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carboy purging

READ IN A BOOK ABOUT THE DESIRE TO KEEP AIR AWAY FROM WHITE WINES DURING RACKING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO AVOID OXIDATION.THE AUTHOR USED A BOTTLE OF ARGON W/REGULATOR TO PURGE RECIEVING CARBOYS FIRST,THEN INTRODUCE THE GAS TO THE TOP OF THE CARBOY HE WAS SIPHONING OUT OF DURING THE RACKING(VERY LOW PRESSURE ABOVE THE WINE).ARGON IS EXPENSIVE...........CAN I USE CO2 FOR THE SAME THING?IT'S ODORLESS,ETC,AND I WOULDN'T BE BUBBLING IT THROUGH THE WINE OR ANYTHING,JUST PURGING.I'D APPRECIATE ANY THOUGHTS/OPINIONS.

Reply to
treetoad
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I'm doing this with a Hurricane Quick Shot CO2 inflator (sold through bike shops). It was about $9.50 and 12 gram cartridges are about $12 for 25 at Walmart. I drilled a hole in the fid of my primary fermenter (bucket) and put a tire valve stem in it. When racking into a carboy I use 4 straws taped together and squirt the CO2 in as close to the bottom as I can without compromising sterility. Does it do any good? Maybe, maybe not. I'm new to this and it seemed a cheap way to help optimize conditions.

Gerald Todd

Reply to
Gerald Todd

CO2 can be used, as long as you don't hold it under pressure, and as long as there's little head-space remaining after racking. You can carbonate the wine if you aren't careful, and that's why they use inert gasses like argon or nitrogen instead.

Rob

Reply to
Rob

Topping and airlock maintenance are cheaper and very effective. Just top your wine to withing 1/2" of the neck and cover it up weith an airlock or stopper if it's still and the temperature will remain the same.

You can do the CO2 thing, but normally you bubble gas through a dispersion tube into the wine. The inert gases make much more sense than CO2 as Rob stated. Just a heads up, there are different levels of quality (grades) for gases, I'm not sure I would use just any source. It may be worthwile to contact the manufacturer to be on the safe side when using it for food.

Joe

Reply to
Joe Sallustio

Points well taken. Thanks

Gerald Todd

Reply to
Gerald Todd

Todd,

If you want my 2 cents, I agree with Joe. If your just starting out don't worry about the CO2 or Argon. Actually, even if your not just starting out inert gas is a luxury which from my experience is unnecessary. My problem has been that the CO2 from the ferment isn't totally gone from the wine when I'm about to bottle. It's actually kind of comforting to know that there is still CO2 in the wine which means that it was well protected from oxygen. Even if you make white wines if you top up and make sure the airlocks are on tight and they are filled with meta solution your wines will turn out fine. Don;'t worry and have fun.

Bob

Reply to
doublesb

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