bigfatwino
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Tomorrow I'll be racking wine to secondary fermentation vessel, a 5 gallon glass carboy. Should I top off carboy to reduce headspace?
Making first batch of wine
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JLS
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bigfatwino
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kit is from eckraus. directions say to rack from primary fermentation vessel, a 6 gallon plastic pail, into some thing, clean out pail, and put wine back into original pail. I added a 5 gallon glass carboy for secondary fermentation vessel so I can start another batch in pail.
bigfatwino
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thanks robie. what wil i top it off with? water? wine? juice? thanks.
If this is one of those canned concentrates to make 5 gallons youd better not water it down as they are already a very thin wine IMO. I agree with Robie that you dont want to top off until fermentation is done and you have stabilized it with sulfite and sorbate if topping it up with a off dry or sweet wine.
bigfatwino
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Thanks everyone
PCharles
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Not tome to top off
Hey, greetings from another new wine maker. Check the instructions closely. They will detail the procedure. Most kits I've made let the wine continue to ferment a few more weeks after moving from the fermenter to the carboy. You most certainly will need room to add your stabelizers and to stir them very well. This degassing process is very important. Once you have stabelized and degassed you will top off. I agree that you should use wine. I used water to top off on my first kit. Using wine will give you a richer final product. Make sure to allow all the time that the instructions call for. There is little down side to going over the time. Moving too quickly just because the SG is where it should be isn't a good idea. Good things come to those who wait. This gives you plenty of time to get your bottles ready.
Good luck with your wine. Experience is the best teacher. Reading about it is one thing, but doing it is another.
Paul
Hey, greetings from another new wine maker. Check the instructions closely. They will detail the procedure. Most kits I've made let the wine continue to ferment a few more weeks after moving from the fermenter to the carboy. You most certainly will need room to add your stabelizers and to stir them very well. This degassing process is very important. Once you have stabelized and degassed you will top off. I agree that you should use wine. I used water to top off on my first kit. Using wine will give you a richer final product. Make sure to allow all the time that the instructions call for. There is little down side to going over the time. Moving too quickly just because the SG is where it should be isn't a good idea. Good things come to those who wait. This gives you plenty of time to get your bottles ready.
Good luck with your wine. Experience is the best teacher. Reading about it is one thing, but doing it is another.
Paul
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