Degassing
September 2nd, 2005 | 
Author: There’s some debate over the “best” way to degass wine. Some say using the Fizz-X device is the best, while my own local winestore suggests that simply shaking the carboy vigorously a few times a day for two or three days will work fine.
Some swear by simply stirring vigorously with a spoon. Then there are those that say, correctly of course, that time will take care of degassing.
Time, however, is not on one’s side if one wants to bottle sooner rather than later. There are some batches I have going that I don’t mind waiting for time to take it’s course, but a couple of other batches, I’d like to bottle soon as I have a short window of opportunity to give bottles away as gifts.
I’ve been trying the first three methods – stirring, shaking AND using the Fizz-X device. All of them seem to get some of the CO2 out – but no matter what, the next time I stir, shake or “fizz-x” the batch, there are STILL bubbles appearing and foam created on top.
I’ve been using at least one of the methods each and every day for the past week! And at least 10 times per day. But no matter what, the gas still has not dissipated from the wine.
I’m beginning to wonder if it is really possible to totally degass a new wine completely. I’ll write more on this later, including an examination of the different methods and with some links to the various debates about degassing wine, later over at The Home Winery.
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Ian, I have a device that works wonderfully. It is a vacuum pump. It is attached to the carboy and creates negative pressure in the carboy that draws out – immediately – any dissolved gases, most of which being CO2. If you have a lot of dissolved gasses it will actively froth up. If your wine is already degassed, virtually nothing will happen.
I recently came across this web site with a video. I think it’s worth looking at, although I haven’t tried it yet. but I’ll be looking for a pump.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjL80hXkHdI&feature=related