I've been making wine for 4 or 5 months now, and I've
been making kits of 30 750ml bottles at a time. The problem
with this is that when I want to taste a batch to see how
it's coming along I have to sacrifice a whole bottle.
If it's not quite ready yet, I wind up wasting the whole bottle.

So I've started thinking... is there some way to fill
three or four smaller bottles, cork them up and use them
just for sampling?

Is there a smaller bottle (200-300ml) available that takes a
standard sized cork? I can find smaller bottles on the
Internet, but I can't seem to see anywhere what cork size they take.

Any ideas out there?


--
Bob Becker

www.becker.org

What I have been doing now is to age the wine in bulk. Instead of bottling
the wine in small bottles I racked it and leave it in a glass carboy. Every
month I use a wine thief to sample the wine. I then take note, log the
information and place the airlock back on.
I always make sure that there is enough wine so as not to create an unwanted
air gap. From time to time I may rack the wine if I see some sediment at
the bottom of the carboy. If need it I will top the carboy up wine similar
wine or just plain water. After a year of so depending on my requirements
and findings I bottle the wine.

"Bob Becker" > wrote in message
...
> I've been making wine for 4 or 5 months now, and I've
> been making kits of 30 750ml bottles at a time. The problem
> with this is that when I want to taste a batch to see how
> it's coming along I have to sacrifice a whole bottle.
> If it's not quite ready yet, I wind up wasting the whole bottle.
>
> So I've started thinking... is there some way to fill
> three or four smaller bottles, cork them up and use them
> just for sampling?
>
> Is there a smaller bottle (200-300ml) available that takes a
> standard sized cork? I can find smaller bottles on the
> Internet, but I can't seem to see anywhere what cork size they take.
>
> Any ideas out there?
>
>
> --
> Bob Becker
>
> www.becker.org
>

Bob Becker wrote:
> I've been making wine for 4 or 5 months now, and I've
> been making kits of 30 750ml bottles at a time. The problem
> with this is that when I want to taste a batch to see how
> it's coming along I have to sacrifice a whole bottle.
> If it's not quite ready yet, I wind up wasting the whole bottle.

A standard 375-mL beer/cider bottle will generally take a wine cork,
although that's a bit bigger than you're asking for.

375mL bottles are readily available in cork (std) or screwcap finish.
I've also seen 187mL bottles but those are crown cap sealed. All three
options should work well for you. I used the 375's myself.

RD

I had the same thoughts, and now I do the last few bottles in 375 ML
bottles. I have to buy them, not reuse them from wine stores. But it's
worth it.
They take the standard #9 corks.

In fact, some wines I buy in bulk and rebottle! Like Chenin Blanc that I
use for cooking (take a gallon and put into 375Ml bottles and use 1/2
bottle at a time. Or Chablis at a gallon and put into smaller bottles
for Sangria.

You are on the right track, but you have to purchase 375 ML little
bottles. smile. I buy 24 at a time! smile. clear is easiest since i can
see what the wine looks like.
DAve

Bob Becker wrote:
> I've been making wine for 4 or 5 months now, and I've
> been making kits of 30 750ml bottles at a time. The problem
> with this is that when I want to taste a batch to see how
> it's coming along I have to sacrifice a whole bottle.
> If it's not quite ready yet, I wind up wasting the whole bottle.
>
> So I've started thinking... is there some way to fill
> three or four smaller bottles, cork them up and use them
> just for sampling?
>
> Is there a smaller bottle (200-300ml) available that takes a
> standard sized cork? I can find smaller bottles on the
> Internet, but I can't seem to see anywhere what cork size they take.
>
> Any ideas out there?
>
>

I'm a noob.. but I put 6 of my first Sauv Blanc in the little screw top
Tonic bottles (10oz) that I purchase for my other vice (Bombay Gin :-).
You can get ginger ale and a variety of "mixers" in this size that you
can use for other purposes. The Tonic bottles are clear and seem to
work great for the 'sampler' size bottles. I've only opened two so far
but I've enjoyed learning how those funky off flavors are disappearing
with age.

Regards,

Rick

I like the little liquor bottle idea.

Also, I use a 10cc syringe as a thief. You can get sterilized ones at
farm stores, or places where they would sell veterinary supplies, and
they clean very easily. By only taking 10-20 ccs at a time, it's
enough to taste, but not enough to drop the carboy level much,