Hello,
Newbie here :-) My wife and I are going to use a kit to make our first batch of wine and hope to move to more 'end to end' wine making as we progress.
When filling the carboy I've seen comments that state you should leave 2 to
4 inches empty. Is that 2 to 4 inches from the mouth or the neck? Is 2 to 4 inches the 'right' amount of space?Thanks in advance, Mark
Hi, Mark. Good luck with winemaking. Loads of fun and a good hobby.
I fill to with> Hello,
However a 23 liter carboy filled to capacity in cold weather will over flow in warm weather as the liquid expands. A freebie for you from experience..... andy j.
If you're making a wine kit in the 'normal' time, add the included additives (especially the potassium metabisulphite), have something resembling a 6 US gallon (23 litre) carboy, and keep the airlock topped up, it probably doesn't matter. There will be enough SO2 from the pot meta in the wine to prevent any serious oxidation.
Most gpeople say 2 to 4inches below the bottom of the bung. Personally mine are often more like 6".
Steve
If you are talking during fermenting, 2/3 to 3/4 full is the conventional answer; 2 inches might be a little short if the fermentation is vigorous. I go a little above where the shoulder starts to narrow.
After it's done fermenting top it to 1/2 " below the bung or close to that. You don't need the headspace after it has fermented, you actually don't want it unless you are making port or sherry.
Joe.
I'm not sure this is true. The topping up is important because the metabisulphite by itself is not enough. Oxidation is one of the more serious problems in wine making and starts happening anytime there is air to wine contact. A normal kit time frame still allows plenty of time for oxidation. At least that is my understanding.
Don
It's not just oxydizing that has to be considered. Some aerobic spoilage organizisms require surprisingly little oxygen to function. Lose a batch to "vinegar taint" some time and you will understand the need to minimise head space. HTH Just my 2 cents.
And I am presently fighting a mycoderma yeast infection on four kit wines! Guy
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