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It's always been my understanding spoilage starts from the top, especially VA, and works its down. That is why Bryan recommended racking from the bottom of the carboy. Lately though I've been using my AIO and suck the wine off the top when I see signs of infection.

I agree, that is a very good price.

With my 40L I do 200+ lbs which seems to work out perfectly. Unfortunately I would think 100 lbs may not be enough. It is recommended with smaller amounts to partially fill the bladder prior to filling. You may want to try that.

Thanks for the article. Would you think with a fully degassed and filtered wine the hydrometer would be close enough?

In a refractometer I agree but is it the same with a hydrometer.

I could be oversimplifying this but couldn't you just use a brix hydrometer. 1 °Bx = 1% residual sugar

I always do post fermentation MLF and it is not uncommon for the completion to take 3-4 months. With a relatively consistent control of temperature in my cellar the volume stays pretty much the same. I have yet to find an issue with a properly topped up carboy.

I agree with Bryan. Just as the surface to volume has a relationship to drawing oak, I believe the same applies to the micro-oxygenation although maybe not to the same extreme. My barrels are all neutral 25, 30 and 50 liters and I have kept wine in them over year. Whether they were 25s or 50s I...

I'm going to bring this one back to life. Opened one of my last bottles of the 2019 Viognier. I have to admit the wine looked a bit oxidized in the bottle. Still clear unopened but the following day or even later that evening it took on the cloudiness. To top it off, there was no sediment in the...

Here's my unprofessional response without any tested results. I too prefer not using sorbates and except for a rare occasion don't back sweeten my wines. Unless I'm missing something you have not added Lysozyme yet and the wine has been bulk aging for 2-3 years. Depending on how heavily you...

I also sulfite based on the pH and do use extra but I use closer to 25%. Attached is the chart.

I've always been told equipment has to be clean in order to be properly sanitized. For cleaning I use unscented, chlorine free OxiClean, which is basically sodium percarbonate. Once it's clean I sanitize with a K-meta/citric solution.

It's my understanding a percentage of the SO2 gets using up immediately. I also use 0 as a base line and my initial dosage is 60+ ppm. On occasion I test the levels prior to adding the sulfite and find that in a properly topped up carboy the levels drop very slowly. I've had wines aging for 6...

Very clever Bob, I'm going to steal your idea but use plastic instead. I want to buy one of those rotating ones but they are a little more than I want to spend.

I don't see any reason not to do MLF which is commonly done with Chardonnays. It all depends on what style you are trying achieve.

I don't do kits but with all the positive posts on here about Finer Wine Kits I find it hard to believe not a single one made the list. I guess they didn't contribute to the magazine enough.

I have it set at 55 and it works just fine. My cooler is a commercial walk-in panels and associated door with only a small 12" x 12" vision window. it is 6' x 10' with a 7' ceiling height. You have to relocate the thermocouple to outside the space and use an alternate temperature control. Mine...

I figured as much but a different response wouldn't be as much fun.

Your Googliness is off the charts...

Pretty darn classy display idea. I can't give you a recommendations for the unit since I just modify a standard 8000 BTUH window unit. My cellar is strictly used for storing wine so aesthetics is not a concern. What you are proposing is probably the cleanest option. Plus I believe it may have...