sort of a newb question.

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gunwolf

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I Have been making wine for two years now...but still consider myself new to this.
I have 3 gal of Elderberry going right now, this was started in sept. and still bubbles now and then. most of my info was lost in a computer virus thing(I know back it up) My question is I recently racked it(3rd time) and the SG was .995. While racking... it was almost like carbonated beer. The aroma is very nice and I tasted(as I do at every racking) it was almost like champaine on my tongue.(carbonation) is this normal? here are the few specifics that I did write down...

started with 10lbs of fresh Elderberries rinsed and bagged in a nylon straining bag. I poured enough boiling water over the bag to cover it. let this stand in primary for two days. I then removed the bag and sqeezed out all the juice.
I added enough sugar (just regular sugar) to bring my SG up to 1.25
My acid level was a little low so I added a acid blend to bring it to about 6. I added my yeast (montrachet) let it sit in the primary until it almost stopped, then racked it into the 1st carboy.
All of my detailed info was lost, but I have racked it twice since then.
Sorry I couldn't be more specific.
 
CO2 is a natural by-product of fermentation. At .995 your wine is finished fermentation. You will need to de-gas the wine.

Steve
 
The post above is correct and there are many ways of degassing your wine. Some use a drill mounted mix stir which does a decent job, some use a b rake bleeder which is an automotive tool designed to get air out of brake lines, some use a motorized vacuum pump which is what I just bought which can also be used to rack your wine from 1 vessel to another and filter your wine, and some just age their wine in carboys for a year or more wich works on most wines made from bought grapes but doesnt always do the trick on kit wines as they seem to hold C02 more for some reason. Degassing a wine should be done at a temp of around 75* as cooler temps will hold back C02 from being released. This is why while making Champagne it is transferred to another bottle at almost freezing so as not to lose its carbonation.
 
CO2 is a natural by-product of fermentation. At .995 your wine is finished fermentation. You will need to de-gas the wine.

Steve

This I did not know! thanks for the help guys! the wine is very clear, so if I decide to bottle soon I should de-gas...then bottle right away?
 
I would degas and then let it sit a little longer as C02 in suspension may be holding some sediment also in suspension.
 
Wade, I'm still a little confused on the de gassing, I did it before before I pitched my yeast in the primary, should I de gass it befor transfering into the secondary or do it befor bottling?
troy
 
Wade, I'm still a little confused on the de gassing, I did it before before I pitched my yeast in the primary, should I de gass it befor transfering into the secondary or do it befor bottling?
troy
WOW, are you ever confused!

Vigourous stirring in the primary prior to pitching the yeast is to incorporate oxygen into the must (which the yeast requires).

Fermentation (yeast + sugars) generates alcohol, SO2, and CO2.

Once fermentation is complete, it is time to degas, to get rid of the generated CO2.

Stirring, shaking, and vacuuming are all methods. Personally, I mostly just move the small end of my stirring spoon "back and forth" rather than "round and round". Unfortunately you have to do it A LOT!!! That seems to work for me.

Steve
 
As CP said, degassing is done after frementation is complete to get the C02 that is trapped in your wine which will prevent your wine from clearing. If wine is not degassed then the fining agents(clearing agents) will either not clear your wine or prevent it from doing a good job as the gas will keep your sediment and fining agents suspended in the wine. Doing what you did before pitching the yaest was just aerating your must so that your yeast had a good 02 supply to populate properly.
 

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