First racking: lots of leftover room in carboy

[sremick]

More newbie questions as I go through my first kit...

So I did my first racking today (premium 6-gallon LE WinExpert kit). When I transferred to my 6-gallon carboy, I had a LOT more empty space than I was expecting. I don't think I could've safely siphoned more from the primary fermenter bucket... there was a good layer of sludge (and oak chips). I tried adding some sanitized marbles but it didn't really make a dent.

So, what to do at this point:

1) Top off with a similar wine (could be a challenge: it's a Carménère, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, and Pais blend)
2) Top off with water (perhaps the concentration in the kit accommodated for this?)
3) Add a gas layer blanket (I have Private Reserve already).

 

[sour_grapes]

Yeah, this happens. My carboys turned out to be about 6.5 gallons, which confused me at first!

Definitely do not add water. Add a similar wine. Yes, it won't be the same as your kit, but you won't be able to tell. Just use a Cab or Merlot.

 

[sremick]

Ok, thanks. Another question: based upon the photo, about how much wine do you estimate I'll need to add? Wondering if people have enough experience to gauge it visually. Seems more than 1 bottle, not sure if 3 though.

 

[mhopkins]

I'd have three at the ready, and anticipate using 2 and a half (or a little more). Let us know how it goes!

 

[sremick]

Add a similar wine. Yes, it won't be the same as your kit, but you won't be able to tell. Just use a Cab or Merlot.

I need to go pick up another 6-gal carboy today anyway for the next racking (should've studied the future instructions more carefully to realize they expect you to have two, I was just at the homebrew shop yesterday). While I'm up there I can swing by the huge wine shop with a vast inventory and see if they have a Chilean blend that's an even closer match than cab/merlot.

 

[G259]

Yeah, always have to have an extra for racking. In a pinch, I have racked to a sanitized bucket, then back to the cleaned carboy.

 

[sremick]

In a pinch, I have racked to a sanitized bucket, then back to the cleaned carboy.

I considered this, but read it was a very bad idea (too much air, resulting in oxidizing?)

 

[G259]

Note the 'in a pinch' precursor. I wouldn't do it all the time, but once or twice I think would be ok. If it was finished fermenting and you added Campden afterward, I think that would take care of any oxidation. Anyone else care to chime in? (because hey, I'm not ALWAYS correct!)

 

[jgmann67]

So far, you’re doing fine.

When you get a chance, search ‘glass carboy’ on Craigslist. When you see a good price, buy them. One turns into two, two to four, four to ten... you’ll always need more.

That looks like three bottles to me. If you’re going to top off, don’t go crazy with the wine you buy. Just something decent.

Alternatively, you might rack down to a 5 gal carboy (btw - it’s good to have a selection of sizes... I have 1, 3, 5 and 6 gallon car boys).

 

[G259]

. . . good point, I even have some 500 ml Grolsh type swing caps, I use them for the 1 gal. top-ups, from the leftover reserve that I let settle out, and clear.

 

[jgmann67]

I think the universal NO = don’t use water to top up.

For short term, you can also use an All-in-one Headspace Eliminator. Cheap, but, you’ll need a means of pulling a vacuum (like the AIO pump).

 

[monty]

I think the universal NO = don’t use water to top up.

For short term, you can also use an All-in-one Headspace Eliminator. Cheap, but, you’ll need a means of pulling a vacuum (like the AIO pump).

Why is it such a bad thing to use water to top up? Granted, I wouldn't use water if I needed a gallon, but I've never hesitated to top up with a few ounces of bottled water.

 

[bstnh1]

I have several Better Bottle 6 gal. carboys and find that they all vary slightly in capacity. I always thought these were made in a mold and were identical, but not so. If you rack from one with a smaller capacity to one with a larger capacity, you wind up needing to top up more than should be necessary. It's not a lot .... maybe a couple cups ..... but it's annoying.

 

[sour_grapes]

Why is it such a bad thing to use water to top up? Granted, I wouldn't use water if I needed a gallon, but I've never hesitated to top up with a few ounces of bottled water.

A few ounces, sure, I would agree with you. My off-the-cuff response would be to use no more than 4 or 5%. (You can test this by blind-tasting two glasses of the same wine, with and without 5% water added.) I think the picture in the OP is more like 10%.

 

[sremick]

Well it ended up being like 3 bottles plus another cup or 2. I had picked up some inexpensive bottles of Carménère and used all of those, then opened up a cab I had on hand for the balance and drank the rest.

Unfortunately using a 5-gal carboy and then a 1 gallon wouldn't have helped me. I would've still either had a lot of headspace or some leftover unfinished wine to dump.

Speaking of carboys... my local supplier has a good price, so I now have 2x 6-gal and 2x 5-gal... but I noticed last night that they are made in China. It seems like most shun the Chinese carboys and insist on Italian. My original logic was by buying them from my local vendor, exchanges/refunds would be easier if I had a problem. Just how bad is the quality difference between the Chinese and Italian glass carboys? Would it justify ordering the Italian ones online and paying the premium?

 

[monty]

A few ounces, sure, I would agree with you. My off-the-cuff response would be to use no more than 4 or 5%. (You can test this by blind-tasting two glasses of the same wine, with and without 5% water added.) I think the picture in the OP is more like 10%.

That's exactly what I was thinking. I was confused by the "universal no".

 

[jgmann67]

That's exactly what I was thinking. I was confused by the "universal no".

A little here and there, but that much??? I don’t know anyone who would pour that much water in their wine.

 

[Ajmassa]

Well it ended up being like 3 bottles plus another cup or 2. I had picked up some inexpensive bottles of Carménère and used all of those, then opened up a cab I had on hand for the balance and drank the rest.

Unfortunately using a 5-gal carboy and then a 1 gallon wouldn't have helped me. I would've still either had a lot of headspace or some leftover unfinished wine to dump.

Speaking of carboys... my local supplier has a good price, so I now have 2x 6-gal and 2x 5-gal... but I noticed last night that they are made in China. It seems like most shun the Chinese carboys and insist on Italian. My original logic was by buying them from my local vendor, exchanges/refunds would be easier if I had a problem. Just how bad is the quality difference between the Chinese and Italian glass carboys? Would it justify ordering the Italian ones online and paying the premium?

??? You could have racked that down to a 5gal. And put the leftover in a bottle. Minimal leftover. No headspace. I keep little vessels of all sizes for this reason.

And not sure about the Carboy quality. A glass carboy is a glass carboy IMO. Haven’t heard anything before about Chinese Carboys being lesser quality.

 

[cmason1957]

???
And not sure about the Carboy quality. A glass carboy is a glass carboy IMO. Haven’t heard anything before about Chinese Carboys being lesser quality.

Oh you weren't around about 4 years ago (or was it longer ago) then. Folks were having carboys crack left and right. Almost every day (or so it seemed) and not from bumping, hot water, mishandling. The carboy would be sitting there full and just break.

All of them were reported to have come from China. As I remember the root cause may have been slightly thinner glass than the Italian Carboys. I don't know if quality has improved or not, but I always check and look for Italian or the older Mexican carboys.

 

[monty]

A little here and there, but that much??? I don’t know anyone who would pour that much water in their wine.

Oh totally agree I wouldnt top up that much with water! I thought you were saying you would never top up with water.