Striping oxygen with dry ice

Grahambo · 03-24-2009, 02:06 AM

So it's been a few years since I made mead(or beer for that matter) but I'm getting redy to get back into it with renewed zeal. Afew of the mead recipes I've been copying down from books here in hawaii say to try to avoid letting the med come into contact with air as much as possible while transferring from the primary to the secondary and to the bottles. I'm curious to hear other's thoughts on using small chips of dry ice to strip O2 from the environment before transfer. I on't thin bacteria can survive on dry ice due to how cold it is and this would seem to solve the problem of oxygen being in the fermenter. go!

Tusch · 03-24-2009, 02:48 AM

You can use dry ice, or any other source of co2, to prime your carboy with a blanket of co2. This will help prevent issues of oxidation. If you are talking about adding the dry ice to the mead itself, stop that thought process haha.

Then again, I'd say the large majority of brewers on here to not blanket their brews with co2, but it certainly is the safer bet.

**Yuri_Rage** · 03-24-2009, 03:10 AM

While it's not a terrible idea, it could have some unforeseen results. Thermal shock is probably the worst case. If the dry ice comes in contact with the glass surface of a carboy, it could cause cracks or even catastrophic failure. Also, you may be introducing some impurities depending on the source of the dry ice. I'm not entirely sure of the manufacturing process, but I'm fairly certain that most dry ice isn't really intended to come into direct contact with food.

will_cbe · 03-24-2009, 01:23 PM

I've got it. Carbon dioxide is heavier than air. Take a funnel and a strainer. Place the funnel in the carboy, place the strainer in the funnel, place the dry ice in the strainer. As the dry ice evaporates, the carbon dioxide goes into your carboy, pushing the air out. I'd be careful about thermal shock though. The cold gas may still crack your carboy.

**david_42** · 03-24-2009, 03:14 PM

I would never put dry ice in a glass container. Ever see a 35 quart punch bowl shatter and dump foaming blood-red Halloween punch on the floor?

**DubbelDach** · 03-24-2009, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by david_42

Ever see a 35 quart punch bowl shatter and dump foaming blood-red Halloween punch on the floor?

That could have happened?!?!? (dodged a bullet...)

gratus fermentatio · 03-24-2009, 05:00 PM

If you really want to blanket the must with CO2, get about a foot of clear plastic tubing of a size that will fit over the spout of a plastic sports bottle. Put a couple of chunks of dry ice in the sports bottle & add about a cup of warm tap water. Make certain the spout valve is open (keeping it closed will build up pressure till it explodes) & put the top on the sports bottle. Watch the fog spew out the end of the tubing & direct it into the carbouy. When you think there is enough in there (a couple of inches is plenty) direct more CO2 into the carbouy you're racking to, again a couple of inches is plenty.

If the fog slows or stops, add more hot tap water, and/or more dry ice to the sports bottle. Again, make certain the spout valve is open. When you have enough CO2 in both carbouys, start racking. I've used this technique a few times, but it's an added cost & I have to go cross town to get the dry ice. Mostly I just sulfite instead. But I'll have to admit it's fun to play with dry ice & the technique does work. You can also use CO2 from a cylinder. Regards, GF.