Expansion and Contraction of Wine in Containers
Just an FYI...
I did a little experiment with cheap tequila yesterday. I filled a
250 ml graduate with a 10% solution of alcohol.
(62.5 ml 40% ABV tequila, topped to 250 ml of solute with distilled
water.)
@ 77 F = 250 ml
@ 24 F = 249 ml
That should have worked out to a 76 ml drop in both carboys of red I
have in stabilization; 18.9 L/ .25 L = 76 ml. It did. Both took a
bit over 70 ml, (74 and 76). (I did not mark them exactly when I
chilled them and do not know the exact temperature of the wine prior
to stabilization. I did not expect to do this experiment.)
That works out to a change of 0.0755 ml/L/degree F.
In a 5 gallon carboy that would work out to an increase of 1.4
ml/degree F rise.
Water and alcohol densities are not a constant but for all intents and
purposes it's close enough over the sort range of temperatures
winemakers work with.
Joe
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