Topping up wine kits

[Aid]

Hi,

When you're making a std 1 gallon kit, the volume is nowhere near the neck by the time you want to store it. What do you top up with?

[NorthernWiner]

Hi,

When you're making a std 1 gallon kit, the volume is nowhere near the neck by the time you want to store it. What do you top up with?

Just top up with a similar wine... and never water.

[Duffbeer]

Or make a little extra in primary and store in a small pet bottle, cap allowing to breath of course. I f your just an odd inch or so below the neck your probably ok and don't have to worry, but too much will cause your wine to oxidise.

[Aid]

what if you dont have similar wine? I've got one sauvingnon blanc (Beaverdale) near completion and no finished wines to mix with it...

[Duffbeer]

what if you dont have similar wine? I've got one sauvingnon blanc (Beaverdale) near completion and no finished wines to mix with it...

I'm presuming your d/j is really low Aid, then two things I can think of is:

A. Top up with any wine you have, such a small amount shouldn't make too much difference, provided it's not dominent in a particular flavour.

B. Buy a bottle of the same from the shop and top up with that enjoying the rest and thinking " I'll make some additional for top up next time "

c. If your d/j is so low you think it will oxidise then as a last resort top it up with cooled boiled water, as you will be aware the taste will be diluted.

[Richard S]

I had a pear wine that was a bit low so I topped that up with Sauvignon Blanc, I think it actually made it better.

The "Fruity Karl" twins are now in secondary, they were low so I topped up with more apple juice.

[Duffbeer]

I had a pear wine that was a bit low so I topped that up with Sauvignon Blanc, I think it actually made it better.

The "Fruity Karl" twins are now in secondary, they were low so I topped up with more apple juice.

Blending can produce some awesome wines, some give what others lack

[jcnoren]

There is always the "water displacement method".... Use clean sanitized marbles to raise the level of your must/wine to the desired level... this way no diluting with water is required OR top up wines.

JC

[StockeyDAW]

Hi,

When you're making a std 1 gallon kit, the volume is nowhere near the neck by the time you want to store it. What do you top up with?

Aid - my suggestion is to have a couple other glass jugs at hand - one at the half gallon size and another at the quarter gallon size. These jugs work well if they have screw tops so you can screw a air lock to them or you will have to fine ones with a size that fits a rubber bung.

Once you have these various sizes of containers you can always make a little more than the 1 gallon batch in the primary fermenter - then use the extra to fill the smaller bottles and use that for your top-up.

Your top up can always be a wine from the store of similar quality; or hec if it is that small amount in a one gallon jug use some good clean water - a small amount of water will make negible difference.

I am a great fan of blending fruits and berries. In many cases the blending of different fruits (malic-citric) enhances the overall wine process. Look at many of the cult wines many are blends with various grape varitals. Cheers DAW

[Aid]

thanks for the tips guys. I'll amend my processes.

The main problem is that when you follow the kit instructions, it's all done in-demijohn and they tell you to fill up to the 4 1/2 litre mark or a just over the shoulder. By the end of fermentation, you've got potentially a thick layer lees and after racking, you're back under the shoulder...

BTW, I thought the sterile marbles idea was superb thinking