Where do you get your bags?



Darwin Vander Stelt wrote:
> "gene" > wrote in message
> . net...
> > 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
> As you get into the extended maceration, I just slosh it around and punch
> the bag down.You don't have to open them. The bags (6 mil) probably hold 60
> or 70 gals, and fold down over the sides of the barrel. I do like to scoop
> the cap off and dump it into a new barrel every day for about the first 2 or
> 3 days after you get a good cap, and pour the wine over it, also try to
> dump most of the seeds off the bottom of the barrel (delestage?). If you
> have one empty barrel you only have to put in one new bag each day, as you
> can dump the wine and cap from one barrel into a new one with new bag, and
> dump the seeds in the wheelbarrow, then put the liner back in and use it for
> the next barrel. After 3 days of that most of the seeds are gone and I
> start keeping it closed pretty tight. (I use 3 plastic barrels to eventually
> fill 2- 30 gal oak barrels with a cab sauv, cab franc, merlot mixture, and
> one 15 gal oak barrel with pinot noir, plus 5 gallons of pinot for topping
> off wine . I fill them about 3/4 full of must, the cap comes right to the
> top. ( having a big bag loosly tied sort of keeps it off the garage floor
> too). After pressing and settling thats about 30 gals.). I macerate for
> about 40 days (or whenever I get around to pressing it which was 6 weeks
> this year) and this system is about as forgiving as it gets. I had the bags
> closed tight (I think a little gas escapes, as you can tell if the bags puff
> up they're maybe too tight) with argon in for about the last month, and just
> punched it down when I got around to it. And yes, when I put it into the
> barrel after a couple months in the bag it was a real fruit bomb. I'm
> extremely pleased with this system because I am one of the more
> procrastinating type winemakers and this system seems not to punish neglect
> (too much).
> I got a case of 100 bags for 115 bucks or so, will last me at least 10
> years. My next purchase will be for a case in 20 gal size for whites.