Degassing wine technique

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arcsum68

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So I am scheduled (provided I get consecutive readings) to degas my wine in a few days.

I was going to buy a mix-stir or something similiar but then saw where a guy used a foodsaver to do it on utube (I think it came from this forum).

They said they wouldnt do it on a full size carboy, has it been determined that its safe to do it on a full carboy or not? I also have a vacuum pump for bleeding brakes and stuff that I could use.

Should I still buy a mix-stir and use it in addition to the vacuum, or should I just forget the whole vacuum idea?

Thanks guys.
 
Yeah, I just posted in there too, but the thread just kind of stops.

I found others online that I think were using full size carboys but he was using a handheld foodsaver that probably doesnt produce as much vacuum.
 
Well, I have been googling, and I found my thread! Oh well. I have decided that I am going to give the foodsaver a shot. I will carefully watch the gas and not let too much pressure develop and then follow up with the brake bleeder/vacuum pump tool method.
If I can rig it up, I may try to make it so I can measure the pressure created by the foodsaver with the vac tool.
 
Yeah, a manometer would be cool to see the vacuum you are pulling. I use the Foodsaver to degas hydrometer samples of fully carbonated beer. I use mason jars so I don't worry about the vacuum pressure since they are rated for more vacuum than the Foodsaver will do to them. I use it and then come back later to find the seal needing another vacuum again, lol. I really love using it for this purpose.
 
manometer - it just sounds so like so much more than what it actually is - lol
 
Generally only wine kits need degassing. Co2 tends to stay in solution, and most people don't want carbonated wine. "Regular" wines (non-kit) are usually in the carboy long enough and have enough rackings to degas naturally.

If you have a mity-vac for bleeding car brakes, that is ideal. I've never done it, but read many threads on a forum called winepress that talk about using the mity vac to degas the wine. If I was mechanically inclined, that would be my first choice to degas.
 
Be sure to leave a few inches of head space at the top of the carboy if you are going to use vacuum degassing. If you don't the liquid will expand and you will suck it into the vacuum hose.
 
Just bought that on sale last week for $19, troubleshooting a vac leak in my truck.

I was under the impression that the foodsaver would be faster/easier and I already own one, so thats why I was gonna go that route.
 
Just bought that on sale last week for $19, troubleshooting a vac leak in my truck.

I was under the impression that the foodsaver would be faster/easier and I already own one, so thats why I was gonna go that route.

I don't think it would be faster or easier, because the mity vac really does the job with more ooomph to it. Still, since you have both, why not do whichever you prefer?

(I have a foodsaver, and I prefer using the wine whip and the drill).
 
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