RJ Spagnols Still topping up with 3-4 bottles of wine?!?

[Gekko4321]

Ugh. Just went to degas stage with RJS EP SB and once again did not have enough wine on hand to top up with. Something is not right here. This time I did not have a leaking wine kit. I sucked every drop of wine out during both transfers leaving just sediment behind. I poured 2 bottles of store bought wine in to top up and it wasn't enough. I need 1, maybe 2 more. I am starting to think the measurements on the fermenting bucket or the carboy are not what is advertised. I am going to 5 gallon carboy next because it is only viable solution. Problem is not just cost of all this store bought wine, but I am changing flavor profile on each of these new batches. Anyone else note this problem?

 

[grapeman]

Every one of the new carboys I have with ribs hold 32 bottles of wine or about 6.5 gallons of wine. If you can get the older Mexican carboys they will be 6 gallons and require less topping. I isn't a problem for me as I have almost 100 carboys to select from. Using the 5 gallon one with an extra bottle or two is an option for you.

 

[ibglowin]

I get 31 bottles which comes out to 23.25L or ~ 6.15G But you are correct the Italian Carboys take a lot more to top off. I can't say I have noticed it really changing the flavor profile all that much IMHO. If it bugs you, then racking it down to 5G Carboy or topping up with a boatload of marbles is about your only option.

 

[v1rotate]

Make sure your fermentation bucket is correctly marked at 6 gallons! If you are making wine batches to slightly less than 6 gallons it makes the topping problem worse.

You might want to make a couple of 10L kits, one red and one white to use for topping. At least you won't be paying retail prices for bottles of wine.

Like Mike says, I haven't noticed a change in flavor profile due to the kind of wine I top up with.

 

[ibglowin]

If only if were that easy eh!

Like Mike says, I haven't noticed a change in flavor profile due to the kind of wine I top up with.

 

[Gekko4321]

It is tricky though. If I am buying 4 bottles of a wine that is to be comparable to what this kit is supposed to be, then I have to pay $20-$40 a bottle. That's really expensive especially compared to the kit. So then I am looking at the cheaper New Zealand SB's and they are $8-$10 a bottle. Still pricey and I am not sure of quality, hence I do not know if I am hurting the flavor profile! Throw in the fact that degassing is now paused till I can run out to buy more wine and one can understand this annoyance. I guess I have no choice but to get a 5 gallon carboy but it is a litle too late now for my last 2 (and first two) batches.

 

[Jwatson]

After fermentation, I rack to a 5 gallon carboy. Filled up to the neck equals 5.5 gallons. I rack the remaining wine to a 1/2 gallon jug or similar size (cheap jug wine containers work well). In addition, I put an airlock on this smaller one. I use this smaller jug to top off the next 5 gallon carboy after each racking and for tasting. Don't forget to add sulfite to this smaller jug. I use .4 grams of k-meta for the 1/2 gallon size.

 

[Wade E]

I agree as you are most likely not adding enough water in primary or that the carboy you are using is bigger which is most likely the problem or even both!!

 

[ibglowin]

You could easily go with Yellow Tail Sauv Blanc for $4.99 The flavor profile is pretty close for the money. Nobilo is $8.99 at my local store and it has a $1.50 coupon on it. That is a heck of a NZ Sauv blanc for that price.Kim Crawford is only 12.99 at Costco and its also one of the best NZ Sauv Blanc's. Trader Joe's also has a nice selection of NZ Sauv Blancs for less than $7 and I see your in San Diego which has many TJ's.

It is tricky though. If I am buying 4 bottles of a wine that is to be comparable to what this kit is supposed to be, then I have to pay $20-$40 a bottle. That's really expensive especially compared to the kit. So then I am looking at the cheaper New Zealand SB's and they are $8-$10 a bottle. Still pricey and I am not sure of quality, hence I do not know if I am hurting the flavor profile! Throw in the fact that degassing is now paused till I can run out to buy more wine and one can understand this annoyance. I guess I have no choice but to get a 5 gallon carboy but it is a litle too late now for my last 2 (and first two) batches.

 

[rrussell]

It's amazing to me that in this day and age they can't even make a 23 liter jug that is actually 23 liters.

 

[Gekko4321]

I agree Ron. When did a 6 gallon carboy become 6.5?? Strange. I appreciate all the advice above. I am just frustrated with some of these details which make things harder than they should be.

 

[joeswine]

NOT ENOUGH

WHEN ITS ALL SAID AND DONE APPLE MAN IS CORRECT ,YOU NEED A WIDE VARITY OF CARBOYS IN THIS FIELD OF PLAY TO OVER COME THE WINE MAKING PROCESS OF ELEMINATION ..TOPPING OFF IS EXPENSIVE AND COULD CHANGE THE WINE (BUT NOT LIKELY),HAVING THE ABILITY TO SHIFT GEARS AND TO DOWNSIZE IS KEY ,A WINE MAKER NEEDS A LOT OF TOOLS IN HIS OR HER TOOL BOX AND A VARITY OF GLASS CONTAINERS(CARBOYS) IS A VERY MUCH NEED ITEM..NO DOUGHT 3,4,5,6,AND THE LIST CAN GO ON, BUT DIFFERENT VOLUMES YOU NEED IN THIS CRAFT ,NO DOUGHT...

 

[Jackie]

It's prob the carboy size. I can tell different volumes using two 3gal instead of my 6 gallon Better Bottle (the 3 gal glass holds more). I have racked down to a 5 gal before since I have various smaller sizes of containers and appropriate bungs to go with them. I've never noticed any change in profile from topup wine but that's a personal assessment. You don't need to use expensive wine. An inexpensive bottle will do just as well and you won't notice the difference. But I would not topup with anything I wouldn't be willing to drink. It was more an expense issue for me. Fortunately now I have enough of my own wines to use for topup.

 

[joeswine]

REMEMBER I STATED YOU CAN NEVER OUT THINK THE WINE,YOU JUST HAVE TO BE PREPARED FOR ANYTHING

 

[tonyt]

I actually look forward to topping up. I plan my top up when I make my planning notes prior to starting a batch of wine. Either I'll choose a top up to mimic what the finished wine should taste like or I choose something to add a taste I feel is missing. A few times I choose bottles to top up with that were quite mature in order to add some instant age (that really worked). I use commercial wine, my previously bottled wine and extra wine that didn't fit in one of the 5 gallon carboys. I see topping up as another opportunity to make a kit my own.

A couple years ago I topped up a WE Petit Verdot kit with two bottles of $14.00, 2000 Bordeaux (a terrific value from the vintage of the century). Added about a dollar to the cost of each bottle and ended up with a 31 fantastic bottles, one of which win a bronze metal in competition. that 8 year old Bordeaux might have helped.

 

[Bacci]

An earlier post, talked about racking down to a 1 gal, or less jug. This is what I do after moving from a 6 gal Plastic Better Boy, gives me the oppt. to degas with pump, but adding KMET is guess work to these jugs, 1 gal, 3 lt., 1.5 lt. How do you measure .4 gram without a scale? I do have a 1/16tsp., how many grams would be in that measure? is that too much for a 1 gal. jug. and finally if I bought a gram scale, aretheyaccurate whenweighing less than a gram?

 

[ibglowin]

You need to get a small micro scale that will weigh to 2 decimal places. Pick up one of the balance sets that has weights from 50GM down to 100MG. You can get both for around $25 or so if you look around. And yes they are amazingly accurate but you need the weights to always check and make sure they are weighing properly before you use them.

How do you measure .4 gram without a scale? I do have a 1/16 tsp., how many grams would be in that measure? is that too much for a 1 gal. jug. and finally if I bought a gram scale, are they accurate when weighing less than a gram?

 

[v1rotate]

Here's another idea. Dissolve 1/4 tsp of KM in 300mL of top up wine in a measuring cup. Then just add 50mL of the solution to a 1G container (1/6th). If you have a smaller container than 1G you could dissolve the 1/4 tsp KM in 500mL of top up wine and add 40mL of that solution to a 1/2 gallon container. It doesn't have to be exact, of course. This will get you in the ballpark.

 

[Scott]

Maybe rack into a ferm bucket or the likes and add what chemsyou need then break down to proper size carboy's?


six of one half a dozen of another

 

[v1rotate]

Maybe rack into a ferm bucket or the likes and add what chemsyou need then break down to proper size carboy's?


six of one half a dozen of another

This is actually the way I approach the problem, Scott. Transfer to the bucket, add everything and mix it up, then transfer to a carboy and maybe a growler.