Fizzy red wine Help!!!

[Timewilltell]

Hi, i am still new to this & have only been brewing for around 6 months now. My problem is when I store my finished red wine it goes fizzy. The kits I use are beverdale & when drank within a couple of weeks after I've made it, the wine is fine but if I store it in a Demi John for a couple of months to mature, when I take the bung out there is always a hiss, is this correct?? Also the wine tastes more fizzy than it did before.

I thought I might not be de-gassing it enough but on my last batch I spent extra time on this area, when I first tasted it, the wine was fine but I have just took the bing out after 6 weeks & there was a sound of hiss released & the wine tastes fizzy still.

Could someone please advise me on this.

[Horden Hillbilly]

DO NOT use a solid bung on a demijohn if pressure is building up inside it, there is a good chance that the demijohn will shatter, they are not pressurised containers. Keep your bubbler airlock in place. This will allow the Co2 build up to escape naturally over a period of time.

[Dr. Dextrin]

I concur, don't allow your demijohns to get pressurised. Use an airlock.

It's possible your wine is undergoing a malo-lactic fermentation (MLF), which is quite common and often beneficial as it reduces the acidity somewhat. The best way to stop it happening is to add sulphite in the form of campden tablets. Sulphite is widely used to stabilise wines and is pretty unobtrusive unless you overdo it. Usually one tablet per gallon is sufficient, occasionally two are needed. Add them before bottling to prevent fizziness developing in the bottles. Whether you want to allow MLF in the demijohns is up to you. Try it with and without and see which you prefer. If you want to stop it, add the campden tablet(s) earlier.

[Timewilltell]

Thanks for the quick replies, I didn't realise this could happen, I thought was all stabalisers were added all fermentation was stopped & no more gasses could be produced, I have solid bungs in all Demi-johns, I will change these.

If I use a camden tablet is it still best to use an airlock? Now it has been suggested I see this as been the best option as it stops any pressure build up if it was going to occur.

Thanks again

[Geezah]

I use 1 camdem tablet and 1 tsp of potasium sorbate per gallon to stabilise fermentation and add a little bit of shelf life to my wines.
...that said, I always do this once I get to the Fg I want, and then leave for another 2 weeks or so in an airlocked DJ to clear, then rack it off into another DJ for degassing / further clearing / more fermentauion stopper (pot sorb)

[Horden Hillbilly]

Thanks for the quick replies, I didn't realise this could happen, I thought was all stabalisers were added all fermentation was stopped & no more gasses could be produced, I have solid bungs in all Demi-johns, I will change these.

If I use a camden tablet is it still best to use an airlock? Now it has been suggested I see this as been the best option as it stops any pressure build up if it was going to occur.

Thanks again

Yes, no more Co2 will be produced, but there will be some present in the wine. De-gassing the wine will get rid of it.

[lollypopp]

Youtube have some good footage of degassing, one I saw, which I liked was using a floppy mop looking thing, in a drill, but I tend to shake mine in the morning and bottle in the afternoon! but like you? I'm still a novice!!!