Eaiser Sparkling Wine Idea

[scubaman2151]

While readinga topicposted on another forum about how to add c02to allow for sparkling wine,I had a weird idea pop into my head that I wanted to run past you guys. I once read an article, it might have been in Wine Maker Magazine, about how winemakers after topping off their carboys will drop in a little bit of dry ice, and then insert the bung and airlock. Since c02 is heavier then 02, as the dry ice evaporates in the wine the c02 sits on top of the wine, pushing the 02 out of the carboy, ensuring that you’re that absolutely no 02 touches your wine. Now, while thinking of this, couldn't this same idea be used in introducing c02 to try and make sparkling wine? Fill your champagne bottle to the appropriate level, drop in the dry ice, quickly put in the stopper and wire it shut. Simply let sit for a few weeks and you should have sparkling wine, no?

 

[PeterZ]

Yes, that will work, but accurately measuring the appropriate amount of dry ice at -70F is a little tricky. Too little and the wine is not sparkly enough. Too much and the bottles explode.

 

[ibglowin]

Ooooh, sounds dangerous, I'm in!

 

[grapeman]

Mike's good at making things go bang! He blows the cork on whole carboys!


I might try it by using champagne bottles with hoods, etc and use small amounts of ice. If you do it keep us filled in.

 

[scubaman2151]

Let me double check how much they sell dry ice for again, as I know they only sell it by the pound. If its not to much I may give it a go. Once I drop the ice in, how long will it take to go boom, if it is going to go boom that is?

 

[Bartman]

There's an old tale in my family from my parents' efforts to make champagne many moons ago (they've been married 52 years). After making and bottling 20-30 bottles of champagne and stowing it away in the basement to age, they waited patiently for it to be ready to drink. One night 1-2 weeks after bottling, they heard a *bang*, and then another, and another, almost like slow-popping popcorn. Not knowing whether the noise was from inside or outside, they started looking around and listening for the next *pop*. A bit later, they traced the pops to the basement - the champagne corks were popping open and shooting up and hitting the basement ceiling.

I don't know if they used the wrong corks, failed to wire/tie-down the corks, or just didn't degas enough, but that was the their last attempt to make their own champagne or wine. Good stories though.

 

[Wade E]

Well since you dont degas a Sparkling wine and since the bottles weren't exploding it must have been the fact that they didnt wire tie the corks down properly or at all. and all Champagne corks need to be tied down.

 

[smokegrub]

There is no reasonable way to calculate how much dry ice to add. Get ready for the sound effects! : )

 

[Runningwolf]

Ooooh, sounds dangerous, I'm in!

I'm hanging out with you Mike, I'll even bring my potato gun!

 

[Waldo]

Hell yeah..im a coming too !!!

 

[Wade E]

Wasnt this how the Earth was created, "The Big Bang Theory"!

 

[scubaman2151]

And they call that a miracle, wonder what they will call this?

 

[Wade E]

The Apocalypse!

 

[BikerShannon]

LMAO! Sounds like fun!

 

[NY257121]

WAS IN PUBLIX IN BRENTWOOD TN SELLING DRY ICE $1.29 A POUND MY FAMILY WAS IN THE ICE CREAM BUSINESS AND MY FATHER TOLD ME TO BE CAREFUL WHEN PUTTING DRY ICE IN WATER AND AFTER THE BUBBLING STOPPED DRINKING THE WATER THE DRY ICE MIGHT HAVE A LITTLE OIL IN IT

 

[hartm]

Hmmm....I haven't heard about dry ice having oils in it. I haven't noticed it in the demonstrations I have done for schools...


One would have to be very careful about the amount of dry ice needed to do this sort of carbonation. From my experience it is possible to carbonate water with dry ice. I have seen some posts about leaving a vent when carbonating water, but that won't work well for wine.


I like the idea of adding it to carboys to ensure the head space is free of oxygen, but one could getthe same effect with a CO2 or N2 tank and blowing in some gas (Of course those require a CO2 or N2 tank).


The danger with dry ice in carbonation is judging how much CO2 is already present in the wine/beverage and how much you need to get the desired pressure in the bottle. With someCAREFUL measurements AND calculationsI think it can be done.


I guess I would wanta nice blast shield before I started experimenting with it...