# More questions on degassing...



## DageonYar (Dec 28, 2009)

I'm at the stage now where I have been degassing my Riesling before adding the clarifiers. The instructions call for stirring the wine 6-8 times a day for 2 days to remove all the CO2. It is now day 3, and when I degassed this morning, there are still a massive amount of bubbles being created. The bottle is at about 76-78deg (using a brew-belt), and I am degassing with the whip style wand on my drill. 

I have googled around a bit, and noticed mention that there are two types of bubbles which will be created when degassing. Tiny little bubbles, which are SO2, and larger bubbles which are CO2. Over the 3 days of degassing, I have only been getting very tiny bubbles (foam like frothiness). Does this mean all the CO2 is out, and all that remains is SO2? Do I want to beat out all the SO2 as well? I'm thinking maybe I'll pop over to Canadian Tire and pick up a wine bottle saver and try vacuum degassing before adding the clarifiers next.


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## wyntheef (Dec 28, 2009)

are you maybe sucking air into the wine (via the vortex) with the drilling attachment? that will keep the bubbles coming.


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## Tom (Dec 28, 2009)

Do NOT WHIP it. Use a SLOW speedI bet you are introducing air (a bad thing) to your wine.
Which kit is it?


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## DageonYar (Dec 28, 2009)

It's the Cali. Conn. Johan Riesling kit. I'm making sure to avoid a vortex by using forward and reverse, but yea, I am using the high speed setting. GUess I'll stop beating it, and just get the vacuum tool to finish it off. Hope I didn't kill it


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## rawlus (Dec 28, 2009)

can you taste the CO2 in the wine if you take a small sample? like a light carbonation or spritziness or acidity.
if you put a small sample into a 375ml bottle and thumb over the top and shake, can you build up a pressure?

the wine whips can be effective at degassing, but it can be difficult to determine when it is fully degassed purely by visual indications as the whip can froth a completely flat wine...

ive used an electric drill (not battery powered) and really burst the speed for a second, not long enough to create a vortex but long enough to give the wine itself an internal jolt - if the wine is heavy on dissolved CO2 this will usually result in at least some carbonation-type bubbles rising to the surface, collecting around the edges, etc. similar to what you see in a champagne glass.

FWIW - i don't know how true the SO2/CO2 tiny/big bubbles advice is... 

i vacuum degass now but find that i don't have to do much of that either because of bulk aging and natural degassing of the wine.

i would taste test for carbonation and do the bottle-shake trick. then i wouldn't worry too much about it. clarify, and take some time letting it settle out and degass on it's own time.


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## Greenman (Dec 29, 2009)

Shoot, I was going to ask this very question, but the people at the wine store told me to whip the heck out of it. So, I did. 

Will my wine be trashed? I will leave it anyways, but now I am worried.


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## Wade E (Dec 29, 2009)

Smaller bubbles are C02 and the bigger bubbles are just 02 from stirring in air. At that temp and a few days in a row you really should be done.


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## mmadmikes1 (Dec 29, 2009)

I tried my Paint can shaker, it degassed all over the place, so do't try that.


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## Runningwolf (Dec 29, 2009)

OMG Mike now I now why they call you MadMike ROFLMAO!! My insides are hurting, thanks for the visual. That would have been great for UTUBE.


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## DageonYar (Jan 4, 2010)

Well, I guess I didn't beat it enough lol. I'm at day 27 now, and decided to give it a taste before the final rack/filter/bottle, and there's still tingly gas in it, and it's giving it an off taste  I already added the clarifiers 6 days ago... can I still degas, or will I need to clarify again if I do? Can I just leave it sit for a few more weeks to allow it to degas on it's own? All I know is, I can't bottle it like this... Also, anyone have a decent video on how to degass your wine using the wand? I'm not finding anything remotely usefull on youtube... and being a total newb, maybe I'm just not getting it by reading


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## Wade E (Jan 4, 2010)

IMO, it wont degas on its own. Now you know why I vacuum degas! There is a gauge on this unit that tells you when your done, no guessing involved!


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## surlees (Jan 4, 2010)

Wade,
Just interested to know. Are you taliking about the vacuum gauge? If so, how do you use it to know when the wine has fully degassed? 

Fred


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## Wade E (Jan 4, 2010)

I turn my vacuum up to 20", and get it going good and then turn iy up all the way quickly and shut off the pump. My pump will hold that vacuum when its maxed and the only way it will lose oressure is when the wine is too gassy, if the wine is degassed good everything will hold a god vacuum. If youve ever used a mityvac this is basically the same method used and thats how I came about this method. It takes the guesswork out of it.


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## DageonYar (Jan 4, 2010)

So if I vacuum degas it at this stage, will I need to re-stabilize and re-clarify?


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## Wade E (Jan 4, 2010)

Kind of lost track as far as where you atre. Once your win e is stabilized you never have to restablize though. If its clear then rack off the lees with any method and you wont have to re clarify! No matter how you rack if your careful and dont jam the cane in the sediemnt you wont disturb anything.


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## Courtney (Jan 5, 2010)

So if I whiped my wine too much and introduced too much O2 is there any saving my wine at that point???


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## Omerta (Jan 5, 2010)

Courtney... I beat the living daylights out of my two first kit (just didn't know what I was doing) I added a little extra Kmeta to each. They turned out fine.


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## Courtney (Jan 5, 2010)

Yeah, I didn't quite know what I was doing either. My wine tastes a little off though... could this be from the O2. I think it will improve with age?? This was my first kit and I don't quite know what it is supposed to taste like I guess.


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## Omerta (Jan 5, 2010)

Haven't made/tasted a Riesling kit so I don't have much to compare it to. Might just need to let it heal from the beating. I'm sure someone here can help. Maybe try to describe the off taste you're experiencing.


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## Courtney (Jan 5, 2010)

It is a very alcoholic i feel like. It was the Chilean Merolt kit. My bf keeps telling me that it will taste better after it ages a bit. 

Thanks for the help Omerta.


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## rawlus (Jan 5, 2010)

the wine can taste undrinkable, harsh, volatile, bitter, acidic, etc just before and right after bottling. it's been through alot the past 30-45 days.
try it again in 3 months and see how it's settled down.
it will be even more composed and balanced after a year.
it may still be that undrinkable stuff up to 2 months after bottling, that's fairly normal. although different wines have different schedules for when they want to get right and drinkable.


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## Courtney (Jan 5, 2010)

Thanks!!! That boosted my confidence! I thought that I had done something wrong.  I'm excited! I am planning on bottling this weekend!!!


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## Omerta (Jan 5, 2010)

Yup that should mellow out after a bit. I have a WE SO Merlot thats at 11 months and its still changing. WE red kits aren't the best but they are great for learning.


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## Tom (Jan 5, 2010)

You should be OK. What was the starting gravity of this kit? Your BF may mistake it for a strong flavor


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## Dhorton (Jan 5, 2010)

the way I degas is to gently shake the carboy a few times a day, with the airlock on. any issues with this other then just being time consuming?


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## Tom (Jan 5, 2010)

Really not enough agitation. that will not degas much. Invest in a degasser that attaches to a drill. You will be amazed as how much is left your way.


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## DageonYar (Jan 6, 2010)

I picked up one of these bad boys: http://store.defalcowines.com/cart.php?target=product&product_id=19927&substring=vacuum

And I'm amazed how well it works. Even after the 3 days of degassing with the drill wand. 

The pump fits right over a #7 bung, and then I just pump it up about 30-40 times. The wine looks like a freshly poured beer with all the bubbles coming out of it! I'm sold lol, vacuum degassing is definitely the way to go


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