one hour later still degassing

[hobbyiswine]

My friend is making a WE Aussie Chard. Fermentation is complete (steady at .990 for days) and he is degassing as per instructions at the stabilizing/clearing stage. He doesn't have a drill whip but has been working the spoon back, forth, and around in the carboy for an hour and says he can still get bubbles of co2. I think he may have whipped it up and just be mixing in air. I told him to leave it for now and that I would post a question here on the forum. He hasn't topped up since he thinks he still may need to degas but has added the sorbate and isinglass, etc. Suggestions??

 

[Wade E]

Temp? Ive never ever tried to degas using a spoon as I read up before hand and heard nothing but problems douing so. That being said I beleive cpfan does it this way and says it works fine.

 

[djrockinsteve]

I would sulfite and airlock then leave it alone. It's easy to whip in air and not realize it. Top it off and let it rest. Check it later.

You can check with a small vac. pump briefly to check CO2

 

[hobbyiswine]

Temp is 74ish from beginning to now. I told him to be "vigorous" with his degassing and think he took it to heart. He sent a picture and it looked like a foamy beer with about 2 inches of thick white foam on top. He said the foam has since setlled down.

 

[cpfan]

Temp is 74ish from beginning to now. I told him to be "vigorous" with his degassing and think he took it to heart. He sent a picture and it looked like a foamy beer with about 2 inches of thick white foam on top. He said the foam has since setlled down.

WOW!!

Can your buddy take a little taste and see if he feels CO2 on the tongue? If there's that much CO2, it should be detectable.

Steve

 

[BobF]

I just degassed an apple/craisin over the weekend that took over an hour with vacuum.

As far as checking for co2, if the wine is reasonable clear, sometimes you'll be able to see bubbles form on a racking cane placed into the wine - a sure sign that there is a lot of co2.

 

[robie]

Like Steve wrote, taste it. If it is fizzy or tingly on the tongue, it still has CO2. Just don't stir so hard you are stirring in more air. CO2 bubbles tend to be very small, compared to air bubbles (think of a fizzing coke).

 

[winemaker_3352]

You can also test it by putting some in a hydrometer test tube - put your hand over it and shake it good - when u remove your hand listen for puffing sound that occurs.

 

[Aldwyn]

Chilean Chard kit...

I have been facing a similar issue. About three weeks ago, I used a drill mount degasser for over an hour and a half, and no dice. The next day, I put on a brake bleeding pump and it took days of pressure of 15 and 16hg before it stopped bringing up bubbles. As recently as this morning... weeks after the initial degassing... I am getting several bubbles when I pump it up to 24hg (I dont dare go higher, as I fear it will implode the neck of the carboy!).

I assume it will eventually degas, but man, it's taking forever.

And since I also put in sorbate and isinglass at initial degassing, I am wondering... once I am satisfied with my degasing (though at this rate it will be sometime next year!), can I put in more isinglass, or will that effect the taste by having to much added?

I was hoping to have some bottles ready to go in April...

Thanks,
Aldwyn

 

[robie]

Chilean Chard kit...

I have been facing a similar issue. About three weeks ago, I used a drill mount degasser for over an hour and a half, and no dice. The next day, I put on a brake bleeding pump and it took days of pressure of 15 and 16hg before it stopped bringing up bubbles. As recently as this morning... weeks after the initial degassing... I am getting several bubbles when I pump it up to 24hg (I dont dare go higher, as I fear it will implode the neck of the carboy!).

I assume it will eventually degas, but man, it's taking forever.

And since I also put in sorbate and isinglass at initial degassing, I am wondering... once I am satisfied with my degasing (though at this rate it will be sometime next year!), can I put in more isinglass, or will that effect the taste by having to much added?

I was hoping to have some bottles ready to go in April...

Thanks,
Aldwyn

I hope you also put Kmeta in when you added the sorbate.

Make sure the bubbles are tiny CO2 bubbles and not just larger air bubbles being sucked out by the vacuum. Remember, you can shack up a half bottle of water and still get bubbles and a poof, when you release pressure, so don't confuse CO2 with air.

24 is too high in my opinion. I would never go beyond 20.

I would only use the clearing agent once. Once the clearing begins and sediment starts to fall, I would not try to degas again until the wine has been racked off that sediment.

 

[hobbyiswine]

Update on Aussie Chard

Talked to my friend today and seems that all is well with the kit. He gave it a taste test and didn't notice any CO2 on the tongue a couple days ago so he topped up and left it alone. Been a couple of days and is already clearing. Seems that if degassing was an issue it would not clear well or quickly and it seems to be fine. He said it tasted pretty good too. I am convinced he had whipped in some air and was just mixing it around. Time will tell but it seems all is well.