What to top up with after racking!?

[CptnCrackoff]

I'm planning on racking my wheat and Raisin wine soon, its pretty clear and has a layer of sediment.

i want to store it in DJs for another 6-9 months before sampling, just wondering what i should top the DJs up with after racking, cooled boiled water or grape juice etc, i have added nothing but campden tablets so far.

will try to get a pic of them, the colour is very strange, sort of a cross between tngo and beer! :shock:

 

[Moley]

I'm sorry but it's entirely your call. It rather depends upon what the gravity is now and if you need to sweeten it slightly, in which case use some grape juice, or what the ABV is now and if you're happy to water it down. If you haven't stabilised with sorbate, then don't add grape juice or it will most likely start up again.

 

[CptnCrackoff]

Hi, yes i thought it may start fermenting again, i'm only going to lose a very tiny amount, theres hardly any sediment, and my racking skills have come on a treat, think i'l top up with water, will add stabilizer at the same time, and a campden, and i may also add a little finings just to clear it right out, then it gets a bung and the garage til xmas!!

Last time i tasted it it was a little fiery!! :thumb:

 

[Moley]

I'm only going to lose a very tiny amount, theres hardly any sediment, and my racking skills have come on a treat

Good for you. It can take a bit or practice but with a bit of patience to let stuff settle out properly beforehand, a steady hand with the U-bend and no stirring, losses should be minimal.

If anyone's remotely interested, here's my own racking set-up. Draw around a DJ on any piece of scrap board, cut out semicircle with jigsaw, nail onto another board, nail a batten underneath. Time: 2 minutes. Cost: Nil. Syphon tube wedges under batten, prevents stirring, retained with clothes peg, lower U-bend gently.

Last time i tasted it it was a little fiery!! :thumb:

TBH I haven't made any recently, but I seem to recall it can be fiery when young.
Also rather potent. :drunk:

 

[CptnCrackoff]

haha, thats a great invention!!!

Itend to lower the syphon very carefully right to the base of the DJ, most of the wines i do have had finings and very little sediment so i can get the syphon cup to sit hard on the bottom without disturbance!!

Then near the end i tip the whole thing, i do have a tendancy to spill it all over the floor but insist its HER fault for not helping me! :rofl:

must remember to post a pic of said wine, probably not gonna get to rack til the weekend.