My first big effort is a Shiraz kit. I racked it when the sg was below
1.040 as the kit said, and topped off the carboy, as one book I read said
"after this point oxygen is your enemy . . ."

Well, the cork blew off the carboy.

Any suggestions about carboy level at the first racking would be helpful.
If I top it off when I rack again, regardless of sg, am I going to have wine
all over my floor?

Thanks.

Vicki

On 03/27/2004 10:35 AM, Vicki Baylus said:
> My first big effort is a Shiraz kit. I racked it when the sg was below
> 1.040 as the kit said, and topped off the carboy, as one book I read said
> "after this point oxygen is your enemy . . ."
>
> Well, the cork blew off the carboy.
>
> Any suggestions about carboy level at the first racking would be helpful.
> If I top it off when I rack again, regardless of sg, am I going to have wine
> all over my floor?
>

'Cork blew off the carboy'? Did you use a solid cork, or one with
an airlock? You need to use an airlock because at 1.040, it's
still actively fermenting.


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

"Vicki Baylus" > wrote in message
news
> My first big effort is a Shiraz kit. I racked it when the sg was below
> 1.040 as the kit said, and topped off the carboy, as one book I read said
> "after this point oxygen is your enemy . . ."
>
> Well, the cork blew off the carboy.
>
> Any suggestions about carboy level at the first racking would be helpful.
> If I top it off when I rack again, regardless of sg, am I going to have
wine
> all over my floor?
>
> Thanks.
>
> Vicki
>



> carboy level at the first racking would be helpful:
You may want to consult another book? At the first racking, you don't need
to top off. Your wine is still fermenting and the gas from fermenting
displaces any air in the car boy. I use a 6.5 gallon carboy at this stage
and have boo-koo empty space- and an air lock.

You definitely should not be "corking" your secondary, but be using an air
lock that allows gas to escape your carboy and prevents air from entering.
You can use the same air lock you used in your primary.


After your secondary, (when the SAG is below 1.000) you will need to be
concerned about the level of your carboy- it should be several inches from
the top. But do consider you need space for your additives when you add
them near the end and plan accordingly.

I try not to rack newbies too often as it tends to upset them.

Gabriel


"Vicki Baylus" > wrote in message
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