# What happens if you don't degas



## Sashie (Dec 14, 2011)

I made a dessert plum wine that is about ready to be bottled. It is clear, smells nice and tastes great. It was stabilized and i would like to bottle. However, I now see tiny bubbles rising to the top and I'm assuming the wine needs to be degassed. My questions are:

Do I need to degas? and what happens if I don't?

Will not degassing change the taste of my wine?

I've read a lot about how to degas (but how do you get the spoon in the carboy??) but not a lot about why except to get rid of the bubbles. I'm assuming it is more than the look - will the wine become carbonated? 

thanks


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## robie (Dec 14, 2011)

Sashie said:


> I made a dessert plum wine that is about ready to be bottled. It is clear, smells nice and tastes great. It was stabilized and i would like to bottle. However, I now see tiny bubbles rising to the top and I'm assuming the wine needs to be degassed. My questions are:
> 
> Do I need to degas? and what happens if I don't?
> 
> ...



Yes, you do need to degas. CO2 gas is generated by the yeast fermentation.

If not degassed, the wine will have a fizzy/tingly feel on your tonque, like champaigne, but not as heavy. Yes, it will taste carbonated.
The wine will have a slight bitter taste to it. Degas it and it will not have a fizz or the bitter taste associated with it.

You can use a small Vacuvin pump, which many stores sell to help preserve an opened bottle of wine by pulling out the exces air from a wine bottle.
You can use a spoon or somthing small enough to go into the carboy to stir it. As long as when stirred, the wine creates small bubbles and the wine tastes fizzy, continue to stir it. You can go mainly by the fizziness.


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## Rocky (Dec 14, 2011)

Sashie, all that Robie said and if you do not de-gas your wine will be difficult to clear because the CO2 holds particles in suspension. Also, if you have the standard spoon, invert and stir with the handle side. De-gassing is very important and should not be skipped.


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## Flem (Dec 14, 2011)

Hi Sashie! I just want to add one more thing to what these guys have told you. You didn't say how clear your wine was and how long it has been aging. Please, please don't rush into bottling. What appears to be a perfectly clear wine (especially at an early stage) will actually have a lot of sediment held in suspension. This, over time, will fall out to the bottom or side of the bottle. Since you are probably now going to degas, it's going to take quite awhile for it to clear completely. 
Another downside of not degassing is that the pressure may push your corks out. Good Luck!!


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## Sashie (Dec 14, 2011)

Thanks all for the great information. 
Believe me, I've been patient. The wine has been aging in the carboy for almost a year and a half. 
So this is the last step....I guess I will use a slender spoon attached to a long stick of some sort and start stirring.
thanks


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## Arne (Dec 15, 2011)

Get your temp. up in the mid 70's and rack it. It should help get rid of a lot of the gas. Splash racking helps get rid of a lot of gas, but as old as your wine is, I think I would rack it to the bottom of a clean carboy instead of splash racking as you will introduce a lot of oxygen. You can get by with the oxygen getting into a early wine, but don't believe I would add it to one that has aged for over a year. Arne.


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## arcticsid (Dec 16, 2011)

If you dont degas you may feel bloated!

Sorry Sashie, I just HAD to say it! LOL.


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## mmadmikes1 (Dec 16, 2011)

Corks will come flying out of your bottles if there is a high pressure system or the temp rises to summer heat


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## djrockinsteve (Dec 16, 2011)

Seeing small bubbles. If you have back sweetened are you sure it's not refermenting?


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## Sashie (Dec 16, 2011)

I didn't back-sweeten after stabilizing. The carboy is in our basement...temperature around 60. I don't think I want to take the chance of moving it to a warmer room.

thanks again


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## robie (Dec 16, 2011)

Sashie said:


> I didn't back-sweeten after stabilizing. The carboy is in our basement...temperature around 60. I don't think I want to take the chance of moving it to a warmer room.
> 
> thanks again



If you don't find a way to warm it up, it will never degas fully at such a low temperature as in your basement.

Most LHBS sell brew belts, which when put around a carboy and plugged in, will easily warm the wine.


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## Sashie (Dec 16, 2011)

but what about madmike's comment about popping corks?


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## BillZ (Dec 16, 2011)

I have a long handled spoon that I cut the sides off of in order for it to fit into the carboy. I place it into a drill, hit trigger and work the spoon around the container. It makes degassing quick and easy.


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## mmadmikes1 (Dec 16, 2011)

Almost every person who has made wine for a while has stains on floor from cooks flying out of wine not completely de gassed before bottling. When the cooks fly, the sudden release causes foam as well and wine is everywhere. I am talking from experience as so will dozens of other members if you ask them. This is why Champlain corks are wired in. If you want to try it I would suggest keeping bottle in fridg. as long as they are chilled you should be ok.Maybe


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## wood1954 (Dec 17, 2011)

*degas*

Well, yesterday i went down to the cellar and found 2 bottles of hard cider with their corks across the room and half their content spilled all over. I didn't degas and it turns out they hadn't finished fermenting.


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## Sammyk (Dec 17, 2011)

Related question.

Will the air locks pop off if there is gas in the carboy? Or does this just happen with corks?


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## djrockinsteve (Dec 17, 2011)

Airlocks (bungs) will lift and maybe fall off it it doesn't have a tight seal against the glass. I push them in at an angle then straighten, and give a twist to seat them good.

If you have excess CO2 in your carboy the gas will escape through the airlock. If you use a solid bung then yes that can pop off.


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## Sashie (Dec 17, 2011)

hey Billz - i like that idea...


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## Geronimo (Dec 18, 2011)

After a year and a half I'm very surprised there's any CO2 left in it. I'd rack it gently once and bottle it. If it sat on the yeast all this time, the bubbles are from the yeast decomposing. If it tastes good at this point, you're golden.


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## Sashie (Dec 18, 2011)

OK, now I'm not sure what to do...


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## mmadmikes1 (Dec 18, 2011)

If it sat at lower temps, it would not de gas on its own. If it sat on the lees for a year , it will probably have some funky tastes. If you are getting bubbles then it still has CO2. If you like it a little bubbly, bottle it and keep it in frig. If not degas it


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## Geronimo (Dec 19, 2011)

Something doesn't seem to add up.

It sat for 1.5 years in a cool location. Bubbles are visible. 

Why is it suddenly degassing now if it hasn't for all this time? If I open a can of pop and leave it in the fridge for 3 days, it will go absolutely flat. Why would wine hold CO2 indefinitely at ~50F?


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## mmadmikes1 (Dec 19, 2011)

Don't know the science as to why but I had a Riesling sit for a year at about 40n and it still needed degassing. It was my first batch of flying corks


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## Sashie (Dec 19, 2011)

I think the bubbles were there the whole time. They are so small and the basement not well lit, it wasn't until I was about to bottle that I noticed.


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## North_Ga_Jug-Or-Not (Dec 19, 2011)

Either bottle and keep it chilled, or you could add a little kmeta and degass well and let it sit under airlock for another month to be on the safe side. Just depends on how soon your wanting it bottled, that would determine which route to take from this point I would say.


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## Sashie (Jan 13, 2012)

ok..... so now the wine is in a warmer area and I've been degassing using a paddle I bought online attached to a drill. I've been carefully mixing since I have marbles in the bottom (in a net). I haven't been degasing on a regular basis but when I do I usually spend a few minutes doing this. 

the last time I stirred, there were some bubbles and foaming at the beginning and then it subsided and then after stirring for a while no foam or bubbles. Does this mean it is done? Or must there be no foaming action at all while you are stirring/degasing?

The other thing is my wine is not clear now- it was before. Does it need to settle for a few days or do you think I need to clear it again....
thanks....


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## Arne (Jan 13, 2012)

I'm bettin if you let it sit it will clear again on its own. When it gets clear, rack it off the sediment and let it sit for a week or two. If it stays clear with no sediment, it is probably ready to bottle. If you are going to sweeten it, stabalize it, letit sit for a week or so, sweeten and if it stays clear when you sweeten, bottle it. Arne.


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## Sashie (Jan 13, 2012)

Thanks..another problem.... with my last racking and with me degassing, there is less wine. The wine is in a one gallon carboy and it is filled just a touch over the neck. Should I add more marbles or is it ok for a few weeks.

This is going to be the most expensive plum wine ever.......


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## Minnesotamaker (Jan 13, 2012)

Sashie, can you answer one more question? Do you know what your starting SG was and do you know what yeast you used? If you have a fairly high alcohol content, you could have a real slow ferment going. I've had batches ferment for well over a year.


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## cpfan (Jan 13, 2012)

Minnesotamaker said:


> Sashie, can you answer one more question? Do you know what your starting SG was and do you know what yeast you used? If you have a fairly high alcohol content, you could have a real slow ferment going. I've had batches ferment for well over a year.


I'm more interested in the current sg. If it's .996 or lower, it's not likely to be a fermentation.

Steve


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## Sashie (Jan 14, 2012)

I just measured and the SG is below 1.00 (at the 10 mark). I had checked this a while ago - I believe just before bottling (I had bottled about 7 months ago and afterwards found gelatin-like substances floating in my wine. So I ended up opening all the bottles and pouring the wine in a carboy).
thanks for your help


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## Sashie (Jan 14, 2012)

omg - I've been reading the hydrometer wrong. I just read "how to read a hydrometer for newbies"...
so I would assume my wine is in stuck fermentation. 
Also to answer a previous question - I used Lalvin yeast.


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## Sashie (Jan 14, 2012)

I meant to say "my wine is still fermenting" not in stuck fermentation....


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## Wade E (Jan 14, 2012)

You should not do anything with your wine until you have a stbile sg for at least 3 days in a row.


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## Sashie (Jan 14, 2012)

ok thanks....so I will be back on Tuesday


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## Sashie (Jan 24, 2012)

Well so much for replying by Tuesday
Anyway I did test three more times, but not three days in a row. However the sg reading was 1.010 every time I checked.


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## robie (Jan 24, 2012)

Sashie said:


> Well so much for replying by Tuesday
> Anyway I did test three more times, but not three days in a row. However the sg reading was 1.010 every time I checked.



I'm not tracking very well.
So, how many days has it now been at an SG of 1.010?


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## Sashie (Jan 25, 2012)

I checked the SG yesterday, Jan. 24, on 1/14, 16 or 17 and 20th. Every time the sg was 1.010.


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## robie (Jan 25, 2012)

If I remember, the wine is a dessert wine. If so, is the wine sweet? Did you back sweeten it?

If you did back sweeten, that is why your SG is 1.010.


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## Sashie (Jan 25, 2012)

yes, it is a dessert wine and it is sweet. I did not backsweeten however.


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## robie (Jan 25, 2012)

Sashie said:


> yes, it is a dessert wine and it is sweet. I did not backsweeten however.



OK, sorry but I am not following you very well.

If the wine is sweet, the SG is going to reflect that by being well above an SG of 1.000. If it starts fermenting again and ferments to dry, the wine will no longer be sweet, you will have to back-sweeten it to make it sweet.

So, are you trying to ferment it again? If so, why?

If you had previously added sorbate, it is not likely the wine will start fermenting again.

Again, sorry I am not following well.


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## Sashie (Jan 25, 2012)

sorry I'm not clear but this is all new to me.

If the SG for sweet wine is normally 1.010, then I'm ok. I'm not looking to ferment, I just want to bottle the wine - it's been over a year and a half since I started this and it's making me crazy. I added the sorbate about one month ago and the wine looks clear. I didn't want to bottle because I noticed tiny bubbles. that's how this thread started - should I degas or not.


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## robie (Jan 25, 2012)

Sashie said:


> sorry I'm not clear but this is all new to me.
> 
> If the SG for sweet wine is normally 1.010, then I'm ok. I'm not looking to ferment, I just want to bottle the wine - it's been over a year and a half since I started this and it's making me crazy. I added the sorbate about one month ago and the wine looks clear. I didn't want to bottle because I noticed tiny bubbles. that's how this thread started - should I degas or not.



Sorry for the misunderstanding, I am sure you are frustrated by now.

An SG of 1.010 represents some sweetness in the wine. If you add more sugar, the SG reading will go up. Don't worry about the SG, if the wine is as sweet as you want it. At this point, it is not important.

Your wine is old enough to have lost a lot of the tartness that comes with a very young wine. Some of us get the taste of a young, tart wine mixed up with the taste of CO2 in the wine. You should not have that problem at this stage. As a result and at this point, if you taste the wine, you should be able to tell if it still needs degassed or not. here's how: 

If tasting the wine produces a tingly, fizzy, sparkling feeling on your tongue, that is CO2 and it needs to be removed (degassed). Champagne is a good example; it is loaded with CO2; that's what makes it "sparkle" or tingle. If your wine is not a champagne, it should not have that sparkle or tingle; not even a little bit.

If it still has CO2, first, if the wine still has sediment in the bottom of its container, rack the wine completely off that sediment before you try to degas it, because degassing it will stir all that sediment back up into your wine.

Make sure the wine is warmed up to something around 74F. Stir the wine really well for a minute or so. If it is degassing, you will see small bubbles come to the surface. After each stir, let it set for about 5 minutes, then taste it again. Repeat this process until the CO2 (tingly, fizzy feeling) is gone. 

Once it is all gone, you can bottle it.

An alternative for your first batch:
If you choose to leave the CO2 in the wine, you can still bottle it, but you will have to decant each bottle before you drink it, so the CO2 can escape. This was the case for my first batch of wine. What is left of it is still loaded with CO2, so I just decant it for several hours, shaking it up a little every thirty minutes or so, until the CO2 is gone.

It's not the end of the world if you open a bottle and it still has CO2. However, it does make it a little uncomfortable to give it as a gift. I never gift any of my first batch for that very reason.

Good luck!


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## Sashie (Jan 25, 2012)

Thanks so much for the helpful info. 

one question however - what if i don't mind a little tingle? I heard so much about exploding bottles - what are the chances of that happening if i don't degas (if in fact it needs degassing?)
thanks again


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## robie (Jan 25, 2012)

Sashie said:


> Thanks so much for the helpful info.
> 
> one question however - what if i don't mind a little tingle? I heard so much about exploding bottles - what are the chances of that happening if i don't degas (if in fact it needs degassing?)
> thanks again



If you don't mind a little tingle? Champagne is literally loaded with CO2. Problem is, you likely don't have enough CO2 to produce a "good" tingle, but just enough to make the wine have a sort of bitter, irritating taste.

If you want a tingle, you should make a true sparkling wine out of it. There are threads on this forum about how to do that, but it can be a challenge.

Pop the corks? If you have degassed the wine at all and if you at least try to degas again this time, I doubt you will have enough CO2 to blow the corks.

To be safe do this - 
1) Use a #9 cork on regular wine bottles. It is the recommended size, anyway.
2) Get the wine temperature up to about 74F at bottling time. If the wine is really cold and you bottle it with CO2, when the wine warms up, it is more likely to blow a cork.


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## bangamos (Mar 6, 2013)

Sorry guys should i keep my wine in the carboy tightly closed or start degassing immediately and for how long?


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## robie (Mar 7, 2013)

bangamos said:


> Sorry guys should i keep my wine in the carboy tightly closed or start degassing immediately and for how long?



Needs some info. What have you done so far; what step are you at? What wine are you making? Fresh/frozen grapes, fruit wine, or kit wine?


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