Left over after bottling

[twistedvine]

When bottling from my carboy, even by rolling up a towel and placing it underneath, I always end up with a little bit of wine left but lots of slurry. I hate wasting this wine even as minute as it is. Could it (left over wine and slurry/sludge) be added to another carboy of similiar type wines???

 

[Dugger]

I don't think it's generally considered a good idea, although some people use some slurry to start fermentation of a new wine. Others with more knowledge on this can better answer this.
What I usually do is pour this leftover wine/slurry into a bottle, let it settle over a day or two for the sediment to fall and then pour off the clear wine and drink it.

 

[Tom]

When bottling from my carboy, even by rolling up a towel and placing it underneath, I always end up with a little bit of wine left but lots of slurry. I hate wasting this wine even as minute as it is. Could it (left over wine and slurry/sludge) be added to another carboy of similiar type wines???

If you have "sludge" then you are bottling way to early.

You should have no sludge and a clear wine @ bottling.

When bottling I would not bottle from the carboy then. I would rack it to a bottling bucket.

 

[winemaker_3352]

If you have "sludge" then you are bottling way to early.

You should have no sludge and a clear wine @ bottling.

When bottling I would not bottle from the carboy then. I would rack it to a bottling bucket.

Tom - is that just a bucket with a spigot on it?

 

[Runningwolf]

Tom - is that just a bucket with a spigot on it?

I agree with Tom. When I bottle my carboy or bucket are crystal clear so there is no chance of picking up any sediment. Even when I filter the wine, I filtering from a sediment free carboy. There is no need for a spigot if you're using a siphoning hose.

 

[Tom]

Tom - is that just a bucket with a spigot on it?

Yes. If you have anything in the carboy @ bottling then you need to rack at least one more time.
Remember the 3 "P's" !

 

[robie]

Yep, should always bottle from a completely clean/clear container.

When you do rack to a carboy or fermentor bucket for bottling, the slurry left over in the originating carboy can be processed as DUGGER said.

Actually, I always save the slurry left at "every" racking, so I can recover the little bit of wine that will settle out. Sometimes it turns out to be more than a little bit, other times there is so little it is not worth saving.

For my purpose, I use a large glass jar, made for holding spaghetti. It has a large mouth and a nice sealing lid. (Any sealable, clean, clear container can be used.) I put all the slurry in it, seal it, and let it set for a day or two. After it settles, I carefully siphon off the top portion and use it for a taste test or put it into the receiving carboy to top off.

 

[Minnesotamaker]

Anytime you rack and leave wine + sediment behind, you can pour it into a wine bottle and pop it in the fridge. Usually after a couple of days, the sediment will settle and you'll have the wine on top. You can either drink it, or use it for topping up another batch you have going.

 

[Wade E]

I agree with all the above as there are a many tips there. 1st never bottle from a vessel with sediement as you are most likely going to end up with a cloudt result. 2nd, you can add all these reminents into 1 vessel increasing the size of the vessel as you go. I had a batch a few years ago that actually came outgreat by doing this but the sad thing is it can never be replicated.

 

[twistedvine]

The only sludge is right at the bottom of the carboy. If I rack into another before bottling or go directly to bottles, there will still always be a little bit of left over wine, as I don't want to disturb the sludge at the bottom with the racking cane. Any suggestions for a better way???

 

[Tom]

Time will settle it. Adding clearing agents help if do that faster. Aging the wine will help as well as racking. Each time you rack you leave just a little more behind until there is nothing left.
As far as topping off I top off with a like wine NEVER water.

A better way... Age your reds for a year. I have never had a clearing problem..

 

[twistedvine]

My wines have always been clear, it's just that everything that was in the wine now sits on the bottom of the carboy. I usually pull a sample to check for clearness and then just bottle from this carboy. Tom, are you telling me to rack more often and then top up after every racking with a similiar type wine?

 

[djrockinsteve]

Tony, you'd be better off to clear with bentonite or sparkelloid for 4-6 weeks. I prefer 6 weeks. Rack the wine off of the lees and let it age. If you get any more sediment it's not a problem and can actually help your wine.

You want to get the dead yeasts out of your wine so they do not start to decay and begin destroying the wine.

After you've aged you can bottle from that though this past season I've racked a week earlier to blend the oak in the wine better before bottling. Remember to add k-meta (Potassium Metabisulfite) at each racking.

 

[Tom]

Yea Steve has it right.
I always say "rack as needed". Now that dont mean racking every week rather 4-6 weeks IF NEEDED. Like steve said you want to get it off the dead yeast and lees which can give you off flavors.

 

[Wade E]

4-6 weeks you guys, really? I am no where near that routine! Here is approx. my routine. I ferment in bucket for about 5-8 days typically and remove pulp and either rack at 1.015 or ferment dry in bucket. I then rack over to carboy and let finish fermenting if racked over and when its done I stabilize and degas and wait about that 4-6 weeks and rack off any sediment but after that I may not rack again for 6 months as those lees add body and mouthfeel to your wine and if you let them compact more you get more wine and less trouble trying not to disturb the lees as easily.

 

[Tom]

Key word "If needed". Not all wine needs to be racked that often I just do it on fruit wine that throw alot of sediment. Then I wait till there is a firm amt.