I have 3/4 gallon of Leon Millot that has pretty much finished it's fermentation. This is from my first crop of grapes, 2nd year vines -- this is why I only have a small amount. It smells delicious, but I have a problem with the volume. I have all that air space above the fluid within a 1 gallon bottle... how can I fix this? How can I prevent oxidation with this small a quantity?

On Oct 5, 3:56*pm, Paul wrote:
I have 3/4 gallon of Leon Millot that has pretty much finished it's fermentation. This is from my first crop of grapes, 2nd year vines -- this is why I only have a small amount. It smells delicious, but I have a problem with the volume. I have all that air space above the fluid within a 1 gallon bottle... how can I fix this? How can I prevent oxidation with this small a quantity?I

I might suggest using a gas to displace the oxygen in the headspace.

I use argon, but others use nitrogen for this purpose.


I bought a 5lb bottle of argon from my local welding gas supply store.

Paul wrote:

I have 3/4 gallon of Leon Millot that has pretty
much finished it's fermentation. This is from my
first crop of grapes, 2nd year vines -- this is
why I only have a small amount. It smells
delicious, but I have a problem with the volume.
I have all that air space above the fluid within
a 1 gallon bottle... how can I fix this? How can
I prevent oxidation with this small a quantity?

Presque Isle (piwine.com) used to sell 3 liter
glass jugs. Maybe they still do. In any case,
you need to build up your inventory of various
size carboys.

Use 2 liter soda bottles and screw the top on. Those bottles can take
a lot of pressure so just release the pressure every once in a while
but don't release all of it.

Bob

On Oct 5, 2:56*pm, Paul wrote:
I have 3/4 gallon of Leon Millot that has pretty much finished it's fermentation. This is from my first crop of grapes, 2nd year vines -- this is why I only have a small amount. It smells delicious, but I have a problem with the volume. I have all that air space above the fluid within a 1 gallon bottle... how can I fix this? How can I prevent oxidation with this small a quantity?

On Oct 5, 3:56*pm, Paul wrote:
I have 3/4 gallon of Leon Millot that has pretty much finished it's fermentation. This is from my first crop of grapes, 2nd year vines -- this is why I only have a small amount. It smells delicious, but I have a problem with the volume. I have all that air space above the fluid within a 1 gallon bottle... how can I fix this? How can I prevent oxidation with this small a quantity?

Some here once posted an incredibly clever and easy trick - I haven't
used it yet, but it's in my mental bag of tricks. Get a bunche of
cheap glass marbles, sanitize them, and drop them in to displace some
of the liquid and close up the headspace. Cheap 'n easy.

On Oct 7, 9:12*am, " wrote:
On Oct 5, 3:56*pm, Paul wrote:

I have 3/4 gallon of Leon Millot that has pretty much finished it's fermentation. This is from my first crop of grapes, 2nd year vines -- this is why I only have a small amount. It smells delicious, but I have a problem with the volume. I have all that air space above the fluid within a 1 gallon bottle... how can I fix this? How can I prevent oxidation with this small a quantity?

Some here once posted an incredibly clever and easy trick - I haven't
used it yet, but it's in my mental bag of tricks. *Get a bunche of
cheap glass marbles, sanitize them, and drop them in to displace some
of the liquid and close up the headspace. *Cheap 'n easy.

I remember that post. I initially thought it was pretty ingenious as
well.
But then someone else brought up the possibility of eventually
chipping or breaking either a marble or the carboy itself.


That made the idea less appealing to me.

I use my husband's collection of glass milk bottles for small quantities.
These can be obtained at antique stores and ebay. You can buy corks for the
top and fit air locks in.

- M
"Paul" wrote in message
...
I have 3/4 gallon of Leon Millot that has pretty much finished it's
fermentation. This is from my first crop of grapes, 2nd year vines -- this
is why I only have a small amount. It smells delicious, but I have a
problem with the volume. I have all that air space above the fluid within a
1 gallon bottle... how can I fix this? How can I prevent oxidation with
this small a quantity?