small batch, big primary fermenter

[willowhix]

Hey guys. I've just racked my first batch of mead into it's secondary fermenter and so my 8 gallon fermenting bucket is now free. I figure I have enough honey left over for a 1 gallon batch of melomel, but is the bucket going to be too big for that? I know oxidation shouldn't be a problem in primary fermentation but there is going to be many times as much headspace as the space the must takes up.

Alternatively, I could just use the 1 gallon glass carboy I was planning on using for secondary, but I'd have to go get another one in that case and it would mean I wouldn't have much space at all for fruit in the primary.

Thanks in advance folks!

 

[Mazer828]

The amount of gas that comes off one gallon of fermenting liquid that should be plenty to purge the oxygen out of that 8 gallon bucket. And besides carbon dioxide is heavier than oxygen. And in the beginning it's not a bad thing to have some oxygen available during primary so that your yeast stay happy. I don't see this is being a bad idea at all.

 

[willowhix]

The amount of gas that comes off one gallon of fermenting liquid that should be plenty to purge the oxygen out of that 8 gallon bucket. And besides carbon dioxide is heavier than oxygen. And in the beginning it's not a bad thing to have some oxygen available during primary so that your yeast stay happy. I don't see this is being a bad idea at all.

Thanks man! Just needed a bit of confirmation. I'm having a lot of fun thinking of what to do with this batch.

 

[Medsen Fey]

Size matters.
And bigger is better, especially when it comes to primary fermenters.
You can do a 1 gallon batch in an 8 gallon bucket without problems. The layering of CO2 is pretty much urban legend, but even with an open fermenter, you won't oxidize a mead during primary fermentation so have no fears.

 

[gunit00]

Size matters.
And bigger is better, especially when it comes to primary fermenters.
You can do a 1 gallon batch in an 8 gallon bucket without problems. The layering of CO2 is pretty much urban legend, but even with an open fermenter, you won't oxidize a mead during primary fermentation so have no fears.

Now that's settled, when is the best time to rack into secondary fermentors?

 

[Mazer828]

I don't know about the whole urban legend thing! Lol. It's a scientific fact that CO2 is heavier than oxygen. It's also a scientific fact that there is no wind inside a carboy. So CO2 rises from the must, and the rest is simple physics.

 

[Medsen Fey]

Although CO2 is denser than O2, under usual conditions, any gas in an enclosed space will spread out to fill the entire space and won't remain layered.


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[Mazer828]

Whether that is true or not, if carbon dioxide production is taking place, it's inarguable that it is constantly replacing some of the oxygen present, and after a short time any remaining oxygen would be insignificant.