topping off wines/cysers/pyments

[capoeirista13]

So I am going to be racking a petit syrah pyment soon, and a question occurred to me. When I racked my previous mead, I topped the carboy off with honey-water which was similar to my original must. But I thought when topping off a pyment/cyser/wine, should you use water or a solution like your original must?

I've looked through some brewlogs, particularly pyment brewlogs, and it seems pretty random, some people using water and some people using grape concentrate.

 

[liff]

Or the third option: Don't top off.

I don't top off the carboy, I don't really think there is a good reason for it. If I am racking a pyment/mead late in the clearing stage, I just spray a little CO2 into the carboy, where it will form a blanket across the top of the must, protecting it from oxygen.

 

[GrantLee63]

I make 6 gallon batches of mead and eventually rack into a 5 gallon carboy and a 1 gallon jug. With subsequent rackings, I will top-off the 5 gallon carboy with the same mead that is in the 1 gallon jug, plus, I take my tasting samples from that same jug. When all is said-and-done, I have a 'solid' 5 gallons come bottling day.

- GL63

 

[Teufelhund]

That's an outstanding idea! Thanks! What I've done too, is save a gallon or so of the original must, which works well if it is a melomel as the juices add more flavor and color.

ccasion14:

DD

I make 6 gallon batches of mead and eventually rack into a 5 gallon carboy and a 1 gallon jug. With subsequent rackings, I will top-off the 5 gallon carboy with the same mead that is in the 1 gallon jug, plus, I take my tasting samples from that same jug. When all is said-and-done, I have a 'solid' 5 gallons come bottling day.

- GL63