Thread: Fizzy?
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Doug Miller[_2_] Doug Miller[_2_] is offline
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Default Fizzy?

In article >, Joe Pfeiffer > wrote:
>Executive summary:
>
>Tried a bottle of the Shiraz I made in January... it seemed just a tad
>fizzy. What did I do wrong?
>
>Detail:
>
>I started it on January 29, racked it February 3, racked again February
>12. By February 14 there was no sign of activity and the SG was .996 so
>I added sulfite to stabilize it; this resulted in a *huge* amount of
>foam. I used a drill-mounted stirrer for a full five minutes to distribute
>the sulfite. Racked again March 7. Bottled late March (I can't believe
>I didn't note the date, but there you have it).
>
>Note that my temperature controls are seriously lacking: I live in
>southern New Mexico and use a swamp cooler; the room with the wine gets
>seriously warm during the day starting in April.
>
>So... tried a bottle. Pouring it, it didn't look carbonated; no visible
>bubbles. But drinking it, there was just a hint of a "fizzy" feel to it
>on my tongue. So, first, am I accurately thinking it feels a bit like
>it wound up slightly carbonated, or could this be from something else?
>Does it just need more time in the bottle? Did I do something wrong
>that I need to fix next year?


Yes, you did -- you didn't wait long enough. Winemaking is not a hobby for the
impatient. Next time, wait to bottle until six months after starting the wine.
A year is better. And wait to drink it, too.

Alternatively, you can degas the wine mechanically with one of these:
http://www.amazon.com/Actron-CP7830-.../dp/B0009XQUK2

Pump the vacuum as high as you can, and leave it for several hours. The vacuum
will decrease as more CO2 comes out of solution. When the vacuum will hold
for three hours at 525 mm or more, then you're done. I prefer not to bottle
mine until the vacuum is stable overnight at 550 mm.

I've pulled vacuums as high as 675 mm in glass carboys without damage. I
wouldn't try that with one of the plastic carboys, though -- I just don't
think they're strong enough.

For reference, CO2 bubbles ...
... will be visible at CO2 concentrations of 1000 mg/L or above; to reduce the
concentration below this level requires a vacuum of at least 275 mm (or lots
of time, or agitation, or repeated racking, or combinations of the above)
... can be felt in the mouth at 700 mg/L or above (425 mm vacuum)
... can be tasted at 500 mg/L or above (525 mm vacuum)

[Above figures based on temperature of 20 degrees C = 68 degrees F; as
temperature increases, CO2 solubility decreases. At 22 deg C = 72 deg F, the
vacuum levels required to achieve the concentrations noted above are 250, 400,
and 500 mm respectively.]