extend bottling over two days?

[Trubador]

Looking for verification of my reasoning regarding the bottling process.


I am thinking I can do the following in order to extend the process over a 2 day period.


First Day: Use the vinator to sanitize all the bottles with k-meta. Then, instead of draining on the bottle tree, put a piece of aluminum foil over the top of the bottle and put in box right side up. Do this for all 30 bottles.


Second Day: transfer bottles to bottle tree to drain. Meanwhile, rack wine to bottling bucket and then bottle as usual.


Most of the work is happening on the second day, but by sanitizing on the first day, it cuts short the amount of free time needed by a little bit each day. The main question is whether my method above would keep the bottles sanitized properly until the second day.

 

[grapeman]

You will waste more time trying to split the chore up than you will save in my opinion. It will take time to cut foil and cover, and then put in a box. Then you need to remove the foil, drain and still bottle. Just do it right after putting on the rack. Give them 5-10 minutes to drain and bottle.

 

[vcasey]

Just bottle them and get it over with. I agree with Appleman that will just waste time.
VPC

 

[Trubador]

points taken. I assume then having the bottles with drips and drops still inside of k-meta will not impart any added chemical taste to the wine. I have been trying to let them get really dry before bottling in the past.

 

[grapeman]

Drying is not at all necessary. The amount of k-meta in the few drops is neglible.

 

[Wayne1]

I always figure that maybe the extra drops will just help preserve the wine - from what I learned at Winestock from Matteo a lot of our wines may be undersulfited anyway

 

[Tom]

You need a "helper" it can be a child,spouse, friendwho sanitizes the bottles to helping you cork.

Do it all the same day.

 

[pelican]

I agree with the above - do it the same day.


My process is - vinator for the Kmeta rinse of the bottles, one case at a time,putting the bottles upside down in the box to drain. I don't wait for them to be completely dry either.
Then I start filling bottles- get one filled, start the next one, cork the filled one... the next one is now full, start the next bottle, cork the second one and so one. Caveat is I have a floor corker! And I also have a helper, my daughter likes to set up the corker with a new cork while I'm swapping bottles on the filler wand. Then I load the bottle into the corker and she works the lever. Then I get the bottle out of the corker and she puts it in the box and hands me the new bottle. However I've also been able to do my routine solo.

 

[Trubador]

just curious. It takes me the better part of 2 to 2.5 hours from start to finish to bottlea batch of wine inclusive of cleanup. Is that what it takes all of you? Or are you quicker?

 

[Tom]

Takes me 2 hours to do 2 batches, 12 gallons not counting labeling

 

[Trubador]

Takes me 2 hours to do 2 batches, 12 gallons not counting labeling

Including cleanup of the carboys, bottling buckets, tubing, putting everything away, etc....?

 

[vcasey]

Now ask him what kind of bottle filler he's using.

I'll bet you are using the spring filler.
VPC

 

[Tom]

Now ask him what kind of bottle filler he's using.

I'll bet you are using the spring filler.
VPC

the Buon Vino bottle filler real fast

 

[Trubador]

I use the spring filler and a bottling bucket with a spigot.

 

[Tom]

Now ask him what kind of bottle filler he's using.

I'll bet you are using the spring filler.
VPC

the Buon Vino bottle filler real fast

Here it is

 

[pelican]

Including cleanup of the carboys, bottling buckets, tubing, putting everything away, etc....?

I bottle from the carboy - so that saves me time racking from carboy to bucket and one less thing to clean up. I rack off sediment (or filter before hand) some days/while before bottling and then go carefully at the end for any fine sediment left in the carboy.

If you are really short of time, just put it off - more time in the carboy won't hurt anything, usually helps!

 

[Trubador]

well, I bottled it up tonight. took a bit less than 2 hours, got started at 8PM and I'm cleaned up, posting on finevinewines, drinking a glass of "extra" and eating some irish cheddar watching then end of deadliest catch.....good nite

It was a Mosti All Juice merlot that I pitched the yeast last June. Been sitting in a carboy about 11 months.

Tastes good. Still needs some time though. something about drinking right after adding the extra k-meta and sorbate always seem to give a very small "off taste". But it goes away after time in the bottle, but all in all I think this wine is going to come around real well. Very drinkable now, but I won't be really touching it until at least the fall. I can tell this one wants to sit in the bottle another 6 to 12 months to really come into it's own.

Such a fun hobby