Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Topping up options

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Topping up options

    My primary ferment seems to be approaching an end and I have an eye to racking. My problem will be topping up to fill the headspace in the second carboy. I'll probably be a good litre or so short. What are my options...?

  • #2
    There always seems to be a number of options here.
    a. make the vessel smaller ( smaller bottles / floating leads / concertina tubs etc)
    b. bring the liquid up (add some wine from somewhere else, seconds, dilute it with water - but this gets tricky with acid balance etc)
    c. add solids to displace (marbles, bottles, balloons, even pieces of oak could be considered)
    d. gas cover ( literally spray some c02 gas in)

    What sort of volume are you talking about 1,5 or 10 gallons.
    I often find it quite nice to use a slightly smaller container and have a little bit left over in a spare bottle ready for the next racking.
    Gluten free, caffeine free, dairy free, fat free – you gotta love this red wine diet!

    Comment


    • #3
      Thanks Brian,

      It's a 5 gallon carboy and I reckon I could be about a litre short...

      I think option a. could be the best one for me, if I rack off without degassing into a clean carboy, put under airlock then give it a good shake to get plenty of CO2 out bubbling through the airlock then I imagine that should push any air out and just leave CO2 behind? Will that work?

      Could I increase the sulphite just to be sure, say 1.25 tablets per gallon?

      Regards

      Daniel

      Comment


      • #4
        It really depends on how long it's going to be like that. Probably be okay for 1-2 weeks until you rack it, but CO2 dissipates. Is 4 DJs and 4 bottles out of the question? or consider adding a bottle of something (best) to it.
        Gluten free, caffeine free, dairy free, fat free – you gotta love this red wine diet!

        Comment


        • #5
          I've only got the half size DJs of John, so I suppose I'll have to set to and get bottling. I bought the carboy in an attempt to avoid doing that!

          Oh well, at least next year I'll have this years wine to top up with!

          I could buy some from the shop but i really don't want to sully my precious baby with 'Commercial Off The Shelf'. The only stuff I will have anywhere near it is the Cherry Port stuff that's on the go at the moment.

          Comment


          • #6
            Why not put out a request on freecycle or similar for DJs and winemaking equipment? That has worked for me in the past. There is also ebay. Personally I prefer to leave a while after fermentation before bottling. Strange things can happen so early in the life of a wine.
            Simon
            "I can certainly see that you know your wine. Most of the guests who stay here wouldn't know the difference between Bordeaux and Claret." - Basil Fawlty

            Comment


            • #7
              Nip to the bottle bank? See if there is any of the big 2L bottle jobbies!!
              Gluten free, caffeine free, dairy free, fat free – you gotta love this red wine diet!

              Comment


              • #8
                Cheers guys. I'll bottle off what I have in the small demis and then use them for the longer term storage. Might try the freecycle route though too.

                We have a big angry man trapped in a little mans body at the bottle bank so I tend not to hang around there much!

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by Delmonteman View Post
                  We have a big angry man trapped in a little mans body at the bottle bank so I tend not to hang around there much!
                  Simon
                  "I can certainly see that you know your wine. Most of the guests who stay here wouldn't know the difference between Bordeaux and Claret." - Basil Fawlty

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Delmonteman View Post
                    We have a big angry man trapped in a little mans body at the bottle bank so I tend not to hang around there much!
                    ?? What - they have security guards on the bottle bank ??
                    Gluten free, caffeine free, dairy free, fat free – you gotta love this red wine diet!

                    Comment

                    Working...
                    X