You can't take a little from the carboy and leave it - definitely not.

But I think Berry's idea is to rack the entire carboy into the
Winemaid (plastic bag), assuming you will be drinking it all in the
next few weeks. The bag collapses as you draw wine from it, and no
air gets in, so it stays safe from oxidation. Search Google for
'wine in a box' - this is the stuff you find in liquor stores now,
and see behind bars. From what I found in Google, the wine in a
box stays fresh for a month or more once opened. So I assume the
same would hold true for home made wine.

I've never done it, but since you bought it up, I may give it a try.
I think the key will be to find a Winemaid / wine in a box of a size
that matches my carboys - right now 1 gallon or 3 gallons.


On 08/09/2004 07:58 AM, confused said:
Joe -

Thanks for the message. I will take a look at the book and see if I
can find more information about the winemaids. As for using the
carboy as long as possible, I understand...but when you would take a
little amount out of the carboy (for a winemaid, etc.) wouldn't you
have to remove all the wine from the carboy at that time as there
would be air at the top? Thanks again..

Andrew

Joe wrote in message . ..

On 08/08/2004 10:23 AM, confused said:

I have made a some wine and have always bottled the wine after the
firmentation has ended in a glass carboy. I then leave the wine in
the bottles for some time until ready for consumption.

I am curious if bottling is absolutely required. For larger batches,
can I use a stainless steel tank to age and then dispense the wine as
required into a glass or carafe for immediate consumption directly
from the tank?

Any information or pointers would be greatly appreciated.


In C.J.J. Berry's bookd 'First Steps in Winemaking', page 60, he
leaves wine in the carboy as long as possible. "For daily use they
then go into Winemaids, those plastic bags in cardboard outers".

I'm not familiar with the term Winemaids, but I guess it's like wine
in a box. I never tried it, but if those things can be reused, it
should do what you're looking for.


--
Joe
http://www.joekaz.net/
http://www.cafeshops.com/joekaz