon batches glass carboys are recommended to
>>keep oxygen exposure limited. When planning larger batches though does
>>it make sense to use a fermenter like this one http://tinyurl.com/ynb3om
>> and not have as narrow a neck?
>>
>>Please comment and let me know what you think.
>>
>>Mark
>
>
> I have been using 55 gal soft drink syrup barrels ($15 apiece), and I bought
> a case of food grade plastic bags big enough to line the barrels. This has
> worked very nicely , as you can put around 35 gals of must in the barrel,
> twist the top around a 1" plastic hose and tie it and put the hose end in a
> bucket of water and you have an airtight primary. There is room in the bag
> for the cap to float, and while it is an extra nuisance opening it to punch
> down etc, it isn't worse than any other system I've seen, and when you get
> into the later stages of extended maceration where you want to keep it
> airtight, I just put some argon in, take the hose out and tie it securely.
> Over-all it makes for a nice clean system, and when I press, I just throw
> the first bag away and put the wine in another plastic bag with some argon
> and let it settle a couple weeks before putting it into a barrel. I have
> done this with smaller bags in 15 gal barrels as well, and it seems to work
> fine.
>
>
Darwin,
Pretty darn elegant setup. Would pressing on the bag be sufficient to
immerse cap and keep it wet, instead of opening the bag and punch-down?
My guess is that for first two days, you'd want to open to give the
yeast enough oxygen during the growth phase, but after that, in the
anaerobic alcohol producing stage ..... This method could make for very
fruity wine style.

Now, if you want to make NZ style sauvignon blanc (reductive
fermentation limiting the yeast's access to oxygen), you'd never open
the bag till you transfer to secondary.

And have you used this method with high-foaming yeasts? If so, how full
do you fill your bags in order to leave room for the foaming? More or
less than for open top fermentor?

Gene