I am getting my wine into the secondary and have some 6 gallon jugs and 5 gallons of wine is it ok to just fill it with the what I have an airlock or should I top it off with just water, or a water sugar blend... Any suggestions would be awesome!
Too large a jug
- Thread starter Kretzy
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SwampassJ
Well-Known Member
Do you have any similar style/color/ tasting wine to top off with?
A gallon is a LOT to top up with! You really should match the batch size with the carboy size, otherwise the wine can easily oxidize.
Well, I'm not a fan of topping up such a large volume with co2. A couple of reasons- one is just that the co2 WILL disipate, through the airlock, in an attempt to reach equilibrium. How long will it stay? I don't know. But it will start disipating right away. Secondly, then you'll have to degas the wine to get out the residual co2. If not done probably, you can oxidize it.
To me, the risks of oxidation are too great. I'd buy a 3 gallon carboy and use a one gallon jug, and top up both.
To me, the risks of oxidation are too great. I'd buy a 3 gallon carboy and use a one gallon jug, and top up both.
I have a 23L fermernter with a big open lid and I was thinking about this issue and if anyone had ever tried sanitizing the outside of an empty bottle that is about the size you need and filling it with water(and maybe some sinkers to get it to sink fully) and throwing this in to displace the water up to the top? ?
New to brewing so this may be a horrible idea so any advice is appreciated. cheers
New to brewing so this may be a horrible idea so any advice is appreciated. cheers
I read once about sanitizing marbles and pouring them, not sure I could get enough, but I am headed to the brew shop tomorrow to find a cheap solution! I will just have to better plan ahead next time!
Though if the big issue is oxygen exposure I do not see how the die of the jug would be a bad one! Seem quite creative to me! Just make sure to sanitize well!
Though if the big issue is oxygen exposure I do not see how the die of the jug would be a bad one! Seem quite creative to me! Just make sure to sanitize well!
Instead of marbles, maybe look for aqarium rocks of some kind. I've heard that suggested. Although I don't know the price and such. I do know that you need to be careful not to use metal in a glass carboy.
PGriff
Member
Using a step bit to drill a hole in a size 7 rubber stopper works great if you then insert a wine vacuum stopper into it and suction out all the air! I make mead alot in 1 gallon jugs and always have a bit less liquid than the container needs and this is what I have always done. They are like small plastic tops you put into the bottles of wine and suck the air out to keep them fresh. They come with a vacuum piece that clicks when you have made a perfect vacuum.
Those 3 gallon jugs will still come in handy for experimental batches.
There are some 3 gallon wine kits - mostly desert wines.
I am not big on the kits I like the idea of the wild/country wines, things I can not necessarily purchase in the store!
I think I am going to try the recycling center to see if I can not get a hold of some carboys, I read that idea on another thread at one time, it is worth a try!
Yeah the one halon ones will certainly come in handy down the road to do some experiments with!
I think I am going to try the recycling center to see if I can not get a hold of some carboys, I read that idea on another thread at one time, it is worth a try!
Yeah the one halon ones will certainly come in handy down the road to do some experiments with!
