Topping up, kits in particular

[wineforfun]

So, again, my kit (third kit I have done) is going to be short when racking to secondary (for the second time). I am doing an RJS WS Australian Cab. Started just like always, ie: Bentonite, juice, water to 6 gal. mark, grape skins. This achieved an SG of 1.095 prior to the skin addition, so should have been close to 1.100 once the skins incorporated into the mix.
With that said, had I added additional water, it would have a) diluted the mixture and b) cut the ABV.
I racked from primary to secondary this weekend and ended up just shy of 6 gal. (see photos below. first is right after racking and second is after fermentation has started back up). I rack into 2-3 gal. carboys as that is what I have and also I will probably add some extra oak, etc. to one of them.
Anyhow, when I rack again in a couple/few weeks (once dry, it was 1.008 when racked) I will obviously be short.

I guess my question is, what do most of you do that run into this situation?
Add wine or rack down?

In the past, I have added store bought wine of like varietal to top up with. I realize I can do this or just rack down to a 5 gal. carboy, or in my case a 3 gal. and 2-1 gal. carboys. I would like to keep it as original as possible and it appears I will need close to 3 bottles to get the levels up to where they need to be when racked again.

It's just frustrating that you don't truly end up with the full 6 gallons without additions.

 

[Boatboy24]

I add a similar wine. If those are 3 gallon carboys, I'm guessing you'll need a bottle to a bottle and a half, or roughly 3% of your total. You won't even notice it.

The trouble isn't just the kits making slightly less than 6 gallons in the end. It is also that the carboys are a little more than 6 (or 3 in this case).

 

[wineforfun]

Thanks Jim.
Yes, they are 3 gal. carboys and I am going to need 1-1 1/2 bottles per carboy to get them up to the neck.
What I have done in the past is add the bottles(have only ever needed 2 bottles total before now) to one of the carboys and leave the other one "pure".

 

[SPR]

I have exactly the same problem as this with my kits. I have been using a mixture of water and other similar wine but sometimes it's as much as 2 bottles per 23ltr carbouy

I have read about the glass marbles you can add to reduce the space but haven't tried these yet

 

[sour_grapes]

My carboys are about 1.3 liters over 23 l, so I encounter this problem all the time.

For grape wines, I have absolutely no qualms about topping up with a like commercial wine. First of all, as Jim points out, even a few bottles out of 30 is a small amount; you would be unlikely to be able to tell the difference. I have tried having my wife put tablespoons of other kinds of wine (and even water!) into glasses of wine, and then doing a blind taste test. I could never tell any difference.
As for the expense, I also succeeded in doing some "mental accounting" that goes like this: "Hmmm, I have this bottle of commercial wine. I could either open it and drink it now, or I could pour it into my carboy and drink it in a year and a half. I am okay either way."

 

[wineforfun]

Ok, well I will just continue doing what I have been doing then..........adding commercial wine.
My OCD nature wants the original 6 gallons to be 6 gallons. not 5 plus add to get 6.

 

[terroirdejeroir]

FWIW, when you bottle a six gallon carboy you will get 31 bottles plus some left over to sample

 

[Boatboy24]

FWIW, when you bottle a six gallon carboy you will get 31 bottles plus some left over to sample

Unless it's a Better Bottle. Those are pretty much spot on 30 bottles.

 

[ceeaton]

Unless it's a Better Bottle. Those are pretty much spot on 30 bottles.

Yea, I noticed that the other night. Racked my Forza kit from a full 6 gallon glass carboy to a better bottle type. Had enough left to nearly fill three 375 ml bottles, which I did and now they are promptly disappearing in the name of taste and aroma science.

 

[wineforfun]

Now you all have me thinking or should I say wanting to check my glass carboys. I think I will fill them up and see exactly what the gallons/ounces are.

Primaries aren't an issue as I have them all "markered" off at different gallon marks.

Apparently I may have wrongly assumed a 3 gallon carboy was actually 3 gallons. Silly me. Heck, maybe my $20 bill is really $22 and I just didn't know it.

 

[sour_grapes]

FWIW, when you bottle a six gallon carboy you will get 31 bottles plus some left over to sample

It really does depend on your carboy, as Jim alluded to. They vary.

FWIW, 6 actual US gallons corresponds to 22.7 liters, which is enough for 30.28 bottles.

 

[JimmyT]

My lhbs sells Italian carboys that they advertise as 6 gal carboy. Right on the box and on the bottom of the carboy(I think) it says 23L. I'd imagine it would be similar with my "3 gallon" carboys as well but I haven't looked close enough at them. I get 31.75 bottles out of my 23L's

 

[sour_grapes]

My lhbs sells Italian carboys that they advertise as 6 gal carboy. Right on the box and on the bottom of the carboy(I think) it says 23L. I'd imagine it would be similar with my "3 gallon" carboys as well but I haven't looked close enough at them. I get 31.75 bottles out of my 23L's

Yes, precisely the same for me! (Also Italian carboys in my case. I found the Chinese ones to be significantly smaller, closer to 23L.)

 

[cmason1957]

My lhbs sells Italian carboys that they advertise as 6 gal carboy. Right on the box and on the bottom of the carboy(I think) it says 23L. I'd imagine it would be similar with my "3 gallon" carboys as well but I haven't looked close enough at them. I get 31.75 bottles out of my 23L's

I am the same way. I think those 23L's are much closer to 24, since 24 Liters = 6.34 gallons which is 31.7 bottles. I had never really thought about that, until I saw your 31.75 bottles. I wonder where they measure to call it 23 liters?? We winemakers do tend to fill up into the neck.

 

[terroirdejeroir]

You have to remember that a standard wine bottle is 750ml if you fill it to the very top. When you allow for the cork plus the ullage there is less than 750ml in the bottle. Plus 23L is 30.67 bottles completely filled to the top.

 

[Dhaynes]

We routinely use decorative glass rocks that are aquarium safe to displace enough wine to fill the empty space. Just be sure to get stones that are aquarium safe since some colored decorative stones have coating that can dissolve into the wine. Be sure to sanitize the stones first. Also if you are using glass carboys always add the stones slowly to avoid cracking the bottom. The glass stones can be reused indefinitely. That way you can avoid having to buy wine to top off.

 

[barryjo]

The purpose of an airlock is to prevent outside air from entering the carboy. If there is "excess" space in the carboy.
,changes in atmospheric pressure cause the carboy to "breath". You can make a bigger airlock using a 2-piece airlock. Buy a length of vinyl tubing with an ID that corresponds with the inner part of the lock. Length depends on distance from lock to container plus some extra. Run the tubing into a container of water or vodka. This will prevent the entry of outside air.

 

[vacuumpumpman]

We routinely use decorative glass rocks that are aquarium safe to displace enough wine to fill the empty space. Just be sure to get stones that are aquarium safe since some colored decorative stones have coating that can dissolve into the wine. Be sure to sanitize the stones first. Also if you are using glass carboys always add the stones slowly to avoid cracking the bottom. The glass stones can be reused indefinitely. That way you can avoid having to buy wine to top off.

I would be nervous about using rocks in the carboy - due to glass breakage

I would recommend using the headspace eliminator - which can be use with a simple hand vacuum pump if you do not have a electric vacuum pump -

http://www.allinonewinepump.com/product/headspace-eliminator/