I'm a newbie and about to start my first batch of wine. I would greatly
appreciate some advice from you guys who have some experience. I'm starting
out with a 3 gallon batch. I have a pretty good understanding of the
primary fermentation. Once I finish my primary and move on to subsequent
rackings, I know I have to monitor specific gravity and etc. using a test
jar and my hydrometer. My first question is this. If my test jar and
hydrometer are cleaned with sulfite solution, is there any reason why I
can't return the wine sample to the carboy provided I keep aeration to a
minimum? If I shouldn't do this then my next question is about topping up
to compensate for the loss of wine. After several checks I'm going to have
less volume over a period of time. If I add water to top up then I'm going
to be changing my acidity, specific gravity and etc. What would you suggest
in regards to topping up to eliminate the air space? Thanks so much for the
suggestions!

By the way... my first wine is going to be apple made with pure juice from
the store. No additives or preservatives. Any veterans of this method have
any tips or advice? Thanks!

Jeff

On Apr 13, 10:19 pm, "J Scott" wrote:
I'm a newbie and about to start my first batch of wine. I would greatly
appreciate some advice from you guys who have some experience. I'm starting
out with a 3 gallon batch. I have a pretty good understanding of the
primary fermentation. Once I finish my primary and move on to subsequent
rackings, I know I have to monitor specific gravity and etc. using a test
jar and my hydrometer. My first question is this. If my test jar and
hydrometer are cleaned with sulfite solution, is there any reason why I
can't return the wine sample to the carboy provided I keep aeration to a
minimum? If I shouldn't do this then my next question is about topping up
to compensate for the loss of wine. After several checks I'm going to have
less volume over a period of time. If I add water to top up then I'm going
to be changing my acidity, specific gravity and etc. What would you suggest
in regards to topping up to eliminate the air space? Thanks so much for the
suggestions!

By the way... my first wine is going to be apple made with pure juice from
the store. No additives or preservatives. Any veterans of this method have
any tips or advice? Thanks!

Jeff

Jeff,
You don't clean with a sulfite solution, you sanitize. Usually you
rinse with tap water after you sanitize. Yes, you return the wine to
the carboy.

Welcome to home winemaking. Another good site for you is:
http://www.winepress.us/forums/index.php

Guy

For topping up I would suggest sanitised marbles.
They will add volume to the wine but without diluting your wine.
Adding water will dilute and adding an other wine will affect taste
(if it is not the same wine).

Cleaning with water and soda, then rinse and then sanitise with water and
sulphite.

On Fri, 13 Apr 2007 20:26:53 -0700, guy wrote:

On Apr 13, 10:19 pm, "J Scott" wrote:
I'm a newbie and about to start my first batch of wine. I would greatly
appreciate some advice from you guys who have some experience. I'm starting
out with a 3 gallon batch. I have a pretty good understanding of the
primary fermentation. Once I finish my primary and move on to subsequent
rackings, I know I have to monitor specific gravity and etc. using a test
jar and my hydrometer. My first question is this. If my test jar and
hydrometer are cleaned with sulfite solution, is there any reason why I
can't return the wine sample to the carboy provided I keep aeration to a
minimum? If I shouldn't do this then my next question is about topping up
to compensate for the loss of wine. After several checks I'm going to have
less volume over a period of time. If I add water to top up then I'm going
to be changing my acidity, specific gravity and etc. What would you suggest
in regards to topping up to eliminate the air space? Thanks so much for the
suggestions!

By the way... my first wine is going to be apple made with pure juice from
the store. No additives or preservatives. Any veterans of this method have
any tips or advice? Thanks!

Jeff

Jeff,
You don't clean with a sulfite solution, you sanitize. Usually you
rinse with tap water after you sanitize. Yes, you return the wine to
the carboy.

Welcome to home winemaking. Another good site for you is:
http://www.winepress.us/forums/index.php

Guy

On Apr 13, 9:19 pm, "J Scott" wrote:
I'm a newbie and about to start my first batch of wine. I would greatly
appreciate some advice from you guys who have some experience. I'm starting
out with a 3 gallon batch. I have a pretty good understanding of the
primary fermentation. Once I finish my primary and move on to subsequent
rackings, I know I have to monitor specific gravity and etc. using a test
jar and my hydrometer. My first question is this. If my test jar and
hydrometer are cleaned with sulfite solution, is there any reason why I
can't return the wine sample to the carboy provided I keep aeration to a
minimum? If I shouldn't do this then my next question is about topping up
to compensate for the loss of wine. After several checks I'm going to have
less volume over a period of time. If I add water to top up then I'm going
to be changing my acidity, specific gravity and etc. What would you suggest
in regards to topping up to eliminate the air space? Thanks so much for the
suggestions!

By the way... my first wine is going to be apple made with pure juice from
the store. No additives or preservatives. Any veterans of this method have
any tips or advice? Thanks!

Jeff

why use a test jar instead of just putting the hydrometer in the
secondary? it should displace enough wine to make it easy to retrieve.

I test with the hydrometer in the fermenter, but purists seem to prefer to test in a sample jar and often (by the sound
of it) toss the test fluid rather than return it to the fermenter.

I might add that I believe I haven't suffered as a result of my maverick ways yet and the amounts of wine I make at a
time (1-5UK gallons) I wouldn't want to waste a drop... I can understand those who can refusing to 'potentially'
compromise their wine in this way though...

Jim

"Tater" wrote in message ups.com...
On Apr 13, 9:19 pm, "J Scott" wrote:
I'm a newbie and about to start my first batch of wine. I would greatly
appreciate some advice from you guys who have some experience. I'm starting
out with a 3 gallon batch. I have a pretty good understanding of the
primary fermentation. Once I finish my primary and move on to subsequent
rackings, I know I have to monitor specific gravity and etc. using a test
jar and my hydrometer. My first question is this. If my test jar and
hydrometer are cleaned with sulfite solution, is there any reason why I
can't return the wine sample to the carboy provided I keep aeration to a
minimum? If I shouldn't do this then my next question is about topping up
to compensate for the loss of wine. After several checks I'm going to have
less volume over a period of time. If I add water to top up then I'm going
to be changing my acidity, specific gravity and etc. What would you suggest
in regards to topping up to eliminate the air space? Thanks so much for the
suggestions!

By the way... my first wine is going to be apple made with pure juice from
the store. No additives or preservatives. Any veterans of this method have
any tips or advice? Thanks!

Jeff

why use a test jar instead of just putting the hydrometer in the
secondary? it should displace enough wine to make it easy to retrieve.

I made a few gallons apple wines. One from juice and one from cider -
both were good, but here is what I learned. Don't let it go too dry.
When you test it, taste it. Don't let it go down to .998 or less. Try
1.010-1.020 - then stablize and go into bottling. I let mine go all the
way to .998 or less, and now it had to be sweetened before drinking.
As far as loss of wine and topping up, if you want 3 gallons, then I
make 3 gallons and a 750 ML bottle and a 375 ML bottle (using clear
bottles for the last two) and then as I reduce from racking, I use up
the extra wine until I have 3 gallons left. Sometimes if I think it's
going to be a lot of rackings to clear it up, I make 3 gallons and 2-3
750ml bottles. I adjust the recipes for the additional juice. Everything
is proportional in most recipes I've found.

that's my 2 cents,
DAve

J Scott wrote:
I'm a newbie and about to start my first batch of wine. I would greatly
appreciate some advice from you guys who have some experience. I'm starting
out with a 3 gallon batch. I have a pretty good understanding of the
primary fermentation. Once I finish my primary and move on to subsequent
rackings, I know I have to monitor specific gravity and etc. using a test
jar and my hydrometer. My first question is this. If my test jar and
hydrometer are cleaned with sulfite solution, is there any reason why I
can't return the wine sample to the carboy provided I keep aeration to a
minimum? If I shouldn't do this then my next question is about topping up
to compensate for the loss of wine. After several checks I'm going to have
less volume over a period of time. If I add water to top up then I'm going
to be changing my acidity, specific gravity and etc. What would you suggest
in regards to topping up to eliminate the air space? Thanks so much for the
suggestions!

By the way... my first wine is going to be apple made with pure juice from
the store. No additives or preservatives. Any veterans of this method have
any tips or advice? Thanks!

Jeff

"J Scott" wrote in message
news
I'm a newbie and about to start my first batch of wine. I would greatly
appreciate some advice from you guys who have some experience. I'm
starting out with a 3 gallon batch. I have a pretty good understanding of
the primary fermentation. Once I finish my primary and move on to
subsequent rackings, I know I have to monitor specific gravity and etc.
using a test jar and my hydrometer. My first question is this. If my
test jar and hydrometer are cleaned with sulfite solution, is there any
reason why I can't return the wine sample to the carboy provided I keep
aeration to a minimum? If I shouldn't do this then my next question is
about topping up to compensate for the loss of wine. After several checks
I'm going to have less volume over a period of time. If I add water to
top up then I'm going to be changing my acidity, specific gravity and etc.
What would you suggest in regards to topping up to eliminate the air
space? Thanks so much for the suggestions!

By the way... my first wine is going to be apple made with pure juice from
the store. No additives or preservatives. Any veterans of this method
have any tips or advice? Thanks!

Jeff
There are two things that could make the sample you take out such that you
should not return it. If you add chemicals to the test sample such as
during a acid test, do not return it. The only other thing that would
prevent your returning it is if you drink it. That should be part of the
sampling. Taste it. Eventually, after a number of batchs, you will learn
to recognise things about the wine by tasting it as you make it.

As far as topping up, you do not need to top up if the wine is still
fermenting, i.e., in going from primary to secondary or if you rack while
fermenting in secondary. The CO2 comming off will protect it.

During bulk aging, if you are talking about adding a cup to replace a little
loss, water will not effect things much. Some people plan on this by using
a little extra fruit and a little extra sugar converted to alcohol so a
little extra dillution during racking is perfectlly OK and planned for. Jack
does this in his recipes.

Then if you have a good cellar, you could top with old wine. Some old books
say this will help the wine clear.

Finally, you could rack to smaller carboys so it still fits. I use a lot of
1 gallon and 1/2 gallon jugs. Any left beyone that does not fit that way
goes in the frig and is drunk.

I recomend against marbles. First you have to be sure the marbles are not
made with leaded glass. Second they are expensive and it takes a lot of
them. If you need to make up 2 inchs in the carboy, you need to add about 3
inchs of marbles. That is a lot of marbles. Third, it is hard to rack wine
out of them The sediment sits on the marbles and wine is between the
marbles. You will loose a lot of wine or you will have to pour the last of
the wine into another container, top it with something, and then let it
clear again.

Ray