Cellar Craft Topping up CC Winery Series Kits

[mikey_rog]

Hi all!

I've just purchased my first CC Winery Series kit - Pinot Noir. I haven't started yet but was excited to read the instructions and was surprised to see that during Secondary Fermentation it states to top up with water to within 2 inches of the airlock in the carboy. It states their instructions are a bit different from other kits but I'm concerned that this step will water down the final product. Has anyone completed this as instructed and/or skipped the top up step? What were your results and what advice would you give me? Thanks!


Mike

 

[Lowc23]

A few inches of water in a 5 gallon carboy won't noticeably dilute your final product. However too much oxygen present could give you a faint vinegar taste.

 

[ceeaton]

I think a lot on this forum would just go buy a bottle of inexpensive (drinkable) Pinot Noir and top it up with that. I've even been known to use a boxed Merlot to top up any of my red kits, as long as it wasn't too much topping. Either way you won't dilute the kit as much as adding the water.

 

[wineforfun]

Agree with Craig, anytime I need to top up a kit(which is always) I just use a store bought wine. Something fairly inexpensive of the same varietal or close.

 

[Putterrr]

Depending on the size of your carboy, you could be adding allot of water. a 23L carboy is more like 25L (at least mine are). The mexican 23L are closer to actual 23L. I usually use a similar wine if on hand. I'm not too picky so would never buy wine to top up. Call me cheap but I have enjoyed every batch i've made regardless what was used to top up. I have the same kit sitting in bulk aging currently and used an Eclipse Pinot for topping up. The eclipse was and is a very nice wine as I'm sure the WS will be.

cheers

 

[bkisel]

I set myself a limit of 500ml of water for topping off - 6 gallon batches. If it needs anymore than that I'll generally, like the others, use a similar wine on hand home made or store bought if necessary.

 

[Brian55]

Most kit wines are already lacking body and aroma. Don't compound the problem by adding water. Make your wine as good as it can be by adding some of your favorite reasonably priced wine into the mix.

 

[DoctorCAD]

If you rack well, you wont need too much top off liquid. I used Welches wine for topping, but now buy a Bota Box and drink the rest. Its pretty good for cheap wine.

 

[Dugger]

Hi Mike - as Dr Cad says, you really shouldn't need to top up much with these Winery series kits. With the grape skins added after filling to 23 liters, you will have plenty to fill your carboy when you transfer. In fact I generally have too much at this stage and put it in a bottle under airlock for use later on if needed. And don't worry about what you siphon over from the bucket. I like to transfer anything that can go through the tube - there is nothing in the sediment gunk that can hurt your wine at this stage,and in fact, a lot of wine gets wasted when you leave the sludge behind at this point.
Just as an FYI and I don't know how much experience you have at this point (I have not been on the forum much for some time now), some of us like to do a complete ferment in the primary bucket, rather than transfer at 1.010-1.020. I do this to get as much goodness out of the grapeskins as I can. With these new directions, you could be transferring in 4-5 days at 1.020 and I don't think this gets everything out of the skins. I generally go 14 days in the bucket, squeezing or stirring the skins a couple of times a day.
However, if you not overly experienced this may not be something you want to try. Also, deviating from the directions could be a problem if you need to pursue a warranty issue.
One other thing I would suggest is that if you are going to making a lot of kit wines, try to obtain one or more mexican carboys - as Putterrr says, these are very close to 23 liters and will save you from a lot of topping up issues. Check on Kijiji or Craigslist and do your darndest to get one ( I just took a quick look at Kijiji Calgary and saw a few that looked to be mexican). These are generally the smooth walled ones as opposed to the ribbed Italian ones. You may also encounter some older made in Canada smooth ones which are good, or some new made in China ones which I have no experience with.
Sorry for the long post but topping up issues are very important and carboy sizes and transfer of all liquids are the easiest ways, in my opinion, to deal with these.
Good luck!

 

[mikey_rog]

Thanks All - much appreciated

@Dugger - thanks for the advice. This is my 11th kit and I definitely subscribe to the concept of complete fermentation in the primary - especially when there are grape skins involved. I find it makes a big difference in flavour.

I'll look for the Mexican carboys that you mentioned. This is really my main concern - I have Italian carboys which end up being closer to 25 litres (hence my apprehension to top up all the way).

Happy New Year to all my fellow Vintners!

 

[rhattin]

Somewhat related is the drop out that I am currently getting from my CC Chateau du Pays kits. I am losing about 2 l in transferring from primary to secondary and the lees are very sloppy. This kit has a lot of pulp in it that is not hardening up. Has anybody added bentonite to help it harden up? Have to add about 2 l of water before I stabilize it. Anybody else have this?
Ric

 

[jcaudill]

If you do leave the wine in the primary until the fermentation is complete with transferring to secondary, do you add the Pectinase to the primary as well?

 

[ceeaton]

Somewhat related is the drop out that I am currently getting from my CC Chateau du Pays kits. I am losing about 2 l in transferring from primary to secondary and the lees are very sloppy. This kit has a lot of pulp in it that is not hardening up. Has anybody added bentonite to help it harden up? Have to add about 2 l of water before I stabilize it. Anybody else have this?
Ric

Some here will take that left over 2L with the lees and put into a 2 or 3 L glass wine jug, put an air lock or air tight cap on and put into the refrigerator. Wait a week or so and decant the clear wine from the jug and add to your secondary carboy. The cold temperature will help it compact a little more.

I have not added bentonite anytime after the start of my primary fermentation, so I have no suggestions with that.

Also, I wouldn't add water but a like wine so that you don't water down the body too much.