Racking Advice

[Opdog]

I am suddenly finding myself in need of a couple of new racking containers on very short order. I have 2 six gallon carboys and 3-5 gallon carboys that I use as racking containers. They are currently full of HBB that I had planned to run tomorrow, but now I have to travel for work. The one of my clients was arrested for embezzling a LOT of money yesterday and I will now be flying out tomorrow night to see what I can salvage. I'll be out of town until the middle of next week. So the problem is that I have a gumballhead in my big fermenter that is halfway done and an all oats run in my small fermenter that is done and ready for racking. I had planned to run the HBB and use the carboys as racking vessels, but now I'm stuck for a week until I get back from dealing with this work mess.

I need some suggestions for racking vessels that are both cheap and easy to obtain quickly. Normally I use my small fermenter when I'm in a bind, but it is full right now with the mash that needs to be racked. I was thinking of running to Home Depot and picking up a few 5 gallon buckets with lids, but I get a little jumpy not being able to see through the container. My small fermenter is a 20 gallon white Brute that I can see through with a strong light and even that makes me question. How it's going. Any ideas are welcome. At this point I don't care how wacky as long as I can find it locally and it won't leach nasties.

[NZChris]

Cover them well and they should look after themselves until you are ready. I never rack mine anyway. That's a winemakers trick.

[Opdog]

I suppose I can try that.

I run 6,600 watts on 2 internal elements, so I am paranoid about floaters.

[MontanaMule]

if you have sufficient head room I'd leave em. If your worried maybe put them in the mechanical or laundry room so they are near a floor drain in case the worst happens.

[NZChris]

I suppose I can try that.

I run 6,600 watts on 2 internal elements, so I am paranoid about floaters.

Mine is internal. I've just done a run with JD Barrel chips and an oak domino in it with no problems. It's not the first time.

[Opdog]

Ok. Well I'll stop freaking out about it then.

[Truckinbutch]

Pull a page out of my fermenter book . Line a 32 gallon Brute garbage can with a clear 55 gallon garbage bag . Rack and strain your ferment into that . Stretch another bag over the top of the can to seal it until you can get to it . You can see what it's doing any time you pass by it . Saves on cleanup , too .

[Opdog]

TB. - That sound like a plan! Thanks for the suggestion.

[dieselduo]

I've got 2 internal elements also. I just rack into the boiler and use a wire screen sieve to catch the larger particles and have never had a scorch

[Hoosier Shine9]

Pull a page out of my fermenter book . Line a 32 gallon Brute garbage can with a clear 55 gallon garbage bag . Rack and strain your ferment into that . Stretch another bag over the top of the can to seal it until you can get to it . You can see what it's doing any time you pass by it . Saves on cleanup , too .

TB

I have seen tons of "tidbits" in your posts.
it seems that you have a common sense answer to a lot of the issues that we all face from time to time.

[Truckinbutch]

Pull a page out of my fermenter book . Line a 32 gallon Brute garbage can with a clear 55 gallon garbage bag . Rack and strain your ferment into that . Stretch another bag over the top of the can to seal it until you can get to it . You can see what it's doing any time you pass by it . Saves on cleanup , too .

TB

I have seen tons of "tidbits" in your posts.
it seems that you have a common sense answer to a lot of the issues that we all face from time to time.

Not really . I just keep fucking things up until I stumble onto something that works for me .
Remember : If you want the easiest way to get a job done you put the laziest guy you got in charge of it .
That be me .

[Hoosier Shine9]

Pull a page out of my fermenter book . Line a 32 gallon Brute garbage can with a clear 55 gallon garbage bag . Rack and strain your ferment into that . Stretch another bag over the top of the can to seal it until you can get to it . You can see what it's doing any time you pass by it . Saves on cleanup , too .

TB

I have seen tons of "tidbits" in your posts.
it seems that you have a common sense answer to a lot of the issues that we all face from time to time.

Not really . I just keep fucking things up until I stumble onto something that works for me .
Remember : If you want the easiest way to get a job done you put the laziest guy you got in charge of it .
That be me .

I have said the same thing for years.
I have a tendency to do the same thing as far as fucking things up. sometimes it seems like I am going the long way around the barn.....but I don't step in the same pile of manure every time......lol

[dukethebeagle120]

beer kegs
craigslist

[Tapeman]

Plastic 5 gallon buckets work well, but i like TB's idea of lining a trash can