What to top off with?

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Neviawen

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Hi,
My batch of SP is finally done. I racked it into the primary bucket so that I can give it a good stir and add the kmeta and sorbate. I then transfered it back into the carboy and mixed up the batch of sparkloid and added it. After looking at it.. I'm thinking that there may be too much air space at the top in it. Does this matter because it's in the final stage? The fluid line reaches "just" where the carboy starts to slant and get smaller towards the top. I can probably fit a whole other bottle of lemon juice. (Or maybe 2) to reach where it should be when you fit your air lock. Is this too much air space? All I have is lemon juice to add to it- i don't have any other SP on hand to top off with.
Also, since I already added the sparkloid am I able to add anything else to top it off anyway? The bottle of sparkloid says to leave it undisturbed.
Thanks for any help with this!
~Kate

SP headspace.jpg
 
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Do you have smaller carboys and bottles to rack too? Say maybe a 5 gal and wine bottles? Otherwise could get some hard lemonade to top off with.
 
I have a few 1 gallon carboys but not enough to store all of this. What if I add some newly fermented cherry wine? I have 2 gallons of that in it's primary that I was thinking of putting into 1 gallon carboys. That's about 2 weeks old. Would this totally goof up the clarification of the skeeter pee? The cherry is fermented dry.
 
Hmm that sounds good cherry-skeeter, it should still clear. See what happens now, have to go shopping for different size carboys!! And it begins :)
 
Since you sorbated already, why not add more sugar water and lemon at the original ratios (before fermenting). You are going to need to backsweeten quite a bit and with the sorbate you shouldn't get referment with a little sugar.

This is what I did to top off my first batch.

If you just started the clearing process, the top off liquid should clear along with the rest.
 
Just my 2 cents but looking at the picture I don't think it is absolutely necessary to top it up. Keeping wine away from air after fermentation is best but for one: i don't think your pee will last that long. It's pretty good and it's summer so it will go quick and 2: skeeter is wine yes but not fine Burgundy. I don't think that little bit of air will have much effect on the pleasure of drinking it. :)
 
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