Sparkling, but not too sparkilng!!!

[Jwhelan939]

I am looking to add a small fiz in my Lambrusco. I don't want a full out sparkling wine, just a little "Riunite-ish" fizz. Any ideas as to how I would go about this without using an expensive CO2 machine? I know how to do a full sparkling wine with the yeast and sugar. I am just afraid to make too much fizz.

 

[Wade E]

you would probably just want to add a dash of sugar to a non-sulfited or sorbated wine.

 

[grapeman]

Either that or add one of those carbonation tablets they make for beer.

 

[grapeman]

From WikiBooks
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Brewing/Bottling/Kegging


Advanced Priming


Priming Tablets (Carbonation Tablets) or "Primetabs" are an advanced method of priming beer in homebrewing, They are small, sanitized corn sugar tablets which come in packages of usually 250 tablets per package, and are used when bottling your beer. Some priming tablets also contain DME (Dried Malt Extract) in the tablet with the corn sugar. When bottling your beer you usually add from 1 to 5 primetabs to a regular 12 oz / 330 ml bottle, depending upon how much carbonation you desire. 2 for lowly-carbonated beers like British Ales, and up to 4 or 5 for highly carbonated beers like Hefeweizen and others. There is typically no boiling or other handling required - simply put the desired number of tablets in the bottle, fill with beer, then cap, and that's it. Some priming tablets like Coopers Carbonation Drops only require 1 tablet per a 12 oz [345 -375 ml] bottle so be sure to read the package directions before using. For example, Munton's CarbTabs are different in amount of tablets required verses Cooper's Carbonation Drops. The tablets can be added before or after filling as there no difference either way. However, once the bottle is capped it should be turned on-end 2 or 3 times until the tablets dissolve in the liquid. After the bottle is capped in the first few hours, it is good idea to swirl or tip the bottle end to end to ensure a good mixture throughout the bottled beer. This ensures that the added priming sugars are accessable to the remaining yeast in the bottle, then the bottles can be left in a dark 60F to 70F (15C to 20C) environment for the standard week or two, which is long enough for the carbonation to develop in the bottled beer.. For best results the bottle should sit for two weeks. The only downside with priming tablets or "Primetabs" is their price tag, as they are usually more expensive than your regular run-of-the-mill corn sugar that is typically used to prime beer with.

 

[Wade E]

Again they must be used in a non sulfited or sorbated wine.

 

[Jwhelan939]

Thanks for the help guys. I lloked into the fermentation caps. The Muntons seem to leave a powder behind according to many of the revues I checked. I was also skeptical of tha malts it included. The coopers had better reviews and only sugar. I have a pack on its way. Ill let you guys know how it works.

 

[PeterZ]

You can use dry ice to get that light fizz. Dry ice is is frozen CO2, and when added to water or wine, will give you just the carbonation I think you are looking for. I used to do Halloween parties for my kids with dry ice in the punch, and the punch would get that light fizziness, but not get as carbonated as soda.


You can get dry ice at a lot of grocery stores. Get some, put your ready-to-bottle wine in a primary and add dry ice, sampling often until it is as fizzy as you want. Bottle immediately. BE CAREFUL. DRY ICE WILL CAUSE SERIOUS BURNS ON UNPROTECTED SKIN. USE APPROPRIATE PERSONAL PROTECTION EQUIPMENT.

 

[Jwhelan939]

Ill have to check the dry ice out. Thanks for all the tips. Ill let you allknow how the carbtabs go.