Degassing

[Bush_84]

So I have read a little about it, and some people seem to think that it's one of the most important steps in brewing (in the NHC convention sticky), and some seem to think it's useless unless doing a kit wine. I guess I would like to see what some others here think about it.

I would also like to hear about some different techniques. I have seen some videos of people using vacuum pumps. That seems easy, but on the other hand I don't care to buy another piece of equipment that may not be necessary. Will racking and bulk aging also achieve the goal of degassing? If so how many rackings and how much aging?

 

[MedsenFey]

Degassing is necessary. You don't want to bottle wine or mead that is still gassy as it may potentially cause corks to pop out (or worse yet, bottle bombs). Also, a gassy wine/mead probably won't be completely clear and will likely drop sediment.

The question is do you need to actively remove the CO2 or can you allow it to dissipate on its own? You can do it either way. Racking and bulk aging will both allow CO2 to come out of solution. Filtration will also rapidly remove it. The release of CO2 is temperature dependent - if you keep it very cold, it takes a long time for the CO2 to come out of solution unless you actively remove it with vacuum degassing or agitation with a whip. If you allow wine/mead to sit at room temperature the degassing will occur much more rapidly, in the same fashion that if you leave a open bottle of soda pop out at room temperature it will be completely flat in a couple of days.

Even for wine kits, I allow them to de-gas by bulk aging. If I wanted to get one bottled quickly to free up my carboy, I would consider active degassing as it will save some time. Either way, the CO2 is released, so it comes down to a decision based on how quickly you want to get it done, and how much work you want to do. Personally, I am diligently working to transform laziness into an art form.

Medsen

 

[Bush_84]

So I guess a good follow up question is how many months of aging or how many rackings is accepted as safe to say that it's degassed itself? Or some combination of the two acceptable? I guess for most of my wine, mead, and cider I am generally in no hurry and most of them are likely degassed by the time I bottle, but would be nice to get a range.

 

[MedsenFey]

Assuming fermentation is complete, 1 racking and sitting 3-4 weeks at room temp will typically have the CO2 gone for me. YMMV.

 

[GinKings]

I believe the NHC sticky you refer to suggests degassing during fermentation, not afterward. It states, "removing as much CO2 as possible assists fermentation".

They are talking about doing it a few times a day. I haven't tried doing it that often, but I do de-gas a few times during the first third of fermentation. Typically, when I add my staggered nutrient additions. Both are done to help create a larger quantity of healthy yeast.

I use a lees strirrer. http://morewinemaking.com/view_product/19688//Lees_Stirrer

Be careful because it does foam up easily during fermentation. A friend of mine stuck a lees stirrer in a 55 gallon barrel of fermenting mead and kept the drill on high without thinking. He ended up taking a mead shower and a few gallons ended up in every crack and crevise within 10 feet. He actually had to empty the cover on the fluorescent light fixture!

 

[malkore]

Yes the NHC sticky is referring to degassing during primary. I've only done this on my most recent mead, and used staggered nutrient additions as well.

The mead fermented much faster, under fairly cool basement temperatures, than any previous mead, and at secondary racking it tasted VERY smooth compared to my previous experiences.

Of course all this primary degassing does lead to less CO2 in solution overall. I have not messed with degassing mead for bottling purposes, usually because its been bulk aging several weeks.

 

[shelly_belly]

I tried it once with a hand-vacuum pump (brake bleeder). First pump was cool to see the wine de-gas. Two more squeezes and my stopper disappeared in to the bottom of the carboy!

 

[fatbloke]

I tried it once with a hand-vacuum pump (brake bleeder). First pump was cool to see the wine de-gas. Two more squeezes and my stopper disappeared in to the bottom of the carboy!

Lots of people still use them, but they tend to get a bit of vacuum going and then let the gas come out and the gauge to drop to zero again before applying more vacuum.

After all, you can potentially cause an implosion if you got too busy with the pump.......

I just use my enolmatic......

 

[Bush_84]

Yes the NHC sticky is referring to degassing during primary. I've only done this on my most recent mead, and used staggered nutrient additions as well.

The mead fermented much faster, under fairly cool basement temperatures, than any previous mead, and at secondary racking it tasted VERY smooth compared to my previous experiences.

Of course all this primary degassing does lead to less CO2 in solution overall. I have not messed with degassing mead for bottling purposes, usually because its been bulk aging several weeks.

So I guess my question would degassing during fermentation be degassing or oxygenating? I generally try to keep my must oxygenated by just agitating/stirring the first few days. I never really saw this as degassing. I typically let my meads sit in carboys for months so I guess I have no problems with CO2 in solution.

 

[MedsenFey]

So I guess my question would degassing during fermentation be degassing or oxygenating? I generally try to keep my must oxygenated by just agitating/stirring the first few days. I never really saw this as degassing.

I asked a similar question in this thread on de-gassing, and to this point, I still have seen nothing that suggests actively trying to reduce CO2 in solution during fermentation makes a significant impact.

 

[RedCabbage]

I got a degassing wand for christmas wand so the next batch is going to get royally whoooshed during primary. Wheeeee!

 

[Bush_84]

I guess it's good either way to make sure the must is agitated and aerated during primary, but I am not so sure that I'd put a vaacum food saver to my must during active fermentation. That'd likely starve the yeast of oxygen.

 

[sweetcell]

I am not so sure that I'd put a vaacum food saver to my must during active fermentation. That'd likely starve the yeast of oxygen.

in case anyone is looking up degassing (like i am presently) - the "starving of oxygen" fear is a false one. yeast ferment anaerobically. they only need oxygen for reproduction, it's consumed very quickly and what little is left in the mead will be blown out by the rising CO2. there is no O2 for a vacuum to suck out (unless you used the vacuum immediately after aerating)