Beginner racking question...

[burningalive]

I did my first racking from carboy to carboy tonight and did my first tasting! It tasted like wine! I added 1/4 tbs of k-meta and all went well. I have about an inch or so of space at the top and forgot to buy a like wine to top it with...will it hurt it to wait one day? Thanks!

 

[Wade E]

Youll be fine for a day or 2 but dont wait too long. Glad all is going well.

 

[burningalive]

Thanks...I was actually quite suprised how wine like it was....It's only been a month and a half. What does waiting for another month before bottling do for it?

 

[Wade E]

Give it more time to drop anything if there is still any minute solids in suspension and keep you from opening a bottle too early.

 

[burningalive]

Thanks! Now I'm really starting to enjoy this whole thing.....I'm already thinking about my next wine I want to make... I'm alittle nervous about the bottling....but I'm alot more confident now.

 

[Wade E]

Hooked! Now your 1 of us!

 

[burningalive]

Thanks!

 

[gaudet]

Thanks! Now I'm really starting to enjoy this whole thing.....I'm already thinking about my next wine I want to make... I'm alittle nervous about the bottling....but I'm alot more confident now.

You will do fine with the bottling.............. George's videos gave me all I needed to know, but the advice here is priceless as well.

I was as nervous as you probably are. Bottling isn't what scares me, making a bad batch is....................

First two came out ok, now the next three are in progress.

 

[NorthernWinos]

Welcome burningalive....Congratulations on your first wine....Glad it turned out good for you.....

How big of a batch did you make????
Did you add ¼ teaspoon or tablespoon???

Enjoy your wines and the process.....Sounds like it's time to start more.....

 

[Waldo]

Welcome burningalive...what you percieve right now as being good will transfom into excellent with some age on your wine. The hardest thing for all us winemakers to learn and practic is "Patience"

 

[Wine-O]

Welcome Mr. Alive!!
What I do when I need to suck up some head space is have some glass marbles on hand and after sterilizing and rinsing them I add them to the carboy to have the wine fill up the empty space. Hope this helps and gives you another option.
Dave

 

[PolishWineP]

Congratulations on learning to enjoy the process! Bottling can be loads of fun, and it's easier with some help. Don't be in a hurry to get it into the bottle. An extra racking after some extra time in a carboy can help clear it even more.

 

[vino08]

Hola all. I racked my wine (Cabs s ) into a second carboy today - it had been in the one for 14 days, looks very clear. Actually did not taste too bad this time. Little thin maybe but it is still early I know. I switched to a better bottle since the other is so heavy but ended up with about 4 cups left over- it was the gross sediment stuff, but am wondering now if I will be short a couple bottles when I bottle. (The better bottle is full). So I did not have to top up at all. Is that OK? I did not have a great time with the auto siphon- seemed slow so I kept pumping it. Is it just a slow process?
Thanks! Mar (started another kit, too!)

 

[Jwhelan939]

According to what I have read its not dire for you to have it topped up until fermentation is complete. So if your still in secondary fermentation you should be okay for a little while.

 

[Wade E]

Did you get a 3/8" auto-siphon or 1/2", the 3/8" will be slower but the good side is you can use it with 1 gallon jugs. I have the 3/8" and dont mind the little extra time just for that reason. Did you notice any air bubbles where the hose meets the auto-siphon, if so get a small hose clamp and clamp off right at the end of the hose, the better hose clamps are the 1's for fuel injection hoses as they give a more equal pressure and dont have all those grooves in them that eventually destroy a hose. I use 1 every time I use a hose.

 

[uavwmn]

Burning,isn't it nice to be surprised a wine you made tastes so wonderful?
And down the road it will taste even "mo bettah".

 

[Goodfella]

I did my first racking from carboy to carboy tonight and did my first tasting! It tasted like wine! I added 1/4 tbs of k-meta and all went well. I have about an inch or so of space at the top and forgot to buy a like wine to top it with...will it hurt it to wait one day? Thanks!

I was reading some where that you can use marbles to bring up your levels a bit. Cheaper then buying a "topper bottle".


I don't know..... Anybody tried it???

 

[PolishWineP]

We use lots of marbles around here. We store them after they dry in ice cream buckets. We treat them as any other article of wine making equipment. Wash them, sanitize them and then drop them into the carboy and watch the level of the wine slowly rise. After racking be sure you have a strainer in the sink so the marbles don't go down the drain when you pour them out!