Winemaking Fumes Can Kill
Saturday November 8, 2008
Did you know that making wine can be a lethal activity? Fermentation releases carbon dioxide, which is heavier than air and sinks to the ground. If you make wine in a poorly-ventilated room, there is a risk of the carbon dioxide accumulating to the point where it will suffocate you. Pets and kids tend to be closer to the ground, so they are more likely to suffer from oxygen deprivation. Mailonline is carrying a news story of two amateur wine makers who succumbed to fumes from grapes that they were stomping. According to the story, it is not particularly uncommon for winemakers to be overcome by the high levels of carbon dioxide associated with the process. So... if you are making your own wine, be aware of the hazard and be sure to have adequate ventilation. Note that mixing the air is not sufficient. You need to be able to bring in fresh air to prevent the buildup of CO2.
Comments
Surely, the amount of CO2 that is released is not going to be that high, and unless you lay down on the floor right next to the barrel in a very enclosed poorly ventilated room you’re not really going to be affected. The idea of being “overcome” by CO2 is a bit of a red herring too, it’s not toxic, it’s just that it can suffocate you.
However, there are other volatile compounds given off by fermentation and sticking your head over a warm beer/wine making process and breathing in deep could intoxicate you with any one of the cocktail of those.
Actually, there is a much deadlier gas that can be released in a fermentation gone wrong - hydrogen sulfide. It’s poisonous and can kill. Luckily, even in bad fermentations, it is only released in small quantities and is usually not a problem.