New to wine making. Making my first batch of muscadine wine now. Must is still in the primary fermenter. I will rack to a 3 gallon carboy. When it's time for the next racking, is it OK to rack to smaller containers such as 1 gallon jugs/jars? If so, any advantage to keeping the batch together? This batch of wine is an experiment since I had some left over muscadines. Trying to decide on whether getting 1 gallon jugs/jars or another 3 gallon carboy. I've read where some will be lost after each racking. Thanks for the help.
Secondary racking - ok to split batch?
- Thread starter a4wanman
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Racking losses are real and significant/normal. Smaller vessels are extremely useful because you want full (minimal airspace) storage, and you're going to loose more volume than you think. At small volumes like this, think divisions. If your main body is 3 gallons, have three 1 gallons also, and 2 half gallons, and some sterilized wine bottles. You don't have much room for error here.
After primary fermentation, head space is all bad, so make sure everything is completely topped up. Once your production increases, you'll get to larger and larger storage vessels. Next year aim for 6 gallons, which can rack to 5 gallons. It's just how this game is played. Eventually you'll decide on how much you want, than increase that by 30% or so to make up for racking losses and make it more likely you'll end up with what you want.
After primary fermentation, head space is all bad, so make sure everything is completely topped up. Once your production increases, you'll get to larger and larger storage vessels. Next year aim for 6 gallons, which can rack to 5 gallons. It's just how this game is played. Eventually you'll decide on how much you want, than increase that by 30% or so to make up for racking losses and make it more likely you'll end up with what you want.
I agree with @CDrew,,,, i make more in my ferment barrels ,Then will fit into my carboys, i keep many jugs from 1 gallon down to 750 ml, that way at ever racking i can top up my headspace in my carboys, also keep plenty of drilled bungs to fit them smaller jugs, as well as airlocks too,, for me a gallon and half gallon finger hole jugs are 38-400 thread, a 6.5 drilled bung will fit them, i also keep pints with 38-400 threads, wine bottles i use the small univocal bung that fit our glass carboys, you just turn them upside down and they fit your wine bottles so you can keep plenty of 6'5 and universal bungs to airlock your smaller jugs and wine bottles for topping off after racking
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