De-Gassing

[goldseal]

I have degassed a couple of wines which after a while, when shaken in a DJ, generate a lot of foam (which takes a long time to clear), but doesn't generate any pressure.

In other words, when I release my hand from the opening of the DJ, there is no FFFZZZZZZZZ (), but lots of foam on the wine.

Do you think it is still releasing CO2, or the wine is just forming a foam with the air present in the DJ?

[Richard S]

Sounds like it's de-gassed to me. Watch the de-gassing vid clip here, very interesting.

http://finevinewines.com/Wine-makers-toy-store-video.html

[Richard S]

Just tried the vacuvin and air lock trick on a carbouy of chardonnay that is ready for finings adding. It works a treat, loads of extra gas came out.

[alcopop]

Degassing

Hi Richard
Where did you get the Vacuvin and airlock from and what was the cost?
Just read through all posts on degassing again and I think that it was bob who said that the cost was £7 plus £3 for somthing else I will have to read all posts again.
I sit here most nights and go through almost all of the posts on this site and have learned so much, thank you all for all of the valuable information that they contain.
I find that I don't have to ask to many questions as most have an answer on this site, I just have to try to remember where I have read the item and when.
Again thanks to all

Terry

[fatbloke]

Hi Richard
Where did you get the Vacuvin and airlock from and what was the cost?
Just read through all posts on degassing again and I think that it was bob who said that the cost was £7 plus £3 for somthing else I will have to read all posts again.
I sit here most nights and go through almost all of the posts on this site and have learned so much, thank you all for all of the valuable information that they contain.
I find that I don't have to ask to many questions as most have an answer on this site, I just have to try to remember where I have read the item and when.
Again thanks to all

Terry

Vacuvins ? google, but I seem to recall mine came from amazon - about £6 plus postage.

The orange carbouy caps (with the twin white capped piped moulded into them) are about the £3 mark, I've yet to find (or look for that matter) a safety bung. Though I think that'll be next on the list.

regards

JtFB

[goldseal]

I actually found a Vacuvin this evening. The problem is, I couldn't get on with the rubber-bung-plus-safety-stopper method (didn't seem to generate a sufficient vacuum to pop the safety valve).

Purely by chance, though, I came up with another method. I've recently bought a few things called Latstock Airlock Holders. These look a bit like plastic DJ bungs, but are hollow and have a tube to fit an airlock. They fit DJs with a smaller-than-usual opening (e.g. Fatbloke's 1/2gal DJs) and, inverted, they will seal a wine bottle and allow you to fit an airlock (useful).

Anyway, I found the Vacuvin grey bung fitted over the airlock tube nicely - I popped the pump on top, gave it a couple of pumps, and hey presto - a vacuum!

I bought the airlock holders from The Hop Shop : http://www.hopshopuk.com . They aren't on the website yet, but I ordered mine by email (£1.25 a pair I think). Very useful gadgets, and I recommend the shop too.

If anyone is interested I'll post some photos.

[spritzer]

If anyone is interested I'll post some photos.

Always interested in photos

Many thanks
Carole

[goldseal]

OK, here goes:

1. The airlock holder
2. Doing its normal job
3. Replace the airlock with the Vacuvin bung
4. The finished assembly


It does work - I degassed the wine in the pics by shaking, but this method is pulling lots more CO2 out.

[Mamgiowl]

Thanks for posting that.

It looks just the thing I'm looking for.

[goldseal]

I have a 23L Better Bottle to degas.

Is it safe to use a Vacuvin? I very much doubt you could implode it, but you never know. The Better Bottle is full to within a couple of inches of the bung.

My alternative is a Whizz Stick, but won't I have to remove some of the wine into another vessel to make enough room for foaming etc? I assume that the less the wine is handled, the better.

[Mamgiowl]

DO NOT USE THE VACUVIN!

The bottle will collapse and you'll get wine over you, the worktop and anywhere else it can get.

I know - I've done it.

[Duffbeer]

I know - I've done it.

I feel better now Jan, I thought only I was fool enough to have done this.

[goldseal]

OK - thanks folks! I wouldn't have gone ahead unless someone I trust on this Forum had said 'yes' anyway. Whizz Stick it is, then.

By the way, I have found that the Vacuvin also fits a junior airlock. Take the top off, and the bung fits the central tube. It does work too (glass DJ, in case you were wondering )

[rjb222]

Always use glass when doing degassing with a vacuum. Make sure the bottle is close to full that way the vacuum will not pull the sides in too far and crack the glass.The liquid supports the sides so they will not collapse. I always use one size bigger bung as well as the regular size would get sucked inside.

[lockwood1956]

The better bottle is designed to use for degassing by placing a tennis ball in the dimple at the base and rocking the bottle back and forth on it....remove some wine from the bottle first of course, but it does make things simpler

regards
Bob