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3 gallons in a 5 gallon bucket

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B

Boogaloo

Worker Bee
Registered Member
Sep 13, 2011
147
0
16
Silver Spring (right outside of DC)
I have a 5 gallon bucket and 5 one gallon jugs. But only have enough honey for 3 gallons. Can I use 3 gallons in the 5 gallon bucket for primary and then rack out to 3 separate 1 gallon jugs when it's done with primary?

I'd rather not have to do 3 separate batches. Any help is awesome. Thanks.

~Boog
 
There should be no problems fermenting a 3 gallon batch in a 5 gallon bucket. The CO2 produced during fermentation will keep the mead from a lot of exposure to the air.

A lot of people here ferment in larger primaries to prevent MEAs (Mead Eruption Accidents), myself being one of them. My last batch was a 6.5 gallon mel, well 10 gallons with the fruit, and that was fermented in a 20 gallon primary.
 
I even do 1-gal batches in a 5-gal pail, it's never hurt anything so far! And it's a lot better for aeration too.
 
i am curious if the extra head space would cause less CO2 to be absorbed by the mead making it age better as the CO2 wouldnt need to escape, less fizzy when young :)
 
This is purely anecdotal, but when I've run side by side batches, one in a full 6-gal pail and the other in a half-full 3 gal pail, the one in the 3-gal pail usually finishes first. It's got more headspace to take in air (as opposed to CO2) when you open the lid to aerate or degas, so it lets CO2 out more easily and takes in oxygen more easily.
 
Chevette Girl said:
This is purely anecdotal, but when I've run side by side batches, one in a full 6-gal pail and the other in a half-full 3 gal pail, the one in the 3-gal pail usually finishes first. It's got more headspace to take in air (as opposed to CO2) when you open the lid to aerate or degas, so it lets CO2 out more easily and takes in oxygen more easily.
Click to expand...

New Experiment/challenge for you CG

Try 5 gallons of mead in a 3 gallon bucket

;-)
 
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