Greetings,

I'm about to embark on my first attempt at disgorging. I've read a great
many references to help me settle my nerves. I consider this my last chance
to ruin what was at first a wonderful chardonnay, even if lacking completely
the oak character that I enjoy, and then a tasty, if cloudy, champaign.
Wish me luck that I blow my chance...

What I haven't been able to find in any reference is any mention of the
quantities of salt and water used to make the brine solution the necks will
be frozen in. Not a single web site, magazine, pamphlet, or book has
ventured into a discussion of salt/water ratios. Not being a chemist, I
have only the layman's knowledge that water with sufficient dissolved solids
will remain liquid at a temperature below the freezing point. And I must
assume that the ice I'll be purchasing at the local convenience store will
be a decent amount cooler than, say, 30f, so that it'll be able to bring my
brine solution enough below freezing to do it's trick and freeze the
champaign in the necks of my bottles. But it would give me a great deal of
piece of mind to be able to find someone, somewhere, who could say "I've
used a brine solution of 4 lbs salt in 4 gallons of water. Added 10 lbs of
ice, and it worked great!"

Any tips from those who have managed this franky rather daunting task for
the home winemaker will be greatly appreciated!


--
Cheers,
Ken