CO2 Charger

[fossilcat]

I need some advice.

I currently use flat marbles to reduce head space between rackings but it's hard to rack real clean and limit waste. I've heard people on this forum use CO2 to fill head space - that sounds more efficient to me. But I don't know what apparatus I should be using to do this.

I found this keg charger: http://www.homebrewing.org/Co2-Cornelius-Keg-Charger-Genuine-Innovations_p_5783.html , but I can't figure out what attachment to use to get it in the carboy. I'm not even sure I could use it at all.

Does anybody use this method to deal with head space? And I guess I should ask, just to make sure, is it a viable option?

 

[Johan__]

I use a beergun to do this. But im sure you could just use a sodastreamer bouttle and a regulater with a pvc hose to get some co2 on top of the mead.

But easiest way is to shake some co2 out of solution if you have some left from fermentation.

 

[bernardsmith]

How often do you need to reapply the CO2? How do you check to make sure that there is enough CO2 atop the wine and that it has not been expelled by the action of fermentation and replaced by O2 or converted into carbonic acid?

 

[IslandLizard]

Get a 20# CO2 cylinder and regulator. You can blow as much CO2 into the headspace as you want for pennies a time. A 30 seconds to 1 minute "blast" at 10-12psi should replace most air with CO2.

I'm sure you can find other uses for that CO2 too, like kegging...

 

[fossilcat]

How often do you need to reapply the CO2? How do you check to make sure that there is enough CO2 atop the wine and that it has not been expelled by the action of fermentation and replaced by O2 or converted into carbonic acid?

I have no idea how to do any of this. All I know is that when the level of mead is below the neck of the carboy I'm in danger of oxydation - possible oxydation - and I have to do something about it just in case. So I've been using a couple handfuls of flat marbles to take up the space to make sure I'm ok. In some cases I'll have just over a 1/4 gal remainder. Now I have to fill almost half of a 1/2 gal carboy. That's where the real waste occurs. I want to know if I can fill the ~1/4 gal of space with CO2 instead of marbles.

 

[Maylar]

How often do you need to reapply the CO2? How do you check to make sure that there is enough CO2 atop the wine and that it has not been expelled by the action of fermentation and replaced by O2 or converted into carbonic acid?

Valid questions. I figure that as long as secondary is still "active" (airlock still bubbling), either via fermenting or outgassing, that there's CO2 being expelled and oxygen can't get in. But once that stops and the gasses reach equilibrium oxygen will find a way in through the bung and airlock. Blanketing the carboy with CO2 is OK for a short term but unless the vessel is sealed tight it will eventually combine with air.

How much CO2 do you need and how often should you replenish it? I dunno. When I've done this with cider I just "spray some in" for 10 seconds and put the airlock back on. Never exceeded 3 weeks though and never had oxidation. But controlling head space is the way to go.

This is why I hate racking. But when I do I have a variety of bottle sizes to split between.

Luckily mead doesn't oxidize easily.