The blob came to our house. :-(

[Mike777]

Well I have earned the new title of pump monkey. I checked the threads that relate but none answered this question.

Let me start at the beginning. We racked the IM Blackberry Cab. This had the 5# hot shot in it. followed all the directions with the drill whip , correct times, reversing to avoid the tornado etc. It sat two days and the blob came to visit. It was pushing its way out the 3pc lock when I found it and large curds that looked like tofu and the bottom lees completly clear. I used the drill whip by hand for a while so the chunks would sink in larger peices and then I pumped...and pumped...andpumped ...and pumped...andpumped. (About 30- 45 minute sessions each) Lees are back to normal, and we can assume the blob only comes from too much gas.

Then the next day I did the same thing. and the next day. I now have a six pack and arms like tree trunks. (not really)

I can pull about 23-24 inches and still get mild bubbling, at 24 the neck gets about 3/8" of bubbles as long as the vacuum is up. It drops down to nothing at around 20 inches of vacuum.

When can I stop? the VR cab only pulls a light bubbling at the same 23-24 and I tasted that one and no bubbles are in the wine, and no gas flavor.

OK when do I stop on the IM that had the blob? Still bubbles good at 24 inches.

Edited by: Mike777

 

[Flaco]

Mike, I have not seen the blob, but I understand your confusion with the whole degassing thing!!!I am also struggling to figure out when enough is enough. Wade's comment is that you should be able to hold a steady vacuum when you are degassed. I currently have a IM Black Raspberry in bulk aging (w/ the 5lbs of love) and I am still not sure I have it fully degassed.


The only thing I can tell you, is not to bottle until fully degassed. I made the mistake of bottling my WE Trinity Red and I am sorry I did. I basically have to decant it for an hour to get it to the point I do not smell too much C02. Good Luck!!!Edited by: Flaco

 

[Wade E]

Im pretty sure the blob occurs whem there is still gas in the wine. I
accidently pulled the blob by clearing with the pump active which
pulled the blob to topinstead of letting it all fall down. What a maroon!

 

[Mike777]

How are your numbers?



Both cabs can hold steady at 20-22 inches and not give anything up.



At 24 the IM has a steady foam and regular pumps.

 

[rgecaprock]

The blob has not been to Houston yet. But I have had a problem with my whites notclearling after I slosh and mix and whip and stir in all directions with my spoon handle until I'm practically dead. I've added Super Kleer to my last couple and they have been sparkling!!!

 

[Wade E]

If you can hold those #s then you are degassed.
Edited by: wade

 

[Flaco]

I held a steady 20hgs overnight, but anything above seemed to drop slowly with only small amounts of bubbles.Edited by: Flaco

 

[Mike777]

Make this one a sticky topic, and a big thanks Wade and Flaco!
Edited by: Mike777

 

[Mike777]

I forgot to say the candy smell of the blackberry Cab was worth every pump!

 

[hdhunter]

I have very limited experience......I get it to hold 20 inches then let it sit in the carboy for a week and it degases the rest on it's own quickly.

 

[Wade E]

20 in. is a good # to hold! I would say if you can hold this that it is
degassed. Anything higher just pulls big bubbles from the bottom and
this is not gas.

 

[Mike777]

20 in. is a good # to hold! I would say if you can hold this that it is
degassed. Anything higher just pulls big bubbles from the bottom and
this is not gas.

This got me thinking.... if its not CO2 and it sure doesn't smell that way now, just what could it be? It goes into the rubber bung from the pump and seems to stay for a bit, unlike the winebubble splashes where the smell is pleasant and goes away quick. (yes I sniffed the cork) A little research later I came across this:

"other byproducts,
such as acetone, ethyl acetate and similar aromatics, are formed during
fermentation"

Now it Seems like there is a point in vacuum where you get just short of air stripping the alcohol, but would need to occur in a steel tank at a far higher volume, and mild heat to actually work. The above byproducts apear to come from yeast running out of sugar and turning to the de3ad husks of other yeast to continue. As well as other natural processes.

Now we enter into a gray area. These are released when the wine is poured and has a chance to breathe so are not critical or harmful for consumption in the very tiny quantities present. In truth they actualy help in breakdown of some components and help the wine mature.

Now i'm wondering if it may actualy kill your flavors or keep them from fully forming by taking those aromatics out under vacuum beyond the degassing point.

I know someone here will have the answer.
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[Wade E]

Well thats going a little beyond my IQ but like I sid if you can hold
between 15 and 20 then your degassing is done and I would just put on
your bung with filled airlock and let it age awhile from there. This is
true and tested. I like to bulk age at least 2 to 3 months just to make
sure there will be no sediment in my bottles at all.

 

[Mike777]

Well what do you know. The blob came back for a visit in the GA Reisling after it was settled out and pretty clear. I followed the kit instructions and used the drill between each addition etc. The only thing these two had in common was the extra 5# of sugar, and in both cases showed almost no gas at all when previously pumped but huge amounts after the clearning agent. This yeast came up in a large peice but it wasn't gelled like the other one and when I caught it a steady trail of yeast was sinking to the bottom. Lots of pumping disloged the rest of the lee mat and all of it ended going up and down with the bubbles. Its starting to calm a bit now and can hold 20 for a couple minutes and 15 for a while after tons of pumping. The finish SGs from before were 994 and this time 990 calibrated to 68F and I'm reading at 69-70F.

Twice on 5#adds with IM kits has me feeling like it could be a regular thing for the most part when going off the instructions. At least with some specific yeasts.

Oh well.....

Edited by: Mike777

 

[smokegrub]

I am a wine-making novice, but I worked as an environmental scientists for many years. CO2 is odorless. If there is a smell the carrier might be CO2 but the odor is coming from other compounds. Is the odor pleasant, foul?

 

[rshosted]

That surprises me because I can usually tell when my wine is still putting off gas becuase it makes my nose burn.

 

[Mike777]

I am a wine-making novice, but I worked as an environmental scientists for many years. CO2 is odorless. If there is a smell the carrier might be CO2 but the odor is coming from other compounds. Is the odor pleasant, foul?

No odor at all, other than the pleasant smell of the wine. I did some heavy pumping up to 25 inches in 15 min sessions yesterday. It looks like it will hold 20 now. Will check this evening. I think it will calm down fine like the other one did. That one is great so I'm not worried. I think some kind of structure like plastic spirals or something would be a good invention. I doubt ceramic saddles would extend above the lees.