Adding water

[Kevin Baugher]

I have batches with less volume than the recipes called for. For example, my 3 gallon strawberry batch has yielded 2 1/4 gallons after second racking. How can I tell if it is ok to add water to make up for volume loss?

 

[ChuckD]

Welcome to WMT.

Adding 3/4 gallons of water post-fermentation would seriously water down your wine. Small amounts of topping up can be done with a neutral or similar wine. Or get various sized containers to fit your wine.

I always start my wine batches bigger to fit the final carboy for aging.

 

[winemaker81]

Another option is to go to smaller containers, e.g., two 1 gallon containers. Adding water will produce disappointment.

 

[Daniel Moy]

Just a question. I like Rombauer Chardonnay. Does anyone know if any of the chardonnay wine kits can produce wine as good as that? What are your favorite chardonnay wine kits? I like it oaky and buttery..

thanks for your feedback!

 

[Rice_Guy]

Welcome to Wine Making Talk

the biggest comment to make is that oxygen is the enemy, you can reduce the impact a bit by adding higher K metabisulphite but oxygen/ air will win.

I have batches with less volume than the recipes called for. For example, my 3 gallon strawberry batch has yielded 2 1/4 gallons after second racking. How can I tell if it is ok to add water to make up for volume loss?

* adding water will dilute the flavor, but having extra headspace will kill the flavor. On my part I would rather have weak flavor than bad flavor.
* reading old posts you will find a variety of answers that range from flushing with argon to topping off with marbles or a similar wine. This is an issue that all of us have dealt with and each of us tweaks the solution with what is available.
* you need to do something to minimize head space, a week shouldn’t be tasted. ,,, What objects do you have access to? It doesn’t have to be today, but if you let 3/4 gallon headspace go a month you will taste it.