Head space after racking?

[John Doe]

I have a few gallon jugs of cider that I plan on racking into clean jugs this weekend. My question is what to do with all the extra head space that will be in the clean jugs after racking?

 

[MarkKF]

1. Top off of with more juice
2. Put into smaller containers
3. Add sanitized glass marbles

 

[paneubert]

4. If you have the ability to purge the headspace, fill with CO2.
5. Add campden, which will scavenge oxygen.

 

[MarkKF]

True but if you let it sit for a while it will loose CO2 and get O2 and it will oxidize or sour.

 

[paneubert]

True but if you let it sit for a while it will loose CO2 and get O2 and it will oxidize or sour.

Not any faster than it would gain oxygen from options 1-3 though. The head space in a vessel has little (nothing if you ask me) to do with the oxygen permeability of the airlock or walls or bung. Tiny head space is going to try to equalize with room air just as much as a giant head space would. Right? The problem is the giant head space already contains enough oxygen to oxidize or feed the sour bugs even without considering additional ingress while aging. I could be wrong though. Haha. Just me thinking out loud.

 

[MarkKF]

True but another reason to reduce headspace is to get the surface up in the neck where there is much less surface area. That reduces oxidation and chance of infection dramatically.

 

[paneubert]

Yeah. An under filled jug just looks weird. The real answer is "keg it".

 

[ThatITGuy]

4. If you have the ability to purge the headspace, fill with CO2.
5. Add campden, which will scavenge oxygen.

RE: #5

Wouldn't Campden also prevent the possibility of carbonation (unless force carbed)?

 

[MarkKF]

RE: #5

Wouldn't Campden also prevent the possibility of carbonation (unless force carbed)?

Nope. It just stops things for a day or two.

 

[John Doe]

Thanks for the help.
I think knowing I'm gonna wanna sweeten I'll top them off with juice once I get them stabilized and the taste to our liking.

Thanks again. Many more questions to come.