Advice needed on Elderflower wine

[farmer333]

Hi All,

Just joined this forum so hello to you all. I am looking for some advice on making elderflower wine, I have been making up a batch of thirty bottles, using a 23.5 litre brewing bin. I am at the stage after about 6 weeks where fermentation has almost completely finished and I need to rack the wine to let it clear. At this point I am a bit confused what to do though, I was thinking I could rack the wine off to a temporary container that is far too big but all I have, then clean the original and syphon it back it. My worry however, is the brewing bin, although full to just over the 23 litre mark, has a lot of space left at the top. When I syphon it back it and put on the airlock, will the oxygen in this top part not make it turn to vinegar? Should I top it up with cooled, boiling water, but won't this dilute the wine? This is new to me, I have brewed with demijohns before but never one of these bins...

Any advice would be appreciated, would be a shame to have made 30 bottles of vinegar!

[teakdesk]

Welcome!

No expert by any means and have only made wine in demijohns like you.

But the bubbles produced by fermentation are carbon dioxide gas which is heavier than air. Even though the initial ferment has stopped there is still quite a lot of gas dissolved in the liquid which is released as you rack it. Thus there will quickly be a layer of carbon dioxide on the top of the liquid since it is heavier than air and won't rise. This gives a barrier to the surrounding air.

That's my take on it anyway.... in demijohns they are never full after racking.

[simon12]

Its acetic bacteria in the air which would turn it to vinegar not oxygen though it helps. Anyway what you want to use is crushed campden tablets (sodium metabisulphite or something like that) you use 1 per gallon (5) they stop oxygen getting in and also it releases quickly leaving a layer of new gas in the top part and leave nothing (or close to) left in the finished wine. They cost around £2-3 per 100 you can get them at any home brew shop or wilkinsons.