Time for degassing

[cohenhouse77]

I have read dozens of threads explaining the methods of degassing, but there seems little in timing. It seems degassing will aid in clearing, but I see some that wait for their wine to clear to degas. I'd like to hear from everyone as to what point they degas.

 

[CowboyPhil]

I degas once the wine has dropped to about 1.000 SG or brewed to he point here are no bubbles for at least 1 min.

 

[TonyP]

There's sort of a window of time for degassing. Degassing shouldn't be done before fermentation is complete because further fermentation creates more CO2 and the need for further degassing. Second, it should also be done after racking because degassing before a racking returns sediment to solution. That's one end of the time frame.

The maximum time to wait for degassing is before fining agents are applied. The reason is that CO2 in the wine can interfere with fining - preventing the sediment from clearing out.

Finally, note that there is one caveat to degassing and that's stuck fermentation. If fermentation is stuck, the culprit could be excess CO2 - requiring degassing before fermentation is complete.

 

[ShawnDTurner]

I degass after bulk aging for a year and up to a year and a half! As you can imagine, at least in my wine room, very little or no gas is left. This has been the case 98% of the time, then I clear, fine and bottle.

 

[CowboyPhil]

I agree, once fermentation is complete, then I degass, I also add K-Meta and Pot Sorbate at this time, to ensure no further fermentation. Keep in mind that this in no way indicates that the wine is "Done". The flavors can still continue to change and develop over time.

I degass after bulk aging for a year and up to a year and a half! As you can imagine, at least in my wine room, very little or no gas is left. This has been the case 98% of the time, then I clear, fine and bottle.

 

[Boatboy24]

I degass when I stabilize, then again as I near bottling time, just to be sure I've got it all out. I got a brake bleeder kit from Harbor Freight a few months back (a mere $25), and it's been a great addition to the arsenal.

 

[hobbyiswine]

I just picked up the harbor freight brake bleeder. Holy cow! This thing should be included with every winemaking equipment kit. The stirring rod has its purpose but this thing is awesome at getting the gas out.

 

[Longtrain]

I have a Mity-Mite brake bleeder from HF and it works great. I bought the Allinonewinepump and do the majority of degassing via vacuum transfers, but the brake bleeder will finish off any missed gas as well as telling you if you got it all. When a carboy can hold 23+ inches of vacuum and nothing comes up, the gas is gone...Tony

 

[cohenhouse77]

Does the brake bleeder have a gauge showing inches of mercury? I need to just go find one of these I think. Otherwise I am hooking up my hvac gauges to get an accurate reading and I'm not keen on having those poisons in such proximity of my wine. Thanks guys.

 

[cohenhouse77]

I have a Mity-Mite brake bleeder from HF and it works great. I bought the Allinonewinepump and do the majority of degassing via vacuum transfers, but the brake bleeder will finish off any missed gas as well as telling you if you got it all. When a carboy can hold 23+ inches of vacuum and nothing comes up, the gas is gone...Tony

So I should be looking for the bubbles to stop rising from the bottom?

 

[Boatboy24]

Does the brake bleeder have a gauge showing inches of mercury? I need to just go find one of these I think. Otherwise I am hooking up my hvac gauges to get an accurate reading and I'm not keen on having those poisons in such proximity of my wine. Thanks guys.

Here you go:

http://www.harborfreight.com/brake-bleeder-and-vacuum-pump-kit-69328.html

 

[DirtyDawg10]

I degassed today in the car after a bacon cheeseburger. Needless to say my wife wasn't very happy with me

 

[cohenhouse77]

That's great! Thanks! I see it is a manual pump which is going to be hard on carpal tunnel, but it adds a workout exercise to the process. . And no more powerful electric pumps to worry about collapsing a carboy. Brilliant!

 

[Longtrain]

Does the brake bleeder have a gauge showing inches of mercury?

Yes, it has a gauge. You won't see much CO2 rising until you get to about 22 inches of vacuum. You need to have about an inch or so space below the neck of the carboy so you have an area for the bubbles (wine foam) to dissipate, or you will be drawing the foam into the vacuum unit. The Mity-mite has a bottle to put between the carboy and the unit to collect foam and keep it from being drawn into the unit.

You will get a fair workout with this process.

 

[Longtrain]

So I should be looking for the bubbles to stop rising from the bottom?

You will soon learn the difference between CO2 and the large bubbles that I have been led to understand are from boiling the wine under vacuum. If you continue to pump, increasing vacuum and the CO2 has been depleted you will draw up large bubbles, this is not CO2. If your vacuum is over 22 inches and you are not getting the small foamy bubbles, I believe that the CO2 is gone and degassing is complete.
I can pump a degassed carboy up to 23-24 inches of vacuum and it will just sit there, stable, degassing done.
If you have added oak cubes to your carboy and try to degas in this manner you will draw a ton of small bubbles from the cubes until they are fully saturated with wine. I don't try to degas with the wine sitting in oak, it's almost futile.

 

[Longtrain]

I degassed today in the car after a bacon cheeseburger. Needless to say my wife wasn't very happy with me

LOL, don't give my wife any ideas where to attach a degassing unit !

 

[lonesomechicken]

does anyone have any pictures of the brake bleeder attached to a carboy. This sounds like a great idea and I might go get one.

Thanks

 

[Pumpkinman]

Why not just make it easy on yourselves and use an All In One Wine Pump!
We already know that it degasses, and it degasses well, every time you rack your wine, you are degassing, no need to use anything manual, specially trying to degass by stirring....never again!
I've successfully degassed both a RJ Spagnoles Kit, and a Wine Expert Kit with the All in one Pump, it is very efficient and worry free.
It Racks, It degasses, It filters, It bottles (Wine and Beer Bottles!)....It is a no brainer!

 

[Boatboy24]

does anyone have any pictures of the brake bleeder attached to a carboy. This sounds like a great idea and I might go get one.

Thanks

http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/f83/degassing-budget-33197/

The carboy isn't pictured here, but once I saw this, it clicked for me. Stopper goes into carboy. Line goes into stopper on one end, and into bleeder pump on the other. That's it. Not pictured here (and probably recommended) is an overflow reservoir. Using that, the line goes from carboy to reservoir; then from reservoir to pump. That way, if you get a volcano, you have a little less worry of getting liquid into the pump.

The unit pictured from Harbor Freight is the same one I have (comes with the overflow as well). I hope to get an Allinone at some point soon, but for 25 bucks, this has been a great method in the interim. I've tried the stir method and even bought a wine whip to use with a drill. They are not nearly as effective.

 

[lonesomechicken]

thanks boatboy I may try this. I to would like an ALLINONE but for now. I need to save up my pennies.