Topping off a 6 gallon carboy

[bsea]

Hey, wine makers I just racked 5 gallons of Muscadine wine out of my primary bucket into a 6 gallon carboy, what do I use to top it off to get the carboy full ?
I've read that you use a commercial wine are some of your older stock. need some advise please!
Thanks for any help!
bsea

 

[Boatboy24]

Any chance you have a 5 gallon carboy? That's a lot to top up.

 

[Rocky]

I was going to say the same thing that Jim said. Also, since you have just come from your primary to your secondary fermenter, you will again get more sediment so the next time you rack you will be less than 5 gallons. How much less remains to be seen but you may have to go to a 3 gallon plus a 1 gallon plus a 1/2 gallon. If you plan to stay in the hobby for, start amassing carboys and jugs of various sizes. Sizing down your fermenting vessels is preferable to topping up to take up the volume, IMO.

 

[DoctorCAD]

AllinOne Headspace Eliminator!

 

[vacuumpumpman]

I would rack down to a 5 gallon carboy ,considering that's what you originally started with. Then add the headspace eliminator so you will not have to have 3 or more vessels as Rocky explained

 

[Bygsky]

Has anyone tried the Private Reserve spray? puts a layer of inert gases on top of the wine to prevent oxidation.

I used to use flat glass marbles to top off when there was a little space but not a whole gallon. I just picked up additional carboys in varying sizes for the future when I have to do this, plus the smaller sizes will allow me to experiment with blends without ruining a whole batch.

 

[loumik]

I've been using AIO Headspace eliminators for a little over a month now. They are working out great. No worrying about CBs being too large or topping off the CB.

 

[vacuumpumpman]

.
@ loumik

I should have you post on the review of the headspace eliminator -

http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=49529&page=4

 

[bsea]

Thanks guy's I will re-rack to a 5 gallon carboy

 

[vacuumpumpman]

Thanks guy's I will re-rack to a 5 gallon carboy

Best choice at this moment - I am glad you have a 5 gallon carboy on - hand

 

[DoctorCAD]

I've got my first carboy with the Headspace Eliminator on it. I was going to bottle, so I figured I'd only need it a week. Things keep getting in the way and I'm now sitting at 3 weeks and I can't get to it this weekend. It is still completely deflated, meaning zero (or as little as can be achieved on earth) air in contact with my wine. I did not expect it to last this long, more of a temporary measure.

Once again, Steve provides a great product. If he could only start building cars or TV's!

 

[sour_grapes]

meaning zero (or as little as can be achieved on earth) air in contact with my wine.

Note: Steve claims that he only removes about 70% of the air (although his tests seem to me to indicate a higher percentage, like maybe 85%).

Certainly, other pumps exist (not necessarily suitable for winemaking) that could remove essentially all of the air, >99%.

 

[vacuumpumpman]

@Paul
Not sure where I mentioned 70% of the air being removed with the headspace eliminator.

I know that it helps in the oxygen exposure to your wine not sure what percentage because there are factors that are unknown like CO2 removal while using the headspace eliminator

 

[vacuumpumpman]

@ DoctorCad

Actually I build and design police vehicles for my primary job .

 

[sour_grapes]

@Paul
Not sure where I mentioned 70% of the air being removed with the headspace eliminator.

I was referring to, for example, here: http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=571322&postcount=15 . There are many other places where you claim the ultimate pressure of your pump is 21-22 inHg, which is about 70% of atmospheric pressure. (Although, as I have said, it appears that your pump actually does quite a bit better than that.) I agree with you that the amount of oxygen left depends on a number of unknown factors, including CO2 release from the fluid being pumped.

 

[DoctorCAD]

The headspace eliminator doesnt need the all in one pump to work. I used my Vac-u-vin and it pulled the bulb completely flat.

 

[DoctorCAD]

Here is my carboy at 3 weeks or so.

 

[sour_grapes]

The headspace eliminator doesnt need the all in one pump to work. I used my Vac-u-vin and it pulled the bulb completely flat.

Wine Spectator had a scientist test the vacuum levels achievable by a Vac-u-vin, and he found it could remove about 70% of the air just after pumping: http://johnonwine.com/2009/12/17/friends-dont-let-friends-vacu-vin/

I would imagine this is obvious, but just in case: the bulb will become flat long before all the air is removed from the vessel. That is, it is not the case that the bulb deflates, say, 10% when you remove 10% of the air, and 40% when you remove 40% of the air, etc.

 

[vacuumpumpman]

@ Paul

Not sure what you are trying to get across ?
I noticed that is almost a 10 year old article and most all the links are dead -

The headspace eliminator will not collapse until approx 10 inches of vacuum is achieved due to the integrity of the bulb itself.

I don't know how you can even install a vac-u vin onto a 3/8 barb connector ?

I never had any luck with the numerous vacu -u vin designs because they always leak over a short period of time.

 

[DoctorCAD]

@ Paul

Not sure what you are trying to get across ?
I noticed that is almost a 10 year old article and most all the links are dead -

The headspace eliminator will not collapse until approx 10 inches of vacuum is achieved due to the integrity of the bulb itself.

I don't know how you can even install a vac-u vin onto a 3/8 barb connector ?

I never had any luck with the numerous vacu -u vin designs because they always leak over a short period of time.

I fit the wine bottle half over the clear tube that comes out of the headspace eliminator stopper and it seals perfectly. Put the pump half on the bottle half and start pulling vacuum.