Other Topping Off a Merlot

[uavwmn]

I had the Cellar Craft Washington Yakima Valley Syrah in a 5 gal carboy, racked to the 6 gal carboy for stabilization and clearing. I needed to top off the carboy but did not have a syrah. I topped off with a cabmerlot I made a couple of months ago. I had to add 2 bottles.
Is this going to change the taste of the syrah at all??

 

[grapeman]

2 bottles is bound to change it just a tiny bit, but won't affect it enough to be off target-unless the other wine is really, really bad. Did you put it in the 6 gallon for the process and then put back in the 5- or did you keep it in the 6 and then top up?

 

[uavwmn]

Appleman, lol, I hope the Cabmerlot I made isn't "really really bad"!! Smelled good when I poured it in there. haha


I added the 2 bottles when I transferred from the 5 gal to the 6 gal carboy.

 

[grapeman]

Why I asked is that would leave an awful lot of headspace unless other additives were put in. Did you have some original topping up wine left from the start?

 

[uavwmn]

No, not at all. I used a 5 gal carboy for the primary process. Didn't have to top off at all.
Transferred to the 6 gal and had ALOT of space left over!! So I topped off with 2 bottles of wine and a 1/2 bottle of water.
I thought it was odd.

 

[grapeman]

That is really strange. It sounds more like you had a 6 and a 6.5 gallon carboy, not 5 and 6. If you had a six and 5, it would have take 5 extra bottles to make up the gallon. The 6 gallon would have been the correct size for the initial amount also. Check for a number on the bottom, although I recently had a 5 given to me that was marked with a six on the bottom. You could take a gallon milk jug and fill the carboy with 5 of them and see if it is full or a gallon short, that would tell you for sure.

 

[uavwmn]

Appleman, I think I will do that. The 5 gal I got at a Thrift Store. The other carboys I bought from George as 6 gal carboys.

 

[wctisue]

I use the 6-gallon carboys (Better Bottles) through stabilization and clearing. I hate to go open a bottle or two of wine to add to the 6-gallon to get the right head space. So when the wine is clear I rack to a 5-gallon carboy for bulk aging. I have a full carboy and a bottle or more to enjoy now!


Seems counter productive to open bottles of wine now to get bottles of wine later.


Wayne

 

[uavwmn]

Sue, at the time (when I was freaking over all the head space) I never thought about paying Peter to pay Paul. I just hope I didn't screw this one up.
Next time I will transfer over from 6 gal to 5 gal so as not to rob from my wine rack.

 

[Wade E]

Me thinks you need to stop testing so much or racking too much or be more careful racking, I have never had to add more then 1 bottle.

 

[uavwmn]

Wade, I followed the directions to this wine kit to the letter.

 

[Wade E]

Did you ever check your primary bucket for accuracy and what was the range given for SG on this kit and what dd you have for a starting SG?

 

[uavwmn]

Wade, primary bucket is the size it is supposed to be. S.G reading for this wine was right on.
Thanks for the help, I have it under control.

 

[Wade E]

UAV, Im just asking cause most including all 4 of my primary buckets scale are off by almost 1/4 gallon. 2 of them are from George and 2 of them were different from a local retailer.

 

[PatL]

I always top off using and re-using glass beads/marbles I purchased at a hobby shop. Never have to worry about matching the wine or use an expensive commercial wine to top off.

 

[grapeman]

Welcome PatL. You aren't the only one here doing that. It is a great way to top off when you only need fairly small amounts of space to fill. Thanks for reminding us of this. A lot of newer member have never heard of this and a reminder such as this is helpful from time to time.

 

[uavwmn]

Appleman, I concurr.

I think I need to go to the "marble" store. haha

 

[uavwmn]

Pat, cute dog.

I am thinking I will go shopping for marbles tomorrow.

 

[uavwmn]

Appleman, by the way, how many marbles would I need? 3 bags? 10 bags?

 

[grapeman]

Whatever you can afford. Buy in bulk and get plenty. Then just put in what you need to raise the level enough.