Degassing idea

[PenhowBrewer]

hi all

I have just spent a few hours degassing 23 litres of merlot, which included an hour or so tidying up after pressing the trigger on the drill a bit too soon and recreating a scene from psycho with red stuff dripping off the walls (and SWMBO’s new coat) and work area.
Not a good start

I never used to degass anything when I made wine 20 years ago, I don’t think I ever even heard the term, but it is clearly an important step in kits these days, and I’m really surprised how much gas comes off.

I wondered if anyone on the forum had tried anything like this



It seems like a really good idea, and you can really see the CO2 coming off the must.

My only concern was an imploding carbouy. I would have thought a glass one would be OK, but I would be a bit more concerned with a plastic one (which is what I have).

Anyone got any thoughts or tips on vacuum degassing?

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I have used one of these wands for years and many members have made and bought them and have not experienced the explosion you have described i therefore assume you must have a much more powerful and faster spinning drill than me as i have never experienced this, did you use the burst in one direction then burst in the opposite direction or did you do it in one direction only.


Click goes into vacuum degassing in the video in my "Howe to make a degassing wand from a coat hanger" guide below.

A couple of problems i see with this method -

1] You need a pump if you do not already have one.

2] In your video he says it takes 10 to 20 times to complete where as the degassing wand will do the job in one minute.

3] Using anything bigger than the machine in the video may be a risk as you do not know how much of a vacuum a glass DJ can take without imploding, i have both old and new DJ's and have noticed the new ones are much thinner and lighter than the old ones.


How to make a degassing wand from a coat hanger - https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/degassing-wine-the-quick-and-easy-way.48971/

 

[PenhowBrewer]

It didn’t explode, I think I just pulled the trigger on the drill before the two swinging arms on my degassing wand were far enough below the surface.....see pic of my degassing wand below ......so it caused a load of high speed splashing

I checked out your video link before I posted my message - that’s what started me looking further around YouTube for more degassing info.

Im interested in your view that it only takes a minute or two with a wand...there’s lots of info out there that seems to suggest it takes good 10 or 20 minutes to get the gas out - hence my interest being piqued by the vacuum approach!

Thanks for the info, though - it all helps[/QUOTE]

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Im interested in your view that it only takes a minute or two with a wand...there’s lots of info out there that seems to suggest it takes good 10 or 20 minutes to get the gas out - hence my interest being piqued by the vacuum approach!

I have used several different wands including one like yours with the movable paddles I have found five seconds forward and five seconds reverse then repeat for a minute is enough the reason I came to this conclusion being when I used to shake the DJ to degass it never cleared quickly but once I started using a wand all my wines were clear in 24 to 48 hours due to removing more CO2.

 

[Gulpitdarn]

So you had a mess like this... Funny as I had only just posted this photo on another thread before reading your thread. I like the idea of vacuming the wine, can't risk having this mess every time.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

This has never happened to me and as I said in the other thread your corded drill must be a lot more powerful than cordless as no other members have reported having issues with cordless.

 

[PenhowBrewer]

The exact same thing happened to me - not the time I described above, but previously.
I was degassing 23 litres of Pinot Noir in a carbouy, had it all swirling in one direction, then switched direction on the drill and a huge amount of gas came out, frothed up and out of the neck of the carbouy all over the floor - nothing I could do about it
Not a good outcome, so I always degass in a big FV now so that there’s plenty of room for any froth to raise up. I also put the FV in a big plastic storage case to catch any spillage

 

[GerritT]

And nobody thought of degassing it in the bath room?

 

[PenhowBrewer]

...didn’t fancy carting 23 litres of red up the stairs.....bit heavy

 

[110ben]

I use a large wide plastic fv, the same wand as shown and a variable speed drill.
Forward and reverse for a minute or 2 and job done.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

And nobody thought of degassing it in the bath room?

I always degas in the bathroom.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I haven't used a corded drill so don't know if you can control how fast it initially spins, can you alter the speed by not pressing the trigger fully in?

I would not hold a corded drill over a 23 litre bucket (Fermenting Vessel - FV) of home brew if you drop it its not going to end well.

.

 

[Gulpitdarn]

If you Do de gas in the bathroom...just don't make a mess like I did!

Edit: My corded drill is old, so the slow speed control is no good. The corded drill is good... it's just that the first blast chucked all the brew out. Will know next time.

 

[DavieC]

Ive just had a go at degassing 23ltrs of beaverdale pinot noir in a 5 gal bucket, I've only got my mixing spoon so put that in my cordless and give it a spin, the drill started to smell a bit though and not many bubbles so I stopped and had 5 mins by hand, I'll have to sort a better wand but one thing that did occur to me was if any tiny bits/ iron/plastic/filings etc was falling from my drill into the vino?Does anyone else worry about this?

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I have been it this way for a few years and am on my second drill (the original drill batteries wouldn't hold a charge) and i haven't noticed and odd tastes yet.

 

[DavieC]

Cheers for that chippy, I'll just make sure my drill hasnt got any bits of dust and stuff stuck to it, cant be doing it by hand, you need arms like popeye!

 

[110ben]

I always filter mine after fining so never had an issue to be honest

 

[DavieC]

Well, after a night brainstorming in front of the drawing board, engaging with the finest minds in the household( my wife even works in an office!) ,burning the midnight oil racking my brains to come up with a home made wine whip because ive got no coat hangers, I had to admit defeat and wearily retire to the bed chamber. However when I went into the garage this morning though Eurika! I knocked this up in 20 seconds, works like a charm.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Looks brutal.

 

[PenhowBrewer]

It’s never happened to me, but my drill isn’t that dirty....
One thought is that I’m a DIYer, but if you use your drill daily as part of your job, it’s probably got more bits & dust etc. on it that mine ever would, so that could be a problem then.

You could always pick up a cheap one & keep it for degassing - always useful to have one as a screwdriver & one as a drill anyway - as I found out when I put my shed up