# Topping off carboy



## sully (May 20, 2012)

So i am unclear on topping off procedures. What i have read there are multiple ways to top off carboy. what is the best way to top off with out diluting wine or reducing quality????


----------



## roadwarriorsvt (May 20, 2012)

Either make an extra gallon and have it ready to top of the main carboy or use a similar type wine as you're making. Just don't use water.


----------



## Rocky (May 20, 2012)

For me the best way is to keep reducing the size of the batch by racking to smaller carboys until the wine is in bulk aging. This keeps the wine "pure" in that nothing has been added and is less work. I usually start out with a 6.5 l Italian carboy, rack to a 5 gallon plus a one gallon and then to a 5 gallon plus a half gallon and finally to a 5 gallon plus a bottle, for example. If you do not have a selection of different sizes carboys, taking up the volume with marbles would be next. Again, nothing is added to the wine and all one is doing is trying to reduce the ullage.


----------



## jswordy (May 21, 2012)

All the ways mentioned are good. There's one more: Get some large marbles, sanitize them, and add them to the carboy until the level comes up to the top.

Myself, I top with similar wine or water, but then I'm a lowlife.


----------



## John Prince (May 23, 2012)

Argon gas is what I've been using.


----------



## johnthemc (May 23, 2012)

Why do you top off a carboy? I have several wines in 5 & 6 gallon carboys or plastics buckets and the vary in volume. one may be 3 gallon others 4.
Will I have a problem?


----------



## Deezil (May 23, 2012)

johnthemc said:


> Why do you top off a carboy? I have several wines in 5 & 6 gallon carboys or plastics buckets and the vary in volume. one may be 3 gallon others 4.
> Will I have a problem?



Oxidation will be your problem, indeed.
Once the wine is done fermenting, and pushing out co2 in massive amounts, it starts to become susceptible to oxygen & bacterias and things. Topping the container off will keep the oxygen at bay by reducing the surface ratio of wine to air.


----------



## SpoiledRotten (May 23, 2012)

If I'm racking from primary to secondary and need to top off, most of the time, I'll top off with more juice. The extra sugar in the juice will restart fermintation again. I'm thinking it's like adding a flavor pack up front rather than at the end. Seems to add more flavor and alcohol.


----------



## vacuumpumpman (May 23, 2012)

sully said:


> So i am unclear on topping off procedures. What i have read there are multiple ways to top off carboy. what is the best way to top off with out diluting wine or reducing quality????


 
I am working on a protype air bladder system so you do not have to add any other wine or change containers up to a gallon difference.
http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/f3/carboy-air-space-bladder-trial-version-18124/

let me know your thoughts - please


----------



## Geronimo (May 24, 2012)

I think the most important factor is to _try not to have to top off your carboy_. If you find that you always have a problem, you are starting with the wrong batch size or something. Leaving behind oak and lees should not amount to very much, and any of the suggested methods including pure water will not have a significant effect.


----------



## SarahRides (May 24, 2012)

vacuumpumpman said:


> I am working on a protype air bladder system so you do not have to add any other wine or change containers up to a gallon difference.
> http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/f3/carboy-air-space-bladder-trial-version-18124/
> 
> let me know your thoughts - please



I'm looking forward to trying this out Steve! I have used CO2, but even this makes me nervous, I don't trust it! I hate the idea of topping off with other wines that are different than what I have in there, but that's what I have been doing.


----------



## vacuumpumpman (May 26, 2012)

Sarah - please PM me and I will give you more details on this new product that I developed. It has been around for approx 3 months or so with good results so far, from the original beta testers so far. It only displaces approx less than 1 gallon or so


----------



## digitaleye (May 28, 2012)

John Prince said:


> Argon gas is what I've been using.


Can you get this in smaller containers or do you have to have a full sized cylinder?


----------



## vacuumpumpman (May 28, 2012)

I believe that they sell them in the smaller containers ,similiar to the CO2 size


----------



## Chateau Joe (May 29, 2012)

jswordy said:


> All the ways mentioned are good. There's one more: Get some large marbles, sanitize them, and add them to the carboy until the level comes up to the top.


 
+1

I buy large quantities of marbles from the dollar store. I then sanitize them. It works well for me.


----------



## GrandpasFootsteps (May 29, 2012)

digitaleye said:


> Can you get this in smaller containers or do you have to have a full sized cylinder?



I use "Private Preserve" argon gas. It is in a gold spray can with a WD-40 type nozzle hose. 4 quick bursts followed by a 2-3 second burst is good for a carboy. The bottle feels empty when you buy it. It is not very expensive. I buy it at Spec's liquor store here in Austin. You can probably find it in your own upscale liquor store.


----------

