Start degassing during primary

[mainshipfred]

I'm in primary with a 23l raisin kit and have been stirrin twice a day (day 4). This morning when I stirred I had a lot of CO2 come up. The fermentation is still very active and I thought about using a drill powered whip to stir the wine and release more of the CO2 which would also introduce more oxygen. Wineries use a pump over method during maceration and primary and by the nature of this process would produce a partial degassing. I can't see what good the excess CO2 does for the wine. Again, any thoughts.

 

[AZMDTed]

The primary benefit of CO2 in primary is that since it is heavier than air it actually creates a layer of CO2 between the wine and the air. This helps prevent early onset oxidation. Normal stirring is considered good during primary, but I wouldn't get carried away and whip it during this time. There's no rush.

 

[mainshipfred]

Good point, thanks, if it wasn't still so active I wouldn't even have considered it.

 

[jmac]

Goldie Lox says not too hard, not too soft. IMHO, It's important to get O2 down in that mix. Those tiny, yeast colonies can move real slow without it. Aerate well down to that 1/3 sugar break. Then, newt them up and let him ride the rest of the journey up to the later degas when you're ready to rack them off the corpses of their ancestors.

 

[mainshipfred]

Thanks, even though degasing was in the title I guess I was equally trying to use the whip to get O2 in the mix. The degassing just happened so I thought I would throw it out there.