Top up

[Lonzo]

ok i have 5 gallons of apple....the more i rack the more open air in the top of the carboy.....what would be best to top up with??

Apple juice?
Store bought Apple wine dry??
Distilled water??

 

[Arne]

If you top off with apple juice and it isn't stabalized, it will probably referment. Store bought apple wine should not give you a referment and should keep the abv. up. Water will dilute it, apple does not have a big flavor to it and you can get it where the flavor is pretty weak. Next time, try and make an extra gallon when you start it. It will give you something to top up with and maybe a little extra to sample. Arne.

 

[Lonzo]

i normally do but goofed this time.....i might just rack it as a 3 gallon, 1 gallon, 1 gallon

 

[salcoco]

I have made wine for may years and never topped up my carboys. I use argon gas to evacuate the oxygen although this does not remove all of the air. Proper SO2 protocol will prevent problems.

 

[Lonzo]

ok so no need to top up?

 

[wineforfun]

i normally do but goofed this time.....i might just rack it as a 3 gallon, 1 gallon, 1 gallon

This is what I did when I was going to have to "top up" again. Worked out nicely.

 

[jpcedotal]

so...I am pretty sure I should have about a mason jar of extra when I get ready to move to the carboy. Do I just put in a jar and use it to top off every 3 weeks or so?

 

[Arne]

so...I am pretty sure I should have about a mason jar of extra when I get ready to move to the carboy. Do I just put in a jar and use it to top off every 3 weeks or so?

If you put it in a mason jar, stick it in the refrigerator. If you put it in wine bottles, find a drilled bung that will fit it and slap an airlock on it. Either way, before I dump it in my carboy, I will do the sniff and taste test to make sure it is still good. The early wine like that might not taste the best, but don't want to ruin the good with something spoiled. Arne.