Solo Bottling Aghh

[smoothlager]

Everytime I bottle wine I end up disturbing the sediment and end up losing loads of wine: can this be done solo, if so how? or do I need someone to help?

 

[HLA91]

Rack the wine off the sediment then bottle it so you have no sediment in the DJ to disturb, job done.

 

[Marrsy86]

Try use a clothes peg so your racking cane only goes halfway into your DJ
Then adjust as and when you need to.

Cheers

Marrsy

 

[smoothlager]

Rack the wine off the sediment then bottle it so you have no sediment in the DJ to disturb, job done.

Thanks

Do you have to syphon it then when bottling or can you pour it in? I ask because if I syphon it i will find it difficult to keep the syphon low enough whilst aiming in the bottles and changing from bottle to bottle.

 

[smoothlager]

Try use a clothes peg so your racking cane only goes halfway into your DJ
Then adjust as and when you need to.

Cheers

Marrsy

Thanks
Ive tried a clothes peg and it helps lots but moving it lower and bottling then is difficult: my arms not long enough :lol:

 

[snail59]

Syphoning is the best way. Try building something like this.

 

[smoothlager]

Syphoning is the best way. Try building something like this.

Impressive but how do you get the plastic tube to stay at the deep end because Ive tried slanting it but it just pops up the other side unless I hold it?

 

[Marrsy86]

Syphoning is the best way. Try building something like this.

That's not a bad idea! Might have a bash at something like that.

 

[HLA91]

Well there is no need to keep an eye on the racking cane if you have already siphoned the wine off of the sediment so let it drop.

 

[snail59]

The groove in the centre of the base holds the syphon tube tight PULLING THE CANE TO THE DEEP END and holding it in position. Dont pull to tight as it kinks the top of the pipe and stops flow. Just enough pressure to hold cane in position :thumb:

 

[snail59]

Oh and it's not my idea the inspiration came (like a lot of other wine related things) from Moley :clap:

 

[chef2323]

For wine and beer (if bottling) I rack off into another vessel, Then I will bottle. On the point of doing the bottling solo I purchased a bottling stick (about £4) and it allows you to bottle really easily.

 

[smoothlager]

For wine and beer (if bottling) I rack off into another vessel, Then I will bottle. On the point of doing the bottling solo I purchased a bottling stick (about £4) and it allows you to bottle really easily.

Whats a bottling stick?

 

[Moley]

Oh and it's not my idea the inspiration came (like a lot of other wine related things) from Moley :clap:

... and my inspiration came from CJJB, there's a photo in “First Steps”, page 50 in my copy.

Racking or bottling solo is easy and your losses will reduce with practice, but you need to be able to concentrate on one end of the syphon tube and forget about the other.

If racking, this means that you drop the output end of the tube into a vessel which you know is big enough to receive without overflowing, then concentrate on the mucky end.

If bottling, you need to be able to concentrate on the tap end, or bottling stick, or flow constrictor clip as in Snail's photo, and know that the racking cane can't spin around and stir up the sediment.

Snail's syphon tube comes under the centre of the platform, mine has a hook screwed into the back to retain the tube, the result is the same.

If bottling a gallon, I will draw off 5 bottles by gradually pushing the racking cane and sediment cup a little further into the DJ, then the rest is racked into a wide-necked litre bottle so I can leave that to flow while I go back to the mucky end.

My tilted platform is shown in this topic, but I've been even more of a smart **** and now it has an LED lamp set in below the front of the DJ.

 

[snail59]

[/quote]

Whats a bottling stick?[/quote]

I assume they are refering to a LITTLE BOTTLER. CLICKY HERE

 

[smoothlager]

Whats a bottling stick?[/quote]

I assume they are refering to a LITTLE BOTTLER. CLICKY HERE[/quote]

I may purchase a bottling stick they look good.

Regarding your tilted racking device: I took the inspiration from yours and went and built one tonight with a little, sorry a lot, of help from my brother in law whos a joiner. Just need to sand it down a bit but it will defo do the trick and Ive put a hole through the centre so I can pull the tube tight so the cane stays in the deep end. Cant wait to use it; probably get my chance in a week or so: I will feedback how it goes...... thanks

 

[Peapodmaster]

Well after reading this i realise i need a list of things.

Tilter-thingy-ma-bobby
Racking Cane
Bottle Filler

Well then, better get cracking!... (tomorrow of course)

 

[trev21561]

like the idea of the wedge type bit of kit going to make one
just a question to all you experts prior to bottling wow type wines i have racked into a dj backsweetened added ct and stabiliser then added finings left to clear 1-2 weeks i then filter onto a ct and leave to mature in a dj.
getting a bit low on djs if i filtered into a dj and bottled sraight away would i still need to add a ct to the dj. :hmm:

 

[Moley]

if i filtered into a dj and bottled sraight away would i still need to add a ct to the dj. :hmm:

Yes, CT is used to guard against infection and to act as an anti-oxidant.

If you're filtering, then the wine is probably splashing about a bit or being dropped from a great height, so it's the anti-oxidant part which we're more concerned about.

 

[trev21561]

thankyou moley
one more question how long would wine have to be left after adding a ct
i am learning that they are improving after several months but would it be a problem to drink straight away after ct has been added
thankyou for all your help i have not posted much but have done a lot of lurking and learning by far my favorite and the wifes is original wow with rice and raison my second :clap: