# Filling carboy



## Fredman (Feb 3, 2005)

When making wine from the recipes on the wine list(from fruit) Do you top up? With what water or wine?


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## masta (Feb 3, 2005)

Fred,<?amespace prefix = o ns = "urnchemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><O></O>


Welcome to the forum!






As with making all wines when the fermentation is complete you need to minimize the headspace of the container it is in to prevent oxidation. <O></O>


Unless you have a similar wine to top off I guess you have to use water.


Check out this post:  [url]http://www.finevinewines.com/Wiz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=7 7&amp;KW=top[/url]


What do you say Country?<O></O>


*Edited by: masta *


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## Hippie (Feb 4, 2005)

I use water, almost always the first top up. If you are worried you won't be able to calculate the alcohol content because of topping up with water, wait until the wine is dry and clear, before you sweeten, if you do, and use a vinometer. The vinometer will not work correctlywith a sweet or cloudy wine.


I think alot of people worry too much about topping up and what to top up with, especially before fermentation is finished.


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## AAASTINKIE (Mar 1, 2005)

I racked my second kit to my secondary today, I did a much better job,
on my first one I was worried about getting to much lees so I left a
quart or two in the primary but I saw the lees is quite firm on the
bottom and only left a few ounces this time. I racked into a plastic
primary container for my secondary, the local brew guy (local being an
hour away) doesn't buy this air problem thing (I think he is a beer guy
mostly) I went there to buy a carboy and he said you don't need one and
he showed me his wine in carboys and they were only 1/2 full, so I
thought I could get away with leaving mine in the primary due to still
gassing off so CO2 covering the wine and then when I stablize and fine
will already be in the right container, then I'll transfer to the
carboy. This white wine kit needs to stay in the secondary for 3 weeks.


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## MedPretzel (Mar 1, 2005)

I agree completely!







Country Wine said:


> I use water, almost always the first top up. If you are worried you won't be able to calculate the alcohol content because of topping up with water, wait until the wine is dry and clear, before you sweeten, if you do, and use a vinometer. The vinometer will not work correctlywith a sweet or cloudy wine.
> 
> 
> I think alot of people worry too much about topping up and what to top up with, especially before fermentation is finished.


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## Hippie (Mar 1, 2005)

Your local brew guy hopefully is not steering you wrong. If the wine in those half full carboys is fermenting, there may be enough CO2 above the wine to protect it, if not it is oxidising fast. Maybe he is like you say a strictly beer guy and does not know much about wine? There are alot of myths and rumours circulating out there when it comes to winemaking that are not gospel. Be careful. This can get expensive.


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## Fredman (Mar 1, 2005)

Well when I transfered from primary to carboy I had a big space in my carboy. I am hoping that it won't hurt the wine. This wine is from the fresh fruit stage. Even thou the big empty void in my carboy the bubbler was going strong. I will know in about 4 months. That is another question I have. In fruit wine do you add a stabilizer to get it to clear or do you let it do it on it's own?


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## geocorn (Mar 1, 2005)

Couple of points.


Be careful of getting wine information from beer guys. Due to the CO2 in the beer coupled with the fact that you do not age beer, oxygen is not a big problem with beer, but it is HUGE with wine. Always top off to within 2-3 of the bung after fermentation is complete. Did I say ALWAYS!


Second, when using a wine kit, use a 6-gallon carboy. If you use a 5-gallon, it will throw off the balance and will take an extra year to taste good.


Three, stabilizers are used to prevent re-fermenation, not to clear. Fining agents are used to clear and I never get in a hurry to add fining agents. Most wines will clear with little to no help. But, if you need to fine, use Super-Kleer. It is a gelatin-kiesesol combination that will clear most wines within 2 days.


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## Hippie (Mar 1, 2005)

Good advice George. 


Fred, if the airlock is going strong, you are probably protected, but you need to get the wine in a smaller container and topped up ans soon as fermentation and outgassing is over.


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## Fredman (Mar 2, 2005)

When I started the wine from fruit stage I had it in my primary fermenter. After it was going it dawned on me that it was a recipe for 5 gallons. So I got on the web and ordered a 5 from Fine Vines(good excuse to put in a order and you know you have to make it worth it and order lots of stuff). Its in a 5 gallon now and I topped it off with water. I tasted it and its kinda bitter but I am hoping its just part of the process(first time for wine from fruit)



. I will see in two months on how it tastes then and then again in two months following.


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## AAASTINKIE (Mar 2, 2005)

OH...fredman came and left anf he's a boilerman too!!! what's the chance out of 6 posters 2 boilermen



when you come back visit AAASTINKIE forum under:


welcome to the forum


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## Hippie (Mar 4, 2005)

One thang I love to top up with after any wine is finished and stable is juice reserved from the must or other sweet juice obtained by other means. If using reserved juice, get it before adding all the additives such as nutrient, etc. and mix pectic enzyme per package instructions. Be sure to put it in an appropriately sized container with minimum airspace. It should be sulphited.


OK, I will clarify by saying just use the original must juice and only add sulphite, sorbate, and pectic enzyme, in measured amounts. Keep it in the fridge until use.


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## AAASTINKIE (Mar 4, 2005)

I have 1 6 gallon carboy 2 5gallon carboys and 2 1gallon jugs, when i
rack off the secondary I fill the 1 gallon first then the 5 gallon and
top up the 5 with the one then I can drink whats left in the one
and keep the 5 aging longer


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## Bert (Mar 4, 2005)

To top up a container and not having a comparable wine , I have added marbles. To keep air space to a minimum.


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## geocorn (Mar 4, 2005)

For topping off reds, I make a batch of a very bold Italian wine like a Luna Rossaor Rosso Grande. I bottle it and when I need a bottle, I useone of them. They are relatively high inbody and tannins and really seem to improve every red wine I have made. I am still searching for a comparable wine, but I am gone to give the Luna Bianca a shot.


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## Hippie (Mar 4, 2005)

The Lambrusca is good for that use also, but I don't think you carry that, George. Maybe WE doesn't make it. I think Mosti does. I have made 2, and am not sure of the brand. Or is it Lambrusco?


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## MedPretzel (Mar 4, 2005)

Since I never have a comparable wine for my wines (you can't buy sage wine in the store. Or pumpkin wine, or hibiscus, or chamomile, or chrysanthemum, or marigold, or .... well, you get the picture), I usually go by color. I use a white for the lighter colors, and a red for anything darker than pink.


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## Hippie (Mar 4, 2005)

That is a very good practice, Martina. I very often do the same.


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## MedPretzel (Mar 4, 2005)

Glenvall, how much wine do you usually have to add when you top your wines off? 





I've sometimes have had to add up to a half a bottle (for a 5 or 6 gallon carboy), which makes me a little concerned about the ultimate flavor.


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## Hippie (Mar 4, 2005)

It varies with the lees. Less added the more I rack. I have added a bottle of wine before when racking from the carboy the first time while making a kit. If I have to top up at the first racking from bucket to carboy, whether kit or scratch, I will use spring water 9 times out of 10, then wine the next rackings.


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## MedPretzel (Mar 4, 2005)

Have you noticed something in the flavor of your scratch wines when you do that?


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## AAASTINKIE (Mar 5, 2005)

I put my juice wine in a 6 carboy after stablizing and finning today,
but only had 5 1/2 gallons, I left it alone, after 7 days I'll rack to
a 5 gallon carboy.


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## MedPretzel (Mar 5, 2005)

What was the starting SG? And now?





I don't know, but I don't have a good feel to this when I hear it. I would transfer it as soon as possible to a 5 gallon one again to avoid possible oxidation. The rest you can put in 2-750ml bottles, use a vacuvin stopper thingie until you rack again.





But that is just me.


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## Hippie (Mar 5, 2005)

Stinkie, Martina is giving you good advice. When that wine stops fermenting, it is very vulnerable to O2 until topped up. You can keep 6 gallons of wine if you just top up with another wine or juice, or do as Martina suggests.


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## Hippie (Mar 5, 2005)

MedPretzel said:


> Have you noticed something in the flavor of your scratch wines when you do that?




No, nothing adverse. It all just seems to meld together.


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## AAASTINKIE (Mar 5, 2005)

you think I can go top up with grape juice, do I need to stir it in or just pour in and put stopper and airlock back on.

Thanks in advance.


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## MedPretzel (Mar 5, 2005)

i usually just pour it in. I think gravity does the rest, but that's just me.


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## AAASTINKIE (Mar 5, 2005)

I just topped up with a quart of welches, hey I won't have to mix it in later..lol


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## Hippie (Mar 6, 2005)

Very good! No volcano? I am disappointed!


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## Fredman (Mar 6, 2005)

I thought you are suppose to top up with water or the same kind of wine


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## Hippie (Mar 6, 2005)

You can top up with whatever you want, Fred. Stinkie is in effect using the suss-reserve method, sweetening up with juice.


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## MedPretzel (Mar 7, 2005)

I usually tweak the SG a little higher at the beginning so when I rack, I can use just plain water. That works too. Of course, if you lose a lot of liquid through racking, you could use wine or the "suss-reserve" method.





On the other hand, I usually try to make a gallon or so extra when making a 5 or 6 gallon wine, and top off with that extra gallon. So far, I haven't had any problems with that method.


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## AAASTINKIE (Mar 7, 2005)

well that wine was 17% alcohol according to SG, so it's going to need a lot more grape juice for me to drink it, I think the Island mist kit at 6% alcohol is just my speed (life in the slow lane)


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## MedPretzel (Mar 9, 2005)

Well, I would consider a grape-juice/water mix with your 17% wine. It might help tame down the alcohol. A just grape-juice addition might make it too sweet.


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## Hippie (Mar 9, 2005)

Ihave a few wines this strong, and I just save them for when I ain't quite sleepy enough to go to bed at a reasonable time. That'll do it.


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