Topping up wine levels

[Alison]

I have just put my red currant wine in the primary fermentor, added campden tablet and air lock. However the level is a lot below the neck of the bottle. Can I
top it up, and if so at what stage and with what, water, grape juice concentrate?

 

[Scooter68]

Is it fermenting actively at this time? If so you do NOT want to fill that container to the top EVER.

If fermentation is over and it's in a carboy then you can use a similar wine or w

 

[Alison]

Yes it is still fermenting but it is well below the neck of the bottle, where it widens out. Could take another 0. 5 of litre of liquid

 

[BernardSmith]

As Scooter suggests, if the wine is actively fermenting then the yeast will be producing enough CO2 to blanket the top of the fermenter so you don't need to top it up at this time. When active fermentation ceases and when you are ready to rack then you might choose a smaller container or you might top up the secondary. Assuming your recipe was designed to provide a volume and SG with an expected ABV then you may not want to dilute the wine with water. Adding more of the same juice or using a similar wine to top this up (or grape juice) are options but so is using say, glass marbles to increase the height of the wine... The secret, in my opinion, is to ferment in a bucket (your primary) and start with a larger volume than the volume you intend to bottle. That means you are never concerned about how to solve the problem of excess head room. Your "problem" is what to do with the extra wine that will not fit into your secondary... and here I use mason jars that I store in the fridge...

 

[Scooter68]

That "Extra wine" comes in really handy for topping off and taste testing. While it ages much slower in the fridge, some sediment drops out faster in there too. (This is post fermentation)

I have a collection of various size glass containers that will take a screw cap drilled for an airlock or just air tight for Fridge storage.
Right now I have 3 gallons of Elderberry about to be racked second time and I have 2 x 16 oz glass bottles with airlock on them to use for topping off.
"Excess" by design really comes in handy.

 

[Alison]

As Scooter suggests, if the wine is actively fermenting then the yeast will be producing enough CO2 to blanket the top of the fermenter so you don't need to top it up at this time. When active fermentation ceases and when you are ready to rack then you might choose a smaller container or you might top up the secondary. Assuming your recipe was designed to provide a volume and SG with an expected ABV then you may not want to dilute the wine with water. Adding more of the same juice or using a similar wine to top this up (or grape juice) are options but so is using say, glass marbles to increase the height of the wine... The secret, in my opinion, is to ferment in a bucket (your primary) and start with a larger volume than the volume you intend to bottle. That means you are never concerned about how to solve the problem of excess head room. Your "problem" is what to do with the extra wine that will not fit into your secondary... and here I use mason jars that I store in the fridge...

Can you ferment wine in the fridge, i thought it would stop at a lower temperature?

 

[mainshipfred]

Can you ferment wine in the fridge, i thought it would stop at a lower temperature?

Bernard is referring to excess wine post fermentation.

 

[1d10t]

That's why I like food saver and canning jars. Lots of sizes and I can pull the air out with the lid attachment. Well, that and I already had it for other projects.

 

[Scooter68]

That's why I like food saver and canning jars. Lots of sizes and I can pull the air out with the lid attachment. Well, that and I already had it for other projects.

Yup sounds smart to me.

 

[BernardSmith]

Bernard is referring to excess wine post fermentation.

Not necessarily "post fermentation" but certainly post active fermentation. There could still be a few points of sugar that remain to be fermented and the cold temperature of the fridge will certainly slow down the fermentation process to a crawl but it does not absolutely halt it.

 

[Rice_Guy]

Can you ferment wine in the fridge, i thought it would stop at a lower temperature?

I have fermented at 45F, 7C. It will take 6 to 8 weeks to get where a control at 65F is in 5 days.

A key difference in low temp is that the yeast stays alive and ready to ferment actively when the temp is brought to warehouse temp/ ambient. As a result back sweetening is not safe to do.

 

[mainshipfred]

Not necessarily "post fermentation" but certainly post active fermentation. There could still be a few points of sugar that remain to be fermented and the cold temperature of the fridge will certainly slow down the fermentation process to a crawl but it does not absolutely halt it.

Yeah I forgot some folks go to secondary prior to dry. Didn't mean to steal your thunder.

 

[BernardSmith]

You didn't steal anything, mainshipfred. You made a very reasonable assumption but I rack before active fermentation is complete (a few points left) and that means that the excess can and does continue to ferment in the fridge, albeit very slowly...