Bulk Aging

[axwilson18]

I'm very new to the winemaking experience and have only made three WE kits so far - Argentine Malbec, Chilean Pinot Noir, and a Zinfandel. Its obvious that aging is very important with wine making and I've enjoyed sampling my wine as it ages. Since I only sample about once per month, I've developed an appreciation for the aging process and notice a significant change each month. Most kits state that they can be bottled in about six weeks to two months. However, instead of trying to bottle my wine in six weeks, suppose I wait six months to bottle it. Will it age in the carboy as though it was in the bottle or does the aging process begin after bottling?

 

[Runningwolf]

AX, aging in the carboy is very exceptable. Another thing some people do when they bottle is to bottle several 375ml bottles. Then you can use these to sample how the wine is aging in the bottles without opening a 750ml bottle.

 

[pete1325]

I normally (bulk) age in 6 gallon carboys. However, when I start to "sample" the fruits of my labor it creates head space in the carboys (not good). When that happens I go from the 6 gallon carboys to a five gallon carboys, then to individual 1 gallon jugs, then to 750 ml bottles until it's gone.

 

[djrockinsteve]

Wine will age slower in bulk. It will mellow and change its complexity. Different nodes will be produced. I make wine from juice buckets and bulk age one year for reds. Six months plus fruits and whites. Wines for my champagne age a year before I begin secondary fermentation.

Do as Dan mentioned. A few small bottles are great if you can stand the temptation.

 

[non-grapenut]

I normally bulk age my batches in the 3 liter glass jugs, like Carlo Rossi's. Make sure the cap is very tight. I normally only have about 25 gallons of wine fining on my kitchen floor in 5 gallon water carboys at one time, so this type of bulk aging works fine for mine and my friend's consumption. This type of aging also helps if there ends up being any very fine sediment. Sometimes I get this no matter how many times I racked the wine, etc. THEN I bottle.

 

[mmadmikes1]

I have taken to aging in corney kegs. They hold 5 gallons, so I bottle 4 bottles out of six gallon batch and age the rest./ The nice thing about aging in a corney keg is you can fill the air space with CO2 and not worry about it

 

[pete1325]

Corney Kegs?

 

[Jwatson]

Cornelius Kegs are the standard soda kegs. I use them for kegging beer. An article on kegging wine from Winemaker Magazine is listed below.

http://www.winemakermag.com/stories...dices/10-bottling/416-kegging-wine-techniques

 

[LJPelletier]

I think I want a corny keg too!

 

[pete1325]

Very cool.

 

[axwilson18]

Thanks for the responses. I really like the idea of bottling a few 375 ml bottles for the purposes of sampling. Sampling over the months has really given me an appreciation for this hobby but I would like to sample less. 375 would be better than 750. My Malbec has been bottled for six months now and I opened a bottle tonight. This is the first time I would say that this wine is actually pretty good, maybe very good.

I'm not to sure about the corny keg and CO2 idea. I have some kegs and use them for beer bu isn't CO2 what we're trying to remove from wine? Maybe I misunderstood something.

 

[Wade E]

Yes but as you woud most likely know by carbing beer if the liquid isnt very cold then you really have to hot it very hard with C02 to get it carbed. With wine in there all you are doing is purging then 02 out and replacing it with very little pressure, basically jjust enough to move the 02 out of there.

 

[mmadmikes1]

Yes but as you woud most likely know by carbing beer if the liquid isnt very cold then you really have to hot it very hard with C02 to get it carbed. With wine in there all you are doing is purging then 02 out and replacing it with very little pressure, basically jjust enough to move the 02 out of there.

Exactly, You can pressurize and tap out a glass, then release the pressure and continue storing without worrying about to big of head space because the head space is filled with co2. I now have 8 corny kegs and my pile is growing. they also take less room than a carboy and if you drop them they don't break

 

[pete1325]

Where do you get them (Corney Kegs)?

 

[dangerdave]

I wouldn't know what a well aged wine of my own is like! Everyone keeps drinking mine! On that note, if you bulk age, it keeps the consumption down. I'm now hiding carboys full of wine under my lab table and telling everyone they are still fermenting.

The "Do Not Enter" rug on the floor in my lab is broken!

The corny keg seems like a good idea, but I love watching the wine clear in the glass carboys. I don't think I'll be swicthing.

 

[robie]

Exactly, You can pressurize and tap out a glass, then release the pressure and continue storing without worrying about to big of head space because the head space is filled with co2. I now have 8 corny kegs and my pile is growing. they also take less room than a carboy and if you drop them they don't break

I have never used a keg, but it sounds like a good solution. Aren't they aluminum and if so, does it affect the taste of the wine in any way?

 

[Bobp]

It's just MHO, that bulk aging greatly increases your chances of achiving consistency throughout the batch...And gives the wine a better chance of developing into it's full potential... I suggest racking every 30 days until you stop getting any lees on the bottom of the carboy..
Aging adds class to the wine as well.. most homemade wines i have had from other people were simply made to achive a high AC... Patience is the key..

 

[MrWino]

How long can you store wine in a corny keg? Does it effect the wine if you pressurize it to remove some to drink? I was at a winery that served all of thier wines on tap. It saved them a lot of work in the botteling department. I used a wine on tap system before but the wine did not last long enough to tell if it remained fresh.

 

[Wade E]

If in a keg like that probably almost indefinetly as long as the keg has been purged properly. As we all know beer goes south much faster and Ive had some beers in there for almsot 4 years oce and they tastedjust as good when it finally petered out as it did after when it reached its prime.

 

[jdrum]

robie all the corny kegs i have seen are stainless. the only question i would have is about the rubber gasket in the top. i know it must be food grade because they are syrup containers and no one has had a problem, in the past.

jim