# Help! Too much K-meta?



## TomC (Apr 20, 2013)

So, I was adding the chemicals to a 6 gal batch of cherry must in the primary and added too much k-meta powder, a 1/2 teaspoon instead of 1/4 teaspoon. Is there a fix? More time before pitching yeast? More stirring? Or, is it doomed?


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## mmadmikes1 (Apr 20, 2013)

If you can pour it from one container to another allowing it to splash several times. I dought if you have a tester(yet) so you are going to have to guess. get a yeast starter going strong separate using a store bought bottle of cherry juice(no chemicals added type like Knutsen). Pitch the yeast when it gets going good. Remember K Meta can not stop a active fermentation. stir the $hit out of it. BTW I never add K meta to must just get a good yeast starter going before I prepare must and pitch active yeast in as soon as the must is ready. Just future note


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## NoSnob (Apr 20, 2013)

*Sara Rules!*

Tom, I doubt that you will have a serious problem here. Many of us here have done much worse!

As much as I hate to admit it, I added 5 tsp of K-Meta to a 3 gal batch of raspberry must. It was a 96 oz can of VH wine base plus 8 lbs of fresh raspberries. This has got to be the dumbest mistake of all time. I credit it to not thinking critically about what I was doing when I thought I was following directions (obviously I wasn't). I saved the canned & fresh fruit, threw out the must, added a fresh can of wine base and a few more pounds of the berries I was saving for an f-pack. 

SaraMac was very helpful in suggesting that I step-feed the yeast and then watch carefully for signs of sulfurous fumes, which I did have after primary fermentation. So I then followed her corrective actions of racking the must over a copper scrubby in a mesh bag. I followed that by stirring with a hollow copper pipe. The secondary fermentation went great & threw off a lot of lees, so I racked again and the sulfur smell is gone. Amazingly, it went to SG of 0.996 and now it's clearing well. Very dry, but with good fruit intensity; I'll back-sweeten.

I don't think you will likely need to take steps as drastic as mine. But you have good support group here that will give great advice. SARA RULES!

NS


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## TomC (Apr 20, 2013)

Thanks for the advice. Good to know that all is not necessarily lost. Sure would hate to toss 40lbs. of cherries. I'll just take it slow, stir a lot and use a good yeast starter. Thinking about vacuum racking before pitching the yeast to drive off some of the so2; but don't know if it would do more harm than good. Going to use a Champagne (Red Star) yeast. I'll let you know how it goes.


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## Runningwolf (Apr 20, 2013)

I totally agree 100% with everything Madmike said. I also disagree with adding any meta before a fermentation. Just make a good yeast starter and it will be the dominate one.


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## TomC (Apr 20, 2013)

Runningwolf said:


> I totally agree 100% with everything Madmike said. I also disagree with adding any meta before a fermentation. Just make a good yeast starter and it will be the dominate one.


 
I understand what your saying; but the cherries were fresh picked then frozen without meticulous sorting (some bad ones are probably in the must)so I add the sulfite to keep bad things at bay until the yeast gets going.


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## mmadmikes1 (Apr 20, 2013)

That is why you start the yeast a day or 2 before you prepare the must. None of us is good enough to see every microbe growing on the fruit. I have never lost a batch to infection of must. BTW it may of been ok just the way you made it. Some people add 1/2 teaspoon of K Meta to must to 5 gallons of must. I just figure anything that can stress yeast need to stay out and K Meta can stress yeast


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## TomC (Apr 22, 2013)

As it turns out, the must started fermenting right on schedule . Picture is this morning; day 2


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## barryjo (Jul 26, 2013)

I just finished sorting and bagging 17 lbs of chokecherries. Before putting them in the freezer, I put a healthy squirt of K-M solution in the bag. This seems to keep the nasties at bay. BTW, after sorting, I ran them thru a rinse with a SMALL dab of dish soap and then rinsed very well. Since the robins that like my fruit are not particular where they deposit the seeds, I always clean the fruit before bagging!


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