WineXpert Topping off kits?

[Tree Frog]

When you top off a kit, is it better to use water or a similar wine?

 

[masta]

I assume you mean "top off a kit" after racking? A similar wine is best but a few cups of water will not hurt the dilution of the wine enough to notice.


You should only have to top off once with most kits when the secondary fermentation is complete and you are ready to degass then add the sorbate,meta and fining agent then settle before racking to a carboy or bucket for bottling.

 

[Underboss]

Masta,


A few cups of water will not be enough to notice dilution but how about a half a gallon. About what is the max amount of water you can add to top off a kit before you water down a wine?

 

[masta]

You shouldn't have to use a half a gallon of water to top off when making a kit. If you have that much room in the carboy when racking from your primary it could be your starting volume was not quite 6 gallons. If this is the case then topping up with water will be fine since the kit is designed to make a full 23L/6 gals.


Topping up with some similar wine will eliminate the dilution all together.

 

[Underboss]

Masta,


It did start out as a full six gallons. Once the wine is in the secondary 10 days you add the packets 2, 3, 4 and the F pack. Then after 8 days Iwas racking from the secondary to another carboy. This is where I had to top up with a half gallon of water. It is a Selection Gewurztraminer kit. I tried to leave all the lees behind. Do you think this is going to be a weak wine now?Edited by: Underboss

 

[masta]

It should be ok...not much you can do about it now.


Some advice for the next batch to help eliminate unneeded racking and topping off:


After winehascompleted fermentation in secondary and you degass add the rest of the chemicals, fining agent(and F-Pack if you have one). Top off at this point and let the wine settle at least 2 weeks for reds and 3 weeks for whites. No need to rush this as it can sit for many weeks without any problems.


At this point your wine should be clear enough to bottle and you can rack carefully into another carboy or primary bucket for bottling. This extra settling time not only will allow the wine to clear quite nicely but it also helps give the lees time to compact at the bottom of the carboy and will allow you to rack more wine off without disturbing the lees.


With this schedule you only has to top off one time before settling.....Hope this helps!

 

[geocorn]

Masta has some good advice.


In addition, Winexpert does not want you to use more than 1 liter of water for topping off. If you need more, use a similar wine.


Another good point is to use the spigot on your bucket for the first racking. That way you can get all of the juice. Don't be concerned if you bring forward a little sediment as it will fine out later.

 

[Joseph1]

According to the folks at Winexpert, their kits are designed slightly over strength to allow for topping up with water. Their recommendation is no more than 920ml (about a quart) in the secondary after the additives, fining and F-pack have been added. After that, any top up should be with a similar wine.
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After the 8 days in stabilizing and clearing phase and subsequent racking to a clean carboy, I also experience the loss of up to a half-gallon left behind with the lees. You can either top up with wine or rack to a smaller carboy. Generally, I rack to a 5-gallon carboy with the excess racked to either a half-gallon or a 3-liter jug. After the small jug has cleared, I will bottle it and either age and drink or use for future top up. I leave the wine in the 5-gallon carboy about 2 to 3 months before bottling.
My process is just one way of dealing with the loss of a significant amount of wine during racking.

 

[geocorn]

I am bad about using metric measurements since a lot of the info I get from Winexpert comes this way. As a matter of reference:


1 liter = 34 ounces


1 Quart = 32 ounces


therefore, 1 liter approximates 1 quart


Close enough for goverment work and most wine makers.

 

[smurfe]

I had every intention of just using water with my first kit but I did happen to have a bottle of 'like wine" laying around so I used it then drank the remainder.

I really doubt I would go out and buy a bottle to top off with though as everyone said that the kit makers compensate for this added water.


Smurfe

 

[geocorn]

That is where having an inventory of home made wines comes in handy. I try to make a batch every so often just for topping off. The Mezza Luna's work really good for this purpose.