How many carboys can you degas with a medical pump

[jamesngalveston]

I read the white page from UC davis, is there a different section for fruit wines...all I read about were wine from grapes. Which by the way, was excellent.
Even though grapes and strawberries are a fruit, does not mean they should be handled the same way while making wine.
A filet mignon and a chuck steak are both beef...but i would never cook them the same.

 

[Turock]

OK James---Just THINK about it for a moment. Fruit wines have LOTS of sediment in them and suffer,very often (and more than some grape wines) from protein haze. The basic idea is to remove these in order to stabilize the wine because, as you read, all these components are unstable and you want to get them off of the wine.

Also, another missed point is that without bulk aging you are trying to evaluate a young wine to determine how much sugar,when you are back sweetening, you should add. You CANNOT evaluate the characteristics of a young wine because the profile will change alot after bulk aging. You want to get those flavors FORWARD so that you can then balance the remaining acids with a certain amount of sugar. Instead of forcing young wines into a bottle because you are in a hurry to drink them, the better approach would be to make early drinking wines like skeeter pee,etc. so that your fruit and grape wines can spend a proper time period under bulk aging.

Maybe this is why EVERYONE praises all the wines we make and want us to open our own winery----we are VERY patient winemakers. Our whole goal is to produce the best taste that we can---to have wines with BIG, chewy flavors. Doing EVERY step of winemaking---using the best protocols at every step---makes a huge difference. When you do it half-way, the result is also only half of the way. I want it all.

 

[Arkansan07]

OK James---Just THINK about it for a moment. Fruit wines have LOTS of sediment in them and suffer,very often (and more than some grape wines) from protein haze. The basic idea is to remove these in order to stabilize the wine because, as you read, all these components are unstable and you want to get them off of the wine.

Also, another missed point is that without bulk aging you are trying to evaluate a young wine to determine how much sugar,when you are back sweetening, you should add. You CANNOT evaluate the characteristics of a young wine because the profile will change alot after bulk aging. You want to get those flavors FORWARD so that you can then balance the remaining acids with a certain amount of sugar. Instead of forcing young wines into a bottle because you are in a hurry to drink them, the better approach would be to make early drinking wines like skeeter pee,etc. so that your fruit and grape wines can spend a proper time period under bulk aging.

Maybe this is why EVERYONE praises all the wines we make and want us to open our own winery----we are VERY patient winemakers. Our whole goal is to produce the best taste that we can---to have wines with BIG, chewy flavors. Doing EVERY step of winemaking---using the best protocols at every step---makes a huge difference. When you do it half-way, the result is also only half of the way. I want it all.

2nd paragraph makes so much sense. I will be doing this from now on.

 

[Turock]

You'll never be sorry that your wines spend time bulk aging. If you go read the UC Davis thread for yourself, you'll really understand all the chemistry of bulk aging.

 

[jamesngalveston]

i bought 4 xtra 6 gallon carboys just to bulk age my blackberry this year...i made a press just to use the juice as you do.
I plan to make my batches and age for a year...Im looking forward to the outcome, if i can live that long..lol

thanks turock for all your knowledge and your willingness to share with others.

 

[Arkansan07]

I wonder if there are any 30gal food grade drums that can be fit with an air lock? I have access to more blackberries than i could ever need so I want to do a big batch.


Sent from my iPhone using Wine Making

 

[Turock]

James---You make me smile. I'm glad you're listening to me--LOL. Blackberry needs 9 months to 1 year of aging. We always like the 3 extra months to bring us to 1 year of aging just to be sure all the debris is off of it and all the CO2 gone. Be sure to let me know what you think of it after it's aged,as opposed to what you've been doing. What do you mean--live that long? You're just a young buck!! Sixty years old is nothing!!!

Arkansan--Well, there are a couple ways to handle that amount. Either find yourself 5 or 6 gallon carboys or go with Tuff-Tanks. They are sold in 9,14,and 22 gallon sizes. Check them out at www.eckraus.com

 

[Wade E]

Ive had a few wines not degas in almost 1 1/2 years. Most due and I dont remember if those few were meads or not. The pump used in that first video looked like a medical pump and if you look at the prices they sell for at medical supply stores you see why he said it was expensive! You can get them on ebay new sometimes for as little as about $125 shipped while some still sell used for around $400! You have to really shop around and sometimes youll have to watch for a week or 2 to really get a good deal.

 

[Runningwolf]

I wonder if there are any 30gal food grade drums that can be fit with an air lock? I have access to more blackberries than i could ever need so I want to do a big batch.


Sent from my iPhone using Wine Making

I use ss beer kegs. They are 15 gallons and thats heavy enough when they are full. I keep them on floor dollies you can buy at Harbor Freight for about $15. Bungs are readily available for them at LHBS or on line.

 

[richmke]

a medical pump and if you look at the prices they sell for at medical supply stores you see why he said it was expensive! You can get them on ebay new sometimes for as little as about $125 shipped while some still sell used for around $400!

I picked up a schuco pump off craigslist for $75

 

[irishwinemaker]

anybody ever have a carboy "implode" from the vacuum?

 

[Runningwolf]

Your question should say a glass carboy. The answer is no from me and I have never even heard of it happening to anyone. There are lots of warnings out there but again I never heard of it happening.