Topping off after primary ferment.

[Tuesdayafternoon]

Hi, I just finished the primary fermentation on my first batch of wine. The wine is a merlot from a WE kit with grape skins. My O.G. was 1.084 and the reading after day 7 of fermentation was .994 I've racked to secondary.
There is only a bubble now and then thru my airlock. The directions seem to point to topping up at a later stage, during clearing and stabilizing. Directions say to let sit 10 days now, then after 10 days my S.G. should be down to
.998 or less. It's already at .994, so is this good or bad at this stage? I was expection maybe 1.010...
Regarding topping off, at this stage the directions don't state to top off. I've measured the must in the carboy and it is about 4 1/2" down from the top of the neck. Could that amount of space cause some oxidation at this point? I have a bottle of merlot I was going to use to top off with. Should I top it off a little at this stage?? Temp. is stable at 72-74 degrees in a small room with ambient temp. at about 70-72.
I have a lot to learn and a long ways to go. Thanks in advance for your advice.

 

[bkisel]

None of the kits I've done have had me top off while in "secondary". You're getting a bubble now and then so you're still producing CO2. I would wait the 10 days and pick up again just as the instructions would have you do.

And... Welcome to the forum!

 

[asterof]

Secondary

same here, I racked from primary to secondary at 1.00
left about 3 inches in secondary so yeast would have some O2
it was bubbling and the CO2 will displace the O2 because it is
heavier, so little chance of OX occurring.
However if it was me, I would leave it in secondary until all fermentation stops, just to be sure. Use your Hydro to know when that occurs.

 

[sour_grapes]

It certainly wouldn't hurt to top it off with a like wine now. I agree you don't need to do that at this stage, but if you are going to do it eventually, why not do it now?

Having said that, I am at almost the exact same stage, and haven't bothered to top off yet, but I will soon.

 

[Tuesdayafternoon]

Thanks for the replies.
I was wondering also if dropping down to .994 during primary fermentation is normal? Also, is it pretty much true that after primary ferm. that if you have an airlock on the container, and there is space on top, regardless of whether it's a carboy or jug, or wine bottle, that the just fermented wine won't go bad as long as there is an air lock? I'm asking this because of the photos on this forum I've seen of partially filled bottles and jugs, etc. Does OX spoil the must only in the later stages? Thanks for the help. Tuesday

 

[ColemanM]

I'm sure someone else will explain this better but... During primary fermentation the yeast actually needs o2 to get their job done. So splashing around a red to get o2 into it at this stage is actually beneficial, however when the yeast has done their job and are shutting down, you should minimize the amount of oxygen your wine is exposed to. When you rack to a secondary fermenter, hopefully glass jug, you drive off some co2 during the process which is a byproduct of the yeast's work. This should help create a "buffer" in the carboy by displacing the lighter o2 out. At your room's ambient temperature your wine will naturally degas during your secondary. So you may see what looks to be an active fermentation. These bubbles are usually really small and stack on top of each other. That will also help create a buffer. Wait out the ten days until your hydrometer is giving you the same reading three days in a row then move on to the next step. There is no rush to move on. Some would say to wait 20 days just to let everything settle out and do its job. Your wine will be fine. As for others who have a lot of headspace in pictures, I can't comment on. I've not seen this. But I am not concerned even if my wine in secondary is only up to the shoulders of the carboy. Well, actually I'm pretty upset that I am gonna get less than 6 gallons! Hope this helps.
Also, a finished wine will become oxidized with prolonged exposure to 02. Sulfite added to your wine will help prevent this but will dissipate over time with too much exposure to o2.

 

[LoneStarLori]

Welcome TuesdayAfternoon! Moody Blues fan by chance? lol

There has been some good advice and answers. I wanted to chime in on the level of headspace on some of the pictures you might have seen. Joeswine does a lot of pictorial posts and if you have seen his, they may have a lot of headspace. He fills his headspace with a gas, as a few others do, but I cannot remember what kind it is at the moment.
Like ColemanM, i rack down especially if it will be more than a bottle to top up. Then cry that my 6 gallons turned into five.

The good news is, after a few batches you can top up with your own wine.

 

[Tuesdayafternoon]

Thanks for the education everyone!
Lori, who are the Moodies? What had me confused besides my S.G of .994 after primary, was some of the pics I've seen that show a 3/4 filled growler sized jug with airlock on. I had been thinking that smaller jugs were for overflow, but now see that if the right steps are followed, a nice wine could be finished in a growler-sized jug.
I did almost start with a 5 gal. carboy with a 6 gal. kit, and then by reading here decided to purchase a 6 gal. carboy at startup. Glad I did. So my red currently has about 4" of headspace and is still burping occasionally, so I'll not top it up I guess and just follow the kit steps thru to end. I do want to let it sit in the bottle for 8 mos. to a year or so minimum. Thanks to you all for your insight and knowledge.
I'll probably be back as I stumble for more answers another day.
Maybe doesn't matter but is .994 relatively normal? Kit comments has me wondering whether a S.G. of .994 is about 10-12 days early?? Thanks all!

 

[sour_grapes]

just follow the kit steps thru to end.

Always a fine idea,

Maybe doesn't matter but is .994 relatively normal? Kit comments has me wondering whether a S.G. of .994 is about 10-12 days early?? Thanks all!

Yeah, sounds fine. You cannot expect your instructions to know your conditions to within the day....

 

[Enologo]

The WE kits I have made have you wait to top off until after stabilizing so you have room in the carboy to add your meta and sorbate and stir without having an overflow. After this is done they have you topping off, at least in the kits I've made in the past though I understand now they are saying not to top off though I prefer to top off or rack down. Just my $.02.

 

[jamesngalveston]

well if you dont know who the moody blue is you either have on cummunication with the outside world...are you are under 30.

 

[jamesngalveston]

they were a huge music band in the late 70s early 80s...first to use a moog and syntheziser in music....
put out quite a few albums, were in the same time as grand funk, steppinwolf,pinkfloyd,jamesgang,who,deep purple, etc..

I agree with sourgrapes, it does not hurt to top off now.