TemperanceOwl
Member
- Joined
- Oct 30, 2014
- Messages
- 209
- Reaction score
- 72
I have two kits going right now at the same step: the WE LE14 Riesling, and the RJS Toasted Caramel Port. Tonight I followed the directions and removed 1.5 L from the Riesling before stabilizing and clearing, and removed 750 mL from the port before stabilizing and clearing.
After adding the various agents and stirring, I was supposed to use the reserved wine to top up both to within 2 inches of the bung, and then wait for a week or so to rack.
The port, after putting the entire 750 mL back into the 3 gallon carboy, is still 5 or 6 inches from the bung.
The Riesling on the other hand, is right at the bottom of the bung and I have a whole 750 mL of it left.
My questions are, (1) should I go ahead and top up the port with the brandy that I have bought for that purpose? I have read somewhere that the addition of the brandy should be done after final racking (in one week) and bulk aging, right before bottling. (2) what should I do with the bottle of Riesling that I have left over? Should I put it in the refrigerator and use it for topping up after my next racking in about a week? This bottle doesn't have any of the stabilizing or clarifying chemicals I added to the carboy tonight, so I'm not sure how it will do if I add it later to the "good" stuff.
Thanks for any suggestions! I would hate to waste that whole bottle of Riesling, and I would hate for my port to oxidize with too much headspace!
After adding the various agents and stirring, I was supposed to use the reserved wine to top up both to within 2 inches of the bung, and then wait for a week or so to rack.
The port, after putting the entire 750 mL back into the 3 gallon carboy, is still 5 or 6 inches from the bung.
The Riesling on the other hand, is right at the bottom of the bung and I have a whole 750 mL of it left.
My questions are, (1) should I go ahead and top up the port with the brandy that I have bought for that purpose? I have read somewhere that the addition of the brandy should be done after final racking (in one week) and bulk aging, right before bottling. (2) what should I do with the bottle of Riesling that I have left over? Should I put it in the refrigerator and use it for topping up after my next racking in about a week? This bottle doesn't have any of the stabilizing or clarifying chemicals I added to the carboy tonight, so I'm not sure how it will do if I add it later to the "good" stuff.
Thanks for any suggestions! I would hate to waste that whole bottle of Riesling, and I would hate for my port to oxidize with too much headspace!