Using a vacu vin to check degassing

[Hunt]

I am working on degassing a 3 gal batch of strawberry wine and am using a vacu vin to help test how the degassing is going. Right now im hooking it to an empty airlock and pumping it till it clicks. At first i was getting lots of bubbles under pressure now im hardly getting any. Just wondering if anyone has used this method before and could tell me if im getting near the end of the degassing. Been working on it for about an hour.

 

[NoSnob]

I use the mix stir for 4 to 6 minutes, then the vacu-vin. By then, most of the gas is gone but it is surprising how much gas remains. In my case, I only use the vacu-vin for about 10-20 minutes. I pump it until it clicks, then leave it for a few minutes while the gas disappears under vacuum, then pump again. You will notice the bubbles become smaller and fewer.

Remember that you do not have to eliminate all the gas. Also, you need a temp of 70 or more to optimize your de-gassing process. If you age your wine sufficiently in the carboy your de-gassing problems will be solved. That's another reason why the old hands like to age in the carboy.

My first batch of wine was neither de-gassed adequately nor aged in carboy long enough. When I drank the few bottles remaining I was reminded of this by the fizziness! Good luck!

NS