Well, I'm at the third stage of my first wine kit, and this is the step I thought would give me the least grief. Prior to this point, I was on a gravy train with biscuit wheels with this wine kit, but at this point its turned out to be the most difficult.
Most everything I've read before this point states that using the drill is the way to get the wine degassed. I call BS. I bought this hook looking thing that attached to my drill, I think it's called the Wine Whip. The directions say use a stir stick for 2 minutes to degas the wine in the carboy. I used the wine whip and the drill for about 10 minutes and I've still got gas in the wine.
I've determined there's still gas in the wine by taking a small sample, putting it in the hydrometer test jar, covering it with my hand and shaking. I still get a nice "poof" of gas when I release my palm.
At this point I don't want to just keep beating the hell out of the wine, because I know there's always the chance the wine is getting oxygenated at this point with as much as I've had the drill/bung attachment in and out. I've tried reversing the drill every 10 seconds or so, using it at an angle, moving it in and out.
I've already added everything to this wine except for the liquid fining (Eisenglass?). I'd like to know the best way to get this degassed.
I've read about using:
Vacuum pump - I have a foodsaver, and I can get some hose or something tomorrow to adapt it to the bung.
Handheld bake bleeder / mityvac - I could probably use one of these in my toolbox anyway.
Wet/Dry vac - Have one of these, and as soon as I read about vacuum degassing, this is what came to mind.
Continue using the drill - Not my preferred option, but maybe I'm doing it wrong. Advice?
Something I haven't thought of - Help!!!
All of the vacuum stuff I've read about warns against imploding the carboy. Is this a legitimite concern?
Should I top off my wine with water now / add the liquid fining agent before degassing is complete? The kit instructions strongly suggests that degassing be done otherwise the wine will not clear.
Thanks for any advice!
- DZ
Most everything I've read before this point states that using the drill is the way to get the wine degassed. I call BS. I bought this hook looking thing that attached to my drill, I think it's called the Wine Whip. The directions say use a stir stick for 2 minutes to degas the wine in the carboy. I used the wine whip and the drill for about 10 minutes and I've still got gas in the wine.
I've determined there's still gas in the wine by taking a small sample, putting it in the hydrometer test jar, covering it with my hand and shaking. I still get a nice "poof" of gas when I release my palm.
At this point I don't want to just keep beating the hell out of the wine, because I know there's always the chance the wine is getting oxygenated at this point with as much as I've had the drill/bung attachment in and out. I've tried reversing the drill every 10 seconds or so, using it at an angle, moving it in and out.
I've already added everything to this wine except for the liquid fining (Eisenglass?). I'd like to know the best way to get this degassed.
I've read about using:
Vacuum pump - I have a foodsaver, and I can get some hose or something tomorrow to adapt it to the bung.
Handheld bake bleeder / mityvac - I could probably use one of these in my toolbox anyway.
Wet/Dry vac - Have one of these, and as soon as I read about vacuum degassing, this is what came to mind.
Continue using the drill - Not my preferred option, but maybe I'm doing it wrong. Advice?
Something I haven't thought of - Help!!!
All of the vacuum stuff I've read about warns against imploding the carboy. Is this a legitimite concern?
Should I top off my wine with water now / add the liquid fining agent before degassing is complete? The kit instructions strongly suggests that degassing be done otherwise the wine will not clear.
Thanks for any advice!
- DZ