Can I move fermenting buckets?

Conmaicne Mara

I am wanting to start two 25l fermenting buckets of Lidl/Aldi cider, but we're having work done on the house so if I start them off this week in one room I will have to move them to another room in the next week or so.

Can I move them with without harming my cider, or should I bite my lip rather hard, sit on my hands, nail my shoes to the floor and wait (uncomfortably)

Khannie

Ah yeah, move away. Just be gentle enough. Should be fine.

Grudaire

Depending on how disturbed the settlement is you should leave a few days for it to settle again before racking/bottling. Obviously the longer the better, but don't be too paranoid!

Skrynesaver

Depends on the state of your back, but the only issue is disturbing the sediment, which will settle back over time

Conmaicne Mara

Yeah, I wouldn't be bottling them for a while after, probably leave them ferment away for at least a month, might go six weeks with the second bucket, so there'd be plenty of time to settle.

I better get cleaning !

Khannie

For what it's worth, with that cloudy apple cider, time is primary / secondary isn't nearly as important as time in the bottle. If you intend drinking it after, say 12 weeks, it will be best after 2 weeks in the bucket and 10 in the bottle instead of 6 weeks in the bucket and 6 in the bottle.

Conmaicne Mara

I was thinking of leaving one bucket ferment for four weeks, and the other for six. Then bottle each as they're ready and leave them both for four months minimum before commencing mass sampling.

I made it once before, I think I done the four week / four month time frame. It came out really, really well (I thought anyway!).

Will_D

If you ever move a fermenter with an airlock then disable the air lock.

If its a cup with a cap type remove the cap. If its a bubbler type the crack open the lid or even remove the fermenter.

This will stop the contents of the A/L being sucked into the container:eek:

How do I know - been there done it lerned the hard way.

The trub at the bottom will hardly be diturbed so relax.

Will

sharingan

Conmaicne Mara wrote: »

I am wanting to start two 25l fermenting buckets of Lidl/Aldi cider, but we're having work done on the house so if I start them off this week in one room I will have to move them to another room in the next week or so.

Can I move them with without harming my cider, or should I bite my lip rather hard, sit on my hands, nail my shoes to the floor and wait (uncomfortably)

I have had to move fermenters before. The biggest concern is sucking in air through the airlock, as the fermenter changes shape when its support is distributed. The bottom will bulge out further, like a diaphragm. This is less of a concern if your cider is actively fermenting, but those fruit juice ciders can ferment out pretty fast.

If you can put them on top of a really solid chopping board, that can stop that completely.

Also move them with help. Most lads can handle 25Kg of a load, but when you are carrying something fiddly, accidents can happen. You will *never* get that cider out of the carpet for instance.