Kit and Carboy Question

[HenryMae]

I have a red wine kit for my first attempt at this AWESOME hobby. I have 7.9 gallon fermenter and a 6 gallon carboy to rack to. I plan to bulk age after fermentation is complete for 6-12 months.

My question is, should my final rack be to a 6 gallon or 5 gallon carboy for the bulk aging? I feel like I will come up very short to fill the 6 gallon carboy.

 

[Duster]

Instead of focusing on what size Carboy you have, focus on how much wine you have. You will need to fill your Carboy as full as possible leaving very little air space in the Carboy. Too much air will equal oxidation. You can accomplish this by meany methods of topping up. You should find several threads on the forum discussing different options.

 

[tonyt]

I suggest after clearing you rack down to 5 gallon and bottle the extra in 375ml bottles for early tasting while you wait for the bulk aging and bottle shock. Each month or so you can taste how the wine improves.

 

[vernsgal]

If you feel like you will be a lot less (more than a liter(4 1/8 cups)) short in your 6 gal. I would down rack to a 5gal if bulk aging. You can buy #2 bungs which fit in regular bottles of wine and put the excess in there, or if more ,pick up a 1/2 gal for the excess. You'll be happier with your wine if you don't have to add so much of something different to it.
The trouble with topping up in kits with more than a liter of something else it if you ever want to make the same again, taste may differ. IMO
And welcome to the forum! hope to see more posts from you

 

[LoneStarLori]

Yep. You will def go down to a 5 gal after a few rackings. Just keep what is left over in a 1- gal carboy to use for topping up. You may find that you will even have to use a commercial wine to top up depending on how much you loose in the process.

Welome to WMT!

 

[sour_grapes]

Let me offer a contrary perspective. Since you already have the 6-gallon carboy, just use it. Use a vaguely similar wine to top up.

Adding, say, 1 liter out of 23 will not affect the taste perceptibly. And, as far as the expense goes, this is the way I look at it: I have this liter of wine. I can either drink it now, or I can pour it into that carboy with that other wine and drink it later. No big deal either way.

 

[HenryMae]

Thanks for the insights, truly helped answer my question!

 

[bkisel]

Welcome to the forum!

What does the kit say, if anything, about topping up? My RJS lower end kit instructions do allow for topping up with water. Speaking to RJS CS about this I was told max 750ML of water then use marbles of like wine if more topping up is needed. Glass carboys I'm using marbles and like wine. I'm beginning to prefer Better Bottle for the reason of less topping up, if any, required and easier lifting and moving.

 

[Elmer]

I always run into the same situation.
As often as I tell myself I am going to rack down to a 5, and put the rest in various glad jugs and juice containers (glass), I always seem to go up to a 6.

I always keep store bought wine of our liking around the house.
I think of it this way, topping up with something you like adds to the flavor of what you are making and you get a free wine bottle to de-label, clean, sanitize and fill.

Though it may not be as cost effective as racking to a 5.
I am sure once I get an extra 5 carboy I will just take down!