Topping up after racking?

Kyral210 · Aug 23, 2015

Ok, I'm making my first wine kit in years and need some advice.

I have a Beaverdale kit fermenting now in a demijohn which is going fine, but in a week I need to rack it to the second container. Now, I have heard in the secondary demijohn the wind should go right up to the neck, but I do not have enough wine for this.

What do I do? Do I get some grape juice, a bottle of wine, or just leave that big gap filled with air...

Chippy_Tea · Aug 23, 2015

If you are only racking to the second DJ for clearing and you plan to bottle soon after i wouldn't worry about it.

Kyral210 · Aug 23, 2015

What works you class as soon?

Chippy_Tea · Aug 24, 2015

I use KwiK clear finings which take a couple of days to clear it and i usually bottle within a few days of it clearing, i wouldn't worry about the head space unless you plan to leave it for several weeks.

Kyral210 · Aug 24, 2015

As it's a wine kit I have all the finings. So just rack, apply the finings, and bottle a week or two later?

Chippy_Tea · Aug 25, 2015

It shouldn't take long to clear so bottle as soon as you can once it is.

SPR · Aug 29, 2015

Certainly on the Selection kits if you are leaving the wine in demijohns for a while to mature and you have to much of a gap (more than 2 inches) there is a risk of oxidation and they say top of with 'a similar wine' to try and prevent this

tonyhibbett · Aug 30, 2015

The amount of oxygen in a few inches of airspace is insignificant. Slow oxidation actually improves the flavour. The rate is so slow in large barrels that the wine is periodically racked in order to introduce oxygen.

Topping up after racking?

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Topping up after racking?

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