Newbie Degassing Question

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Griff1963

Newbie Degassing Question

Post by Griff1963 » Wed Dec 09, 2015 7:29 pm

I use a paint stirrer and a drill to mix beer ingredients. Could I use the same method to degass wine?

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Horden Hillbilly
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Re: Newbie Degassing Question

Post by Horden Hillbilly » Fri Dec 11, 2015 9:17 pm

I use a whizz stick to de-gas my wines, I attach it to my drill.

Therefore, the answer to your question is yes, provided your stirrer is food grade.

jayjt29

Re: Newbie Degassing Question

Post by jayjt29 » Tue Mar 29, 2016 7:28 am

Yes you can, or shake shake and shake some more! Only if its in a demi john though :)

Jay

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Re: Newbie Degassing Question

Post by Capped » Tue Mar 29, 2016 8:12 pm

If you're in no hurry, I find that just leaving it be for a week does the trick. Also makes me feel a little easier thru' not introducing all that nasty oxygen an' stuff.

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Re: Newbie Degassing Question

Post by MarkA » Thu Apr 07, 2016 11:52 am

Capped wrote:If you're in no hurry, I find that just leaving it be for a week does the trick. Also makes me feel a little easier thru' not introducing all that nasty oxygen an' stuff.
Agreed. I have made loads of wine and only degassed one of them. I used a length of (sterilised) wire attached to an electric drill. It was a lovely rhubarb wine which tasted fine before degassing. 24 hours later it got tipped down the sink as it had that wet cardboard/burnt caramel taste of an oxidized wine. Never again!

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Re: Newbie Degassing Question

Post by JamesF » Thu Apr 07, 2016 1:26 pm

I degas wine in demijohns by shaking the demijohn every day and releasing the pressure inside by slightly releasing the bung until I get to the point where there's no pressure built up. I can't see how this would lead to oxidation of the wine because what's inside is CO2 anyhow.

For five gallon batches I use a degassing wand in a cordless drill. As the business end of the wand is below the top of the wine again I can't see how it would introduce oxygen to the wine. The foam that forms must be bubbles of CO2 driven out of the wine and they will build up a CO2 blanket on top of the wine that will help to drive out any air entering when the vessel is opened up (CO2 being heavier than oxygen).

I've not had any problems thus far, though I admit that I was somewhat skeptical about the entire idea before I started doing it.

I've not been able to find out how the same operation is done commercially, if indeed it is at all (nor why it doesn't need doing if it isn't).

James

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Re: Newbie Degassing Question

Post by MarkA » Thu Apr 07, 2016 1:49 pm

JamesF wrote:I've not been able to find out how the same operation is done commercially, if indeed it is at all (nor why it doesn't need doing if it isn't)
It's a way to speed up the process so the wine can be drunk earlier (possibly invented by a wine kit producer to increase sales :D ) In general, I don't think it's necessary as *most* wines will degas themselves given enough time.

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Re: Newbie Degassing Question

Post by JamesF » Thu Apr 07, 2016 2:32 pm

MarkA wrote:
JamesF wrote:I've not been able to find out how the same operation is done commercially, if indeed it is at all (nor why it doesn't need doing if it isn't)
It's a way to speed up the process so the wine can be drunk earlier (possibly invented by a wine kit producer to increase sales :D ) In general, I don't think it's necessary as *most* wines will degas themselves given enough time.
Yes, perhaps bulk aging helps. Once it's in the bottle I imagine you're largely stuck with it though. That's maybe why it might be considered beneficial for home brewing -- there's probably a lower risk of spoilage once it's in the bottle rather than spending, say, six months bulk-aging. And many people perhaps don't even have the kit or the space to allow them to do that anyhow.

James

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Re: Newbie Degassing Question

Post by Chug » Thu Apr 07, 2016 9:38 pm

Never heard of degassing years ago, we just left our wine to do its thing naturally, degassing is a more recent ting to speed things up as people don't seem to have any patience these days.

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Re: Newbie Degassing Question

Post by Capped » Fri Apr 08, 2016 9:54 am

MarkA wrote:
JamesF wrote:I've not been able to find out how the same operation is done commercially, if indeed it is at all (nor why it doesn't need doing if it isn't)
It's a way to speed up the process so the wine can be drunk earlier (possibly invented by a wine kit producer to increase sales :D ) In general, I don't think it's necessary as *most* wines will degas themselves given enough time.
Ever seen the instructions for Magnum wine kits? Don't know if they're still the same but they used to tell you to tip the wine from a height, from one FV to another, creating as much splashing and foam as possible for as many times as it took for the foaming to disappear! They got around the problems this must surely introduce by giving you a colossal pack of sulphite - with predictable results.

I don't bother degassing these days, well only by allowing time to do its thing. But, back in the days when I could be arsed I invented (well I dreamed it up and had never heard of it before!) a technique which really works and which doesn't involve disturbing the wine in any way, shape or form. Simply remove the airlock and in its place shove about a foot of flexible tubing. Suck hard, very hard on the tube to create a partial vacuum within the FV and seal the tube by whatever means you see fit to maintain the vacuum - I used a biro which was a tight fit in the tube. This low pressure encourages the CO2 to come out of solution. Try it, it works and takes a couple of days tops.

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Re: Newbie Degassing Question

Post by JamesF » Fri Apr 08, 2016 10:51 am

I had wondered about reducing the pressure in the vessel.

James

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Re: Newbie Degassing Question

Post by MarkA » Mon Apr 11, 2016 12:39 pm

I've just got an email back from the production manager at Cairn O'Mohr;

When asked if they (or any commercial winemakers) degas their wine..."We are a very genuine and authentic winery using pure fermentation methods and fresh local fruits with no additives or concentrates. I certainly don't. As you say, sounds like a short cut or something. We just take the full time with everything and don't do anything like that..."

I'll stick to the natural way for my wine too :)

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