Well, according to the kit information, "Continue doing this as many times
as needed until wine is completely degassed (no more visible gas bubbles or
foaming) This degassing process could take anywhere from 1 hour to 3 days
depending on how much CO2 is present."

Currently the specific gravity is reading around .920-.925. Also, when i
transferred from the secondary carboy to the buckets the bubbler hadnt moved
in about 2 days, so i assumed fermentation has stopped.

What would happen if i added metabisulphite at this point and put it in the
carboy for the last week before bottling? Perhaps i should add some
chitosan also?


"Ray" wrote in message
igy.com...
First: Degassing is something that should not take over 30 min. to an
hour.
If you are stirring it that much and it is still producing bubbles I would
tend to think it is still fermenting and generating bubbles.

Second: At this stage you should not have it in buckets for a day. Way
too
long. Give it some sulfite as the contact with air will have removed what
it
has, and get it back under an airlock. If you really want to degas a and
it
is this hard to degas you might do it in the secondary carboy, rather than
a
bucket, by putting a bottle brush on a variable speed drill and putting it
down in the carboy. This would be a lot safer.

Third: (This is just a comment only) The only real reason to degas is if
you want to bottle very young. If you just put it in bulk storage in a
carboy under an airlock for a few months, the gas will leave on it's own
and
the wine will generally benefit from the extra time.

Ray

"santos" wrote in message
...
ok, i transferred from secondary fermenter to buckets to degas, and have
been stirring them on and off for roughly a day and they are still very
frothy/bubbly. My question is - is this normal? do i wait until there
is
no
froth at all after stirring? if i have to leave them out overnight
should
i
cover them over with plastic or leave them uncovered? how long does it
normally take for all the co2 to exit?

thanks.

Santos: I know the very kit instructions you are reading, and they
are wrong. Transfering from secondary back into a pail to degas is
crazy but you will be fine if you follow Ray's instructions and do it
now. Degassing is never necessary unless you are making a 6-week
wonder. If you wish to degas you can purchase wine agitating rod
called "Fizz-X", attach to an electric drill and stir your wine in the
carboy. I use it sometimes and it works well.

Santos, Maybe your hydrometer is at fault. You might get a wine down to
0.988 or so but you will not get one down to 0.925. That could only be
achieved by distilation. I suspect the wine is still fermenting.

Ray

"santos" wrote in message
news
Well, according to the kit information, "Continue doing this as many times
as needed until wine is completely degassed (no more visible gas bubbles
or
foaming) This degassing process could take anywhere from 1 hour to 3 days
depending on how much CO2 is present."

Currently the specific gravity is reading around .920-.925. Also, when i
transferred from the secondary carboy to the buckets the bubbler hadnt
moved
in about 2 days, so i assumed fermentation has stopped.

What would happen if i added metabisulphite at this point and put it in
the
carboy for the last week before bottling? Perhaps i should add some
chitosan also?


"Ray" wrote in message
igy.com...
First: Degassing is something that should not take over 30 min. to an
hour.
If you are stirring it that much and it is still producing bubbles I
would
tend to think it is still fermenting and generating bubbles.

Second: At this stage you should not have it in buckets for a day. Way
too
long. Give it some sulfite as the contact with air will have removed
what
it
has, and get it back under an airlock. If you really want to degas a
and
it
is this hard to degas you might do it in the secondary carboy, rather
than
a
bucket, by putting a bottle brush on a variable speed drill and putting
it
down in the carboy. This would be a lot safer.

Third: (This is just a comment only) The only real reason to degas is
if
you want to bottle very young. If you just put it in bulk storage in a
carboy under an airlock for a few months, the gas will leave on it's own
and
the wine will generally benefit from the extra time.

Ray

"santos" wrote in message
...
ok, i transferred from secondary fermenter to buckets to degas, and
have
been stirring them on and off for roughly a day and they are still
very
frothy/bubbly. My question is - is this normal? do i wait until there
is
no
froth at all after stirring? if i have to leave them out overnight
should
i
cover them over with plastic or leave them uncovered? how long does
it
normally take for all the co2 to exit?

thanks.

ok, took another reading, and yes, was way off, it was around .994 ... so...
i added the metabisulphite and additives and put it back into the carboy and
topped it off, then put an air lock onto it. My question is: once i let it
settle and clear, should i degas it before i bottle it? I figure I'll be
bottling it in about 2 weeks or a little less depending on how quickly it
clears, as i want to have it age in bottles a bit before christmas so i can
give a few bottles out as gifts (and forwarn the receivers to let it sit for
a bit first). My question is, when would it be best to degas, within the
next few days? after a week? and then let it settle a week? please excuse
my ignorance, i am new to the craft and learning from my mistakes, so having
a bad recipe given by the company i'm using doesnt help things at all... but
with any luck, between this group and my local brewers i'm hoping to live
and learn thanks.

"Ray" wrote in message
igy.com...
Santos, Maybe your hydrometer is at fault. You might get a wine down to
0.988 or so but you will not get one down to 0.925. That could only be
achieved by distilation. I suspect the wine is still fermenting.

Ray

"santos" wrote in message
news
Well, according to the kit information, "Continue doing this as many
times
as needed until wine is completely degassed (no more visible gas bubbles
or
foaming) This degassing process could take anywhere from 1 hour to 3
days
depending on how much CO2 is present."

Currently the specific gravity is reading around .920-.925. Also, when
i
transferred from the secondary carboy to the buckets the bubbler hadnt
moved
in about 2 days, so i assumed fermentation has stopped.

What would happen if i added metabisulphite at this point and put it in
the
carboy for the last week before bottling? Perhaps i should add some
chitosan also?


"Ray" wrote in message
igy.com...
First: Degassing is something that should not take over 30 min. to an
hour.
If you are stirring it that much and it is still producing bubbles I
would
tend to think it is still fermenting and generating bubbles.

Second: At this stage you should not have it in buckets for a day.
Way
too
long. Give it some sulfite as the contact with air will have removed
what
it
has, and get it back under an airlock. If you really want to degas a
and
it
is this hard to degas you might do it in the secondary carboy, rather
than
a
bucket, by putting a bottle brush on a variable speed drill and
putting
it
down in the carboy. This would be a lot safer.

Third: (This is just a comment only) The only real reason to degas is
if
you want to bottle very young. If you just put it in bulk storage in
a
carboy under an airlock for a few months, the gas will leave on it's
own
and
the wine will generally benefit from the extra time.

Ray

"santos" wrote in message
...
ok, i transferred from secondary fermenter to buckets to degas, and
have
been stirring them on and off for roughly a day and they are still
very
frothy/bubbly. My question is - is this normal? do i wait until
there
is
no
froth at all after stirring? if i have to leave them out overnight
should
i
cover them over with plastic or leave them uncovered? how long does
it
normally take for all the co2 to exit?

thanks.

Yes, de-gas before bottling. Wait for SG closer to 0.99 ideally, then
whip the hel out of it with your magic wand for five minutes, two or
three times daily for a few days. The risk of vigorous stirring if
there is still some fermentation going on is a volcanic eruption. The
kids 'll think it great entertainment but you might not be impressed.

Good plan. Let it rest for 2 weeks and then degas again. If you are
bottling that young, it will need serious degassing. Also, try it just
before Christmas. Some of these kit wines are great at 2 months. It might
surprise you and you may not need to issue any cautions. Good luck and
Merry Christmas.

Ray

"santos" wrote in message
...
ok, took another reading, and yes, was way off, it was around .994 ...
so...
i added the metabisulphite and additives and put it back into the carboy
and
topped it off, then put an air lock onto it. My question is: once i let
it
settle and clear, should i degas it before i bottle it? I figure I'll be
bottling it in about 2 weeks or a little less depending on how quickly it
clears, as i want to have it age in bottles a bit before christmas so i
can
give a few bottles out as gifts (and forwarn the receivers to let it sit
for
a bit first). My question is, when would it be best to degas, within the
next few days? after a week? and then let it settle a week? please
excuse
my ignorance, i am new to the craft and learning from my mistakes, so
having
a bad recipe given by the company i'm using doesnt help things at all...
but
with any luck, between this group and my local brewers i'm hoping to live
and learn thanks.

"Ray" wrote in message
igy.com...
Santos, Maybe your hydrometer is at fault. You might get a wine down
to
0.988 or so but you will not get one down to 0.925. That could only be
achieved by distilation. I suspect the wine is still fermenting.

Ray

"santos" wrote in message
news
Well, according to the kit information, "Continue doing this as many
times
as needed until wine is completely degassed (no more visible gas
bubbles
or
foaming) This degassing process could take anywhere from 1 hour to 3
days
depending on how much CO2 is present."

Currently the specific gravity is reading around .920-.925. Also,
when
i
transferred from the secondary carboy to the buckets the bubbler hadnt
moved
in about 2 days, so i assumed fermentation has stopped.

What would happen if i added metabisulphite at this point and put it
in
the
carboy for the last week before bottling? Perhaps i should add some
chitosan also?


"Ray" wrote in message
igy.com...
First: Degassing is something that should not take over 30 min. to
an
hour.
If you are stirring it that much and it is still producing bubbles I
would
tend to think it is still fermenting and generating bubbles.

Second: At this stage you should not have it in buckets for a day.
Way
too
long. Give it some sulfite as the contact with air will have removed
what
it
has, and get it back under an airlock. If you really want to degas
a
and
it
is this hard to degas you might do it in the secondary carboy,
rather
than
a
bucket, by putting a bottle brush on a variable speed drill and
putting
it
down in the carboy. This would be a lot safer.

Third: (This is just a comment only) The only real reason to degas
is
if
you want to bottle very young. If you just put it in bulk storage
in
a
carboy under an airlock for a few months, the gas will leave on it's
own
and
the wine will generally benefit from the extra time.

Ray

"santos" wrote in message
...
ok, i transferred from secondary fermenter to buckets to degas,
and
have
been stirring them on and off for roughly a day and they are still
very
frothy/bubbly. My question is - is this normal? do i wait until
there
is
no
froth at all after stirring? if i have to leave them out
overnight
should
i
cover them over with plastic or leave them uncovered? how long
does
it
normally take for all the co2 to exit?

thanks.