Full Carboys

[xanxer82]

I finally ran into an issue that I thought wouldn't occur for a long while.
All 3 of my carboys are full. Including my 1 gal jugs. All full.
Gonna have to get another carboy before I rack and filter my Malbec.
Maybe I should keep one empty to stage wine in for rackings...
What do you guys and Gals do?

 

[wyntheef]

I keep an extra carboy to rack into, and a few extra smaller jugs as well. I think you could also use maybe a plastic carboy or primary for transfer, but that's an extra step and extra splashing/agitation of the juice.

 

[Sacalait]

I filter into a primary then sweeten to taste and bottle all in the same day.

 

[AlFulchino]

like rags to clean up the unexepected mess, an extra vessel is mandatory

 

[djrockinsteve]

I keep an empty carboy each (5, 3, 1 and 1/2 gallon) to use during racking. If ou are in a pinch you can slowly and carefully siphon into a primary bucket (make sure it's clean), then rack all other wines that need racked and then siphon back. But like said above that's an extra step and you don't want to add any more air to the wine. Especially the whites.

 

[Wade E]

I keep an extra but that extra always gets filled so I get another and that gets filled and so on! I end up like Sacalait and use mt primary.

 

[Julie]

I always keep one 1, 3, 5, 6 gallon caboys open for racking until reading this post, I just realized I used up all my 5 gallon carboys!

Julie

 

[mainecr]

I was racking into primary, sweetening, and then bottling. It served me well for the first 400 or so bottles. Last weekend I bottled 8 gallons of 6 gallon per pound plum that was crystal clear. And it clouded up on me...
Now I have to re-clear, and re-bottle. I can't give away cloudly wine...

I guess I need another carboy!

 

[Wade E]

Thats why I like to sweeten early before it is clear, sometimes the chemical make up of the wine (?) makes it cloud up for some reason.

 

[xanxer82]

So, I think after payday, A new carboy will be on it's way.
I've only used my vinibrite filter once and I let the wine sit a few days after filtering.
But yes, I think for my reds, I may use a primary if needed but not my whites. I'm already afraid of oxidation in my sauvignon blanc.