First wine kit questions

[bobrap]

Just racked a winexpert Riesling from primary bucket to a 6 gallon carboy. This is where I'm confused. I filled the primary with 6 gal of liquid. When I racked to the secondary, I had less than 5 gal. What do I do now and where did it go? I thought the idea was to keep 6 gal all the time. Any help is really appreciated.

 

[Yooper]

Did you do the degassing and additions? If you did, and it's all done, you top up with water.

 

[bobrap]

Thanks for responding. I didn't do anything except rack from one vessel to the other. Is it normal to lose that much volume? Top up with water...a whole gallon? Man, I think my beer brewing is easier to understand

 

[DoctorCAD]

My guess is that your original 6 gallons was not really 6 gallons. Check your primary bucket by pouring 6 gallons into it, not by using the marks on the side of the bucket.

Otherwise, you should be left with about an inch of lees in the primary. Any more than that and you aren't getting everything out. Heck, the merlot I racked this weekend had one cup of lees!

At this point, a cheap "box-o-wine" riesling will do to top it up for secondary fermentation, but follow the directions if they tell you to leave some space for later rackings and stirring.

 

[bobrap]

Thanks. I thought that I measured 6 gal, but, maybe I can't count. So there is no way that much liquid just "disappears"? I thought maybe evaporation or something in the fermenting process. As you can see, I am a true noob to this. I'll pick up a "box" and continue with the directions. Thaks again.

 

[Yooper]

Thanks. I thought that I measured 6 gal, but, maybe I can't count. So there is no way that much liquid just "disappears"? I thought maybe evaporation or something in the fermenting process. As you can see, I am a true noob to this. I'll pick up a "box" and continue with the directions. Thaks again.

Some liquid will disappear with the lees, but certainly NOT a gallon! There recipe is designed to be topped up with water to 6 gallons. If you used less water, you can simply add it now.

 

[bobrap]

Time to fess up. I went back and measured again. like the dummy I am, I marked my bucket at 5, not 6, gal. Boy, do I feel dumb!

 

[Yooper]

Time to fess up. I went back and measured again. like the dummy I am, I marked my bucket at 5, not 6, gal. Boy, do I feel dumb!

No worries. Just add a gallon now and pretend you did it on purpose.

 

[bobrap]

Really Add water or wine?

 

[DoctorCAD]

Water...you were SUPPOSED to add to 6 gallons and you only added to 5. Just make up the difference now.