WineXpert Degassing

[JohnnyTy]

Hey Guys,

I'm new to the whole wine making deal and I had a question. I am in the middle of my first kit (California Riesling) and I am at the degassing stage. I find myself mix-stirring until i'm ready to pass out - i've read everyones posts and invested in a tool powered device- but i am not quite sure if my wine is truely "degassed". Should the resultant wine be completely flat, or will some carbonation or "sparkle" still remain after 2-3 days of degassing (3 times per day). Any help would be greatly appreciated and thanks for all the great pointers for us newbies.

 

[Wade E]

Welcome Johnny, I'm not sure where in the middle you are. Does that
mean your SG is approximately 1.040 because at that point your not
going to get rid of all the gas as it is still producing gases until it
is done fermenting. You have come to a good place with lots of freindly
people. Dont be afraid to ask any questions at all. We are here to help
or be helped.

 

[masta]

Here is a great tutorial for stirring your kit wine:
http://www.finevinewines.com/Stirring-Your-Wine-Kit.htm


I would like to add a few tips:


<UL>
<LI>Don't rush into the degassing stage. I very rarely degass on schedule according to the kit instructions and rely on visual signs from my wine. If I see foam or bubbles on top of the wine I know it isn't done fermenting and not ready to move forward. But always double check SG readings to confirm.</LI>
<LI>It will not hurt the wine to have it sitting longer than 10 days after transferring from primary fermenter before degassing as noted in Winexpert instructions. I normally do all my work on my wines on the weekend so degassing gets done around 14 days.</LI>
<LI>Letting the wine sit longer actually will allow the CO2 to start to come out of solution on it's own and reduce the chance of the carboy wine volcano when stirring it with your drill mounted stirrer.</LI>
<LI>The temperature of your wine when degassing is important since a cooler liquid holds more dissolved gas than a warmer one and therefore takes more effort to force it out of solution. 70 -75 F is optimal temp for fermentation and degassing kit wines.</LI>
<LI>Foaming when stirring doesn't always mean the wine still has dissolved gas in it.</LI>
<LI>When stirring by hand or with drill mounted stirrer don't create a vortex and get the liquid all going in one direction but try quick bursts or reverse directions often.</LI>[/list]

 

[JohnnyTy]

Thanks for all the input. To elaborate, I let the secondary fermentation go for ten days and the SG was where it should be according to the kit (less than .995). I've degassed several times (did create a vortex though) but the wine still tastes slightly carbonated though. Is this normal or does it require more degassing? Also, can the wine be further degassed after it is cleared and racked by using vigorous stirring (say, just before bulk aging)? Thanks again for the advice.

 

[PeterZ]

Johnny,


Degassing can take place at any time up to putting the cork in the bottle. CO2 doesn't hurt the wine - it only interferes with clarification. If you filter you can degass just before bottling. If you degass in a carboy you can do it several times, as lonf as you don't create a vortes and suck air into the wine.

 

[phillipd76]

The instructions on my kit has me degassing when it is in the carboy, and to do that I must stir. But how do I get the stirring spoon in there or is there something I am missing.

I just started the primary so I have time to figure it out!

 

[Wade E]

Some people shave down the sides of theip spoons and use by hand some
put them in a drill. I bought the mix-stir which costs about 15 bucks
and is designed to fit in a drill. Some people buy a vacuum pump made
for bleeding brakes which you can get at a Napa auto store for about 25
bucks which is my next investment.

 

[bmorosco]

Some people shave down the sides of theip spoons and use by hand some put them in a drill. I bought the mix-stir which costs about 15 bucks and is designed to fit in a drill. Some people buy a vacuum pump made for bleeding brakes which you can get at a Napa auto store for about 25 bucks which is my next investment.

How does that work if you don't mind me asking?

 

[Wade E]

Well not sure which one your inquiring about but, the mix stir is a
metal rod with arms that swing out when centrifigal force is applied to
it and it stirs the heck out of your wine. The shaved spoon will not
work as efficiently but will work at a fraction of the cost either by
hand or in a drill.
Edited by: wadewade

 

[MLawrence]

I'd like to hear more about the vacuum pump. Could someone familiar with this piece of equipment explain how it works?


Thanks,
Matt

 

[smurfe]

Masta's point about not creating a vortex with the mix-stir is very valid. My first kit was still a little gassy when I bottled it. I had stirred it with the mix stir for a considerable time. I attribute mixing too hard to the gas retention. I have not had a problem with CO2 in a batch since.


The vacuum pumps work by taking a carboy cap (one of those orange things with the two nipples on top) and connecting the hose to one of the nipples and applying a light vacuum. It will pull the CO2 out of the wine. I haven't tried the ones from the auto parts store though.


I sometimes use my Vacu-Vin, which is a hand pump that you can get with rubber stoppers to seal up your opened bottles of wine with. I slide one of the stoppers over the large port nipple on a carboy cap, stick on the hand pump and give it a few strokes, let the foaming start and give it a few more. So on and so on.


You can also use a drilled stopper with some plastic tubing fit in the hole. Some even use electric vacuum pumps that I guess have regulators on them.


Smurfe

 

[bmorosco]

will you actually see the gas being pulled up and out of the carboy..ie. bubbles on the side?