Good Morning,
Thank you for the info in the newsletters they have been helpful.
I need to know how much air should be above the wine in the bottle. Could you let me know about that so I don’t over/under fill.
Dr. Thomas
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Dear Dr. Thomas,
I’m very glad to hear that you find our wine making newsletters informative and helpful. It is are sincerest goal to provide home winemakers with the tools they need to become successful, including information. Now, on to your question…
I am assuming you are referring to the amount of air-space that should exist between the wine and the wine cork stopper while in the wine bottle. When you are bottling your wine you want some head-space to promote proper aging, but you don’t want too much space, as this can contribute to oxidation of the wine.
Most winemakers agree that you would like about 3/4 inch between the wine and the cork stopper. If synthetic corks are being used, you can get away with a little more head-space in the wine bottle.
I hope this answers your question.
Best Wishes,
Customer Service at E. C. Kraus
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Ed Kraus is a 3rd generation home brewer/winemaker and has been an owner of E. C. Kraus since 1999. He has been helping individuals make better wine and beer for over 25 years.
I blend Stevia into my wines for sweeting. I still use Potassium Sorbate when bottling. Is this necessary after racking 3 or 4 times?
Hi. I made some Rose Hip wine. It is very bitter.I may have picked them to early.Can I just add some sugar to each glass as I drink it? Or just dump it out and try again this fall.
Echota, I would recommend that you use potassium sorbate when adding stevia to a wine for sweetening. There is nothing that suggests that stevia will ferment, but there is no downside to adding potassium sorbate either. Here is some more information an this subject: http://blog.eckraus.com/wine-making-tricks-and-tips/sweeten-your-homemade-wine-with-stevia
William, there is nothing wrong with adding sugar for sweetening as you drink the wine. If you have not bottling the wine yet, you can add sugar to the entire batch before bottling, but it is important to add potassium sorbate as well, otherwise a re-fermentation could occur. You may want to take a look a the following article:
"Making Sweet Wines"
http://www.eckraus.com/wine-making-sweet/
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