"Roy Boy" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Steve Thompson" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > "Roy Boy" > wrote in message
> > news
> >> My first batch of wine has fermented in the plastic bucket, racked to a
5
> >> gallon bottle with air lock, and racked to a 4 and a 1 gallon bottle
both
> >> with air locks. It is coming up to a month and getting ready to be
racked
> >> again. Most of the solids in the wine has dropped to the bottom. The
wine
> >> looks very much cleared.
> >>
> >> When I rack this next time I will have less wine than I do now. I am
> >> planning on topping the 4 gallon bottle up from the one gallon bottle.
> >> Should I refrigerate what is left from the one gallon bottle to keep
for
> >> a
> >> topoff for the next rack? If I refrigerate, do I need to find a bottle
> > that
> >> will fill to the top and drink the rest?
> >>
> >> Or should I find a bottle that will fill to the top and just cork it
> >> until
> >> the next rack.
> >>
> >> Will I still need to but the air lock on the 4 gallon bottle?
> >
> > You'll want to rack to carboys so you have the least headspace.
Depending
> > on
> > what you have on hand for carboys, you may be able to rack to a bucket,
> > mix
> > in the 1 gal, then back to the 4 gal container, leaving about 1"
> > headspace.
> > Rack remaining wine in the bucket to a smaller bottle, like a 750, or
> > 1.5ml
> > whatever is left...
> >
> > Steve
> Do I still need the air lock?

Yes! Get a stopper to fit a wine bottle and a tripple bubbler... better yet,
buy a few

Steve