Hi Again
further to the helpful advice given by this group a short time ago, I have
had my wine in secondary fermentation for three weeks, my wine is making
around one bubble
every few minutes. Assuming when I take a hydrometer reading it is 1000 I am
going to rack into a clean demijon.
Do I need to top up the demijon? I have heard that you can use a simular
wine, as I do not have any I would have to use water? Is this ok or will it
dilute the wine?


Thanks Alex K

You do need to top up the demijohn.
Adding water will dilute the wine.
How much wine are you making?
What size carboys/bottles (demijohns) do you have?

It's best to have an assortment of bottle sizes so you don't face the
problem of topping up with another wine. In our local amateur wine
contest many fruit winemakers add grape wine. This always knocks down their
score because it dilutes and changes the fruit character of the original
wine. So, if you don't have an assortment of bottles, so you can avoid
topping up, buy some commercial plum wine and use that to top up. Any other
wine will change the character of your homemade plum wine.

Bill Frazier
Olathe, Kansas USA

"Alex" > wrote in message
...
> Hi Again
> further to the helpful advice given by this group a short time ago, I have
> had my wine in secondary fermentation for three weeks, my wine is making
> around one bubble
> every few minutes. Assuming when I take a hydrometer reading it is 1000 I
am
> going to rack into a clean demijon.
> Do I need to top up the demijon? I have heard that you can use a simular
> wine, as I do not have any I would have to use water? Is this ok or will
it
> dilute the wine?
>
>
> Thanks Alex K
>
>
>
>
>

You do need to top up the demijohn.
Adding water will dilute the wine.
How much wine are you making?
What size carboys/bottles (demijohns) do you have?

It's best to have an assortment of bottle sizes so you don't face the
problem of topping up with another wine. In our local amateur wine
contest many fruit winemakers add grape wine. This always knocks down their
score because it dilutes and changes the fruit character of the original
wine. So, if you don't have an assortment of bottles, so you can avoid
topping up, buy some commercial plum wine and use that to top up. Any other
wine will change the character of your homemade plum wine.

Bill Frazier
Olathe, Kansas USA

"Alex" > wrote in message
...
> Hi Again
> further to the helpful advice given by this group a short time ago, I have
> had my wine in secondary fermentation for three weeks, my wine is making
> around one bubble
> every few minutes. Assuming when I take a hydrometer reading it is 1000 I
am
> going to rack into a clean demijon.
> Do I need to top up the demijon? I have heard that you can use a simular
> wine, as I do not have any I would have to use water? Is this ok or will
it
> dilute the wine?
>
>
> Thanks Alex K
>
>
>
>
>

"William Frazier" > wrote in message
...

> How much wine are you making?
----------------------------------------------------
Only two gallons, my first attempt, I have taken a hydrometer reading,
about 990.
> What size carboys/bottles (demijohns) do you have?
------------------------------------------------
1 Gallon.
buy some commercial plum wine and use that to top up. Any other
> wine will change the character of your homemade plum wine.
----------------------------------------------
Drat! I was on holiday last week in The west Country . That's Devon and
Cornwall in the UK.
loads of country wines in the shops. I even bought a small bottle of
strawberry to try.
---------------------------------------------------
I have heard that malt whisky put glass marbles in their half empty bottles
to bring the level up and stop oxidation.


Thanks Alex K

"William Frazier" > wrote in message
...

> How much wine are you making?
----------------------------------------------------
Only two gallons, my first attempt, I have taken a hydrometer reading,
about 990.
> What size carboys/bottles (demijohns) do you have?
------------------------------------------------
1 Gallon.
buy some commercial plum wine and use that to top up. Any other
> wine will change the character of your homemade plum wine.
----------------------------------------------
Drat! I was on holiday last week in The west Country . That's Devon and
Cornwall in the UK.
loads of country wines in the shops. I even bought a small bottle of
strawberry to try.
---------------------------------------------------
I have heard that malt whisky put glass marbles in their half empty bottles
to bring the level up and stop oxidation.


Thanks Alex K

Alex wrote:
> Hi Again
> further to the helpful advice given by this group a short time ago, I have
> had my wine in secondary fermentation for three weeks, my wine is making
> around one bubble
> every few minutes. Assuming when I take a hydrometer reading it is 1000 I am
> going to rack into a clean demijon.
> Do I need to top up the demijon? I have heard that you can use a simular
> wine, as I do not have any I would have to use water? Is this ok or will it
> dilute the wine?
>
>
> Thanks Alex K

Filtered apple juice (usually from concentrate) has no character at all,
but would dilute the wine a lot less than water. That's what I use to
make up the difference when I'm making jelly and don't have quite enough
juice.

As someone else has mentioned, you can also add glass marbles to take up
the space.

Best regards,
Bob

Alex wrote:
> Hi Again
> further to the helpful advice given by this group a short time ago, I have
> had my wine in secondary fermentation for three weeks, my wine is making
> around one bubble
> every few minutes. Assuming when I take a hydrometer reading it is 1000 I am
> going to rack into a clean demijon.
> Do I need to top up the demijon? I have heard that you can use a simular
> wine, as I do not have any I would have to use water? Is this ok or will it
> dilute the wine?
>
>
> Thanks Alex K

Filtered apple juice (usually from concentrate) has no character at all,
but would dilute the wine a lot less than water. That's what I use to
make up the difference when I'm making jelly and don't have quite enough
juice.

As someone else has mentioned, you can also add glass marbles to take up
the space.

Best regards,
Bob

Alex wrote:
> Hi Again
> further to the helpful advice given by this group a short time ago, I have
> had my wine in secondary fermentation for three weeks, my wine is making
> around one bubble
> every few minutes. Assuming when I take a hydrometer reading it is 1000 I am
> going to rack into a clean demijon.
> Do I need to top up the demijon? I have heard that you can use a simular
> wine, as I do not have any I would have to use water? Is this ok or will it
> dilute the wine?
>
>
> Thanks Alex K

Filtered apple juice (usually from concentrate) has no character at all,
but would dilute the wine a lot less than water. That's what I use to
make up the difference when I'm making jelly and don't have quite enough
juice.

As someone else has mentioned, you can also add glass marbles to take up
the space.

Best regards,
Bob

Just a suggestion but I would try to find a 1/2 gal jug. Then rack into a 1
gal jug and the 1/2. Any extra could be put in regular wine bottles. That
way you would not have to top up at all. That is generally the best thing
to do. Avoid topping up.

Ray

"Alex" > wrote in message
...
>
> "William Frazier" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>> How much wine are you making?
> ----------------------------------------------------
> Only two gallons, my first attempt, I have taken a hydrometer reading,
> about 990.
>> What size carboys/bottles (demijohns) do you have?
> ------------------------------------------------
> 1 Gallon.
> buy some commercial plum wine and use that to top up. Any other
>> wine will change the character of your homemade plum wine.
> ----------------------------------------------
> Drat! I was on holiday last week in The west Country . That's Devon and
> Cornwall in the UK.
> loads of country wines in the shops. I even bought a small bottle of
> strawberry to try.
> ---------------------------------------------------
> I have heard that malt whisky put glass marbles in their half empty
> bottles
> to bring the level up and stop oxidation.
>
>
> Thanks Alex K
>

Just a suggestion but I would try to find a 1/2 gal jug. Then rack into a 1
gal jug and the 1/2. Any extra could be put in regular wine bottles. That
way you would not have to top up at all. That is generally the best thing
to do. Avoid topping up.

Ray

"Alex" > wrote in message
...
>
> "William Frazier" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>> How much wine are you making?
> ----------------------------------------------------
> Only two gallons, my first attempt, I have taken a hydrometer reading,
> about 990.
>> What size carboys/bottles (demijohns) do you have?
> ------------------------------------------------
> 1 Gallon.
> buy some commercial plum wine and use that to top up. Any other
>> wine will change the character of your homemade plum wine.
> ----------------------------------------------
> Drat! I was on holiday last week in The west Country . That's Devon and
> Cornwall in the UK.
> loads of country wines in the shops. I even bought a small bottle of
> strawberry to try.
> ---------------------------------------------------
> I have heard that malt whisky put glass marbles in their half empty
> bottles
> to bring the level up and stop oxidation.
>
>
> Thanks Alex K
>

"zxcvbob" > wrote in message
...
> Alex wrote:
> > Hi Again
> > further to the helpful advice given by this group a short
time ago, I have
> > had my wine in secondary fermentation for three weeks, my
wine is making
> > around one bubble
> > every few minutes. Assuming when I take a hydrometer reading
it is 1000 I am
> > going to rack into a clean demijon.
> > Do I need to top up the demijon? I have heard that you can
use a simular
> > wine, as I do not have any I would have to use water? Is this
ok or will it
> > dilute the wine?
> >
> >
> > Thanks Alex K
>
> Filtered apple juice (usually from concentrate) has no
character at all,
> but would dilute the wine a lot less than water. That's what I
use to
> make up the difference when I'm making jelly and don't have
quite enough
> juice.
>
> As someone else has mentioned, you can also add glass marbles
to take up
> the space.

How about just flushing the airspace with CO2?

Bob

"zxcvbob" > wrote in message
...
> Alex wrote:
> > Hi Again
> > further to the helpful advice given by this group a short
time ago, I have
> > had my wine in secondary fermentation for three weeks, my
wine is making
> > around one bubble
> > every few minutes. Assuming when I take a hydrometer reading
it is 1000 I am
> > going to rack into a clean demijon.
> > Do I need to top up the demijon? I have heard that you can
use a simular
> > wine, as I do not have any I would have to use water? Is this
ok or will it
> > dilute the wine?
> >
> >
> > Thanks Alex K
>
> Filtered apple juice (usually from concentrate) has no
character at all,
> but would dilute the wine a lot less than water. That's what I
use to
> make up the difference when I'm making jelly and don't have
quite enough
> juice.
>
> As someone else has mentioned, you can also add glass marbles
to take up
> the space.

How about just flushing the airspace with CO2?

Bob