Exploding bottles info

[Sashie]

what exactly does exploding bottles mean? The cork is released? Or the glass bottle actually explodes? And does this happen within hours of bottling or could it happen a month down the road?
Thanks

 

[winemaker_3352]

Usually refers to corks being pushed out of the bottle due to CO2 build up or re-fermentation in the bottle.

 

[REDBOATNY]

I have had both happen in the same case of wine. Pushed out corks, broken bottles and a nice purple stain in the concrete basement floor. I did manage to salvage about 4 bottles of Noiret bubbly, not bad!!

Now I moniter the sorbate addition for a week or so before bottling. (this wine had very little sugar added, maybe 1.5 %) It was a result of using old opened sorbate.

 

[Tom]

Mostly the corks will pop from the bottle. Rarely will a wine bottle explode like beer bottles

 

[Sashie]

thanks for the replies.

Does it happen fairly quickly after bottling?

 

[Tom]

Not always. Thats why degassing is important and not rushing to bottle.

 

[Sashie]

I haven't read anything about degassing in my winemaking books. I have heard of "stabilizing"wine. do all wines (from grapes, kits, fruit) need to be degassed?

 

[Tom]

YES.
All wines need degassing unless you plan on aging 12 months. Degassing will also help when clearing.

 

[winemaker_3352]

I degass everything. Using a vacuum pump when racking from one vessel to another 2-3 times is enough degassing for me.

 

[Brian]

YES.
All wines need degassing unless you plan on aging 12 months. Degassing will also help when clearing.

Tom correct me if I am wrong but did you mean "unless you plan on bulk ageing for 12 months" That way in a carboy with an airlock the gass will disapate on its own over that period.

 

[mmadmikes1]

Yes that is what he means. Mead can take longer

 

[Runningwolf]

I agree with the others on degassing. Whether I am bulk aging or not I still degass so my wine clears quicker. Nothing like 2 or 3 dozen carboys setting around all nice and clear showing off their colors.

Exploding bottles are usually caused by not stabilizing your wine before sweetening. The wine begins fermenting again. Once one bottle goes off you better attend to the rest of them.

 

[Tom]

Tom correct me if I am wrong but did you mean "unless you plan on bulk ageing for 12 months" That way in a carboy with an airlock the gass will disapate on its own over that period.

Brian,
Yes thats right

 

[Tom]

I agree with the others on degassing. Whether I am bulk aging or not I still degass so my wine clears quicker. Nothing like 2 or dozen carboys setting around all nice and clear showing off their colors.

Exploding bottles are usually caused by not stabilizing your wine before sweetening. The wine begins fermenting again. Once one bottle goes off you better attend to the rest of them.

Dan,
You ONLY have 2-12 carboys?
I thought you were gonna say 2 DOZEN or so Like here. Even thou ALL my carboys are covered to protect them/wine

 

[Runningwolf]

Dan,
You ONLY have 2-12 carboys?
I thought you were gonna say 2 DOZEN or so Like here. Even thou ALL my carboys are covered to protect them/wine

Ooops..2-3 dozen carboys. I no longer cover mine. Yep no "Butterface" carboys in my basement. Instead I covered the two windows in the basement.

 

[okwine39]

I dont know surely a better vitner than me will kick in here. In my limited experience in wine making I degass a 6 gallon carboy about 5 times at 2 or 3 minutes at a time between 22 and 25 inches of mecury on my vacum pump. Hopefully it is degassed by that time. What say you?

 

[sly22guy]

Might actually be a little over kill on the 5 times. 3 should be good at that amount of vacuum. But im sure your fine. An easy way to tell if its degassed enough is to tap the sides of the carboy and see if you have any bubbles coming up the sides.