WineXpert wine volcano

[wineh]

I had my first wine volcano yesterday. When I racked my eclipse lodi zinfandel, I recognized it was carrying a lot of CO2, so I reserved about a bottle to leave more room for foaming during stirring. It wasn't enough, and 45 minutes of cleaning up was the result. I still haven't added the chitosan, and will continue degassing today.

 

[rjb222]

When degassing I always splash rack the wine first. I add my K-metta to the receiving carboy and then rack the wine. This helps prevent the dreaded volcano effect as you actually knock off a bit of the co2 while racking. I then start very slow try the wine if you will. When I have made my judgment that the volcano will be under the neck I will pickup the pace. You want to stir and counter turn so as to beat off the co2. If you go at it too hard you can over stir and get a foamy cap this is not co2 it will look more like whipped cream. If you notice this back off a bit. Hope this helps for the future. RB.

 

[BernardSmith]

I wonder if the problem is adding fine powder to a liquid that is saturated with CO2. The gas molecules will nucleate around the powder and the effect (I think) is that the powder reduces the energy required to trap the gas in the liquid. That's why, I think, higher ambient temperatures aid in degassing and why an open can of soda or seltzer stored in a 'fridge overnight will still have some CO2 but the same container left on the counter will be flat the next morning. Do these volcanoes still occur if you first dissolve the K-Meta in a small quantity of the wine and then add that mixture to the carboy?

 

[andy123]

When making a Mosti kit and adding oak to secondary I've had similar issues.

 

[FABulousWines]

I wonder if the problem is adding fine powder to a liquid that is saturated with CO2. The gas molecules will nucleate around the powder and the effect (I think) is that the powder reduces the energy required to trap the gas in the liquid. That's why, I think, higher ambient temperatures aid in degassing and why an open can of soda or seltzer stored in a 'fridge overnight will still have some CO2 but the same container left on the counter will be flat the next morning. Do these volcanoes still occur if you first dissolve the K-Meta in a small quantity of the wine and then add that mixture to the carboy?

Every kit I have done so far recommends degassing before adding stabilzer. Seems logical to me to get the gas out first.