How to degas wine with a home made degassing wand

[Chippy_Tea]

Shaking a DJ to get rid of the CO2 takes time and is a bit of a PITA and using a big spoon to degas 23 litres is a bigger pita.

You can buy degassing wands at most home brew shops or you can make your own they make degassing a two minute job.

Watch click tricks video on how to make a degassing wand from an old coat hanger below.

When using the wand start in forwards for 5 seconds then switch to reverse for 5 and keep doing this for a minute.

This is mine -

(I removed the part i have blacked out in the picture as it made it difficult to get it into the DJ it also works in a FV)

 

[pith-head]

Could i ask what it is made of. Thanks.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Could i ask what it is made of. Thanks.

Its a plastic coat hanger.



Edit 5/7/24 to add -
(nearly 10 years later)

After a few years my home made coat hanger degasser broke so i replaced it with a stainless steel one which i bought from a home brew shop -

 

[pith-head]

Thanks chippy, i love making things my self, i am a very enthusiastic DIY'r, i can turn my hand to just about anything. Could i ask how you bend it? The coat hangers i have are made of brittle plastic. Is it a wire coat hanger with a plastic coating?

I have just been to aldi to buy a pipe bender to make my own wort chiller but it will only bend pip through through 180 degrees, so its a no hope'r. I'm just wondering if i can make a square chiller, i wouldn't have thought that the shape mattered, be it round or square. as long as the cold water flows through it. I'l give it a go at some point.

Does any one know how it actually removes the gas?

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I boiled some water in the tallest pan we have then dipped the coat hanger in and used pliers to bend it, i found running it under a cold tap when the bend was where i wanted it saved a lot of time.

 

[pith-head]

I boiled some water in the tallest pan we have then dipped the coat hanger in and used pliers to bend it, i found running it under a cold tap each time the bend was where i wanted it to be saved a lot of time.

If i can find a suitable coat hanger i'll be giving it a go, Thanks for the info chippy. :p

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Finding round coat hangers can be difficult, i imagine D.I.Y shops would sell something that could be used instead.

 

[pith-head]

Thanks again chippy your a true gent

 

[loopyludo]

I did this last weekend, I was super lazy though and did not even bend the coat hanger. I started the drill slowly and gradually built up speed, this prevented it from being too whippy and snapping, it worked an absolute treat.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Thanks for the no need to bend it tip.

 

[jamesw]

I tried the vacuum cleaner method he mentioned, and no success.
I will follow kit instructions (doesnt mention degassing, only agitation during clearing) and see how it goes.
Dont have a drill so cant use the other method...

 

[brewster85]

Used this method a while back and found it very easy to degass my wine

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I did this last weekend, I was super lazy though and did not even bend the coat hanger. I started the drill slowly and gradually built up speed, this prevented it from being too whippy and snapping, it worked an absolute treat.

Don't do it in one direction only as it ends up like a vortex, this is more likely introduce air rather than remove the CO2, i find 5 seconds in one direction before switching to the opposite direction for 5 seconds works best.
Don't overfill your DJ when you start the wine, i fill to the bottom of the shoulder and top up after racking and degassing.

 

[ddeighton_1]

Another way is have two small buckets once stableized and finings sorted syphon into a bucket and then poor into 2nd bucket half dozen times then back into a clean DJ
Only know that as i got a wine kit which had wine and equipment came with two buckets

 

[FatDad]

This looks great - going to give it a try.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I now use a cigarette lighter to warm the plastic then bend it and run it under a cold tap to fix it in position, much faster then using boiling water.

 

[FatDad]

I now use a cigarette lighter to warm the plastic then bend it and run it under a cold tap to fix it in position, much faster then using boiling water..

Good idea but I'm guessing I will have to be restrained with the lighter otherwise I am bound to melt and burn the plastic.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Yes just warm it and put a little pressure on the joint you will feel when its warm enough.

 

[FatDad]

I just bought 2 coat hangers from ebay for £1.50 including postage. They looked suitable in the images so fingers crossed they will be ok.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Keep us posted.