# Absolutely necessary to use campden tablets?



## Tall Grass (Aug 3, 2009)

I'm mixing up a batch of welchs concentrate tonight but with the addition of half-kilo of raisins (in the freezer right now.) When I thaw them out I'll be dumping boiling water onto them in the primary bucket... shouldn't the boiling water do what campden tablets do to kill bacteria/fungus/etc ?

I don't have any tablets right now and wondering if I can get away with it... I have the yeast starter going right now so it won't be long after adding the pectic enzyme that I'll be able to start the primary fermentation.


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## St Allie (Aug 3, 2009)

That should be fine.. a lot of the old recipes used boiling water over the fruit to kill off the bugs.. I used to do it that way when I first started.. never had a wine go bad on me due to wild yeasts or anything. Just make sure everything is scrupulously clean. 

Allie


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## Tom (Aug 3, 2009)

Tall Grass said:


> I'm mixing up a batch of welchs concentrate tonight but with the addition of half-kilo of raisins (in the freezer right now.) When I thaw them out I'll be dumping boiling water onto them in the primary bucket... shouldn't the boiling water do what campden tablets do to kill bacteria/fungus/etc ?
> 
> I don't have any tablets right now and wondering if I can get away with it... I have the yeast starter going right now so it won't be long after adding the pectic enzyme that I'll be able to start the primary fermentation.



Just remember once you add the pectic enzyme you waity 12-24 hours before adding your yeast.


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## Wade E (Aug 3, 2009)

I would wait 12 hours to add the pectic enzyme as it doesnt work great in very very warm conditions, then add the yeast after another 12 hours.


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## Tall Grass (Aug 3, 2009)

Thanks guys, getting things put together. Must is still a bit hot, 120F.... probably a few hours before it gets down into the lower 90's/upper 80's


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## Tom (Aug 3, 2009)

Why is the must still @ 120*?
To clean those 1.5 ltr try PBW or oxy clean


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## Tall Grass (Aug 3, 2009)

well, I just boiled up the water and dumped in the sugar... poured it over the 500g of raisins that I rehydrated/froze last night & today. (this is a 10L batch of wine.. No idea if 500g of raisins is appropriate ... just wingin it here.)


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## Tom (Aug 3, 2009)

Oh I forgot you had those raisins.


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## Luc (Aug 4, 2009)

St Allie said:


> That should be fine.. a lot of the old recipes used boiling water over the fruit to kill off the bugs.. I used to do it that way when I first started.. never had a wine go bad on me due to wild yeasts or anything. Just make sure everything is scrupulously clean.
> 
> Allie



Boiling water will surely kill any yeast/fungi/bacteria that are present
in the must. At least that is what I thought. And then again there is airborn yeast and bacteria.

When I had to toss 30 liter dandelion must which was made by pouring boiling water over the dandelions, I wished I had used sulphite:

http://wijnmaker.blogspot.com/2008/04/een-ongenode-gast-uninvited-guest.html

Luc


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## Tall Grass (Aug 4, 2009)

> When I had to toss 30 liter dandelion must which was made by pouring boiling water over the dandelions, I wished I had used sulphite:



Oy... well, at least my exposure in this case is limited to 10L  I suppose within a day or two we'll find out if I got lucky. Next time I will surely apply sulphites before messing around...... just feeling a little lazy and not wanting to go out and buy a package of tablets.

(OMG, reading your blog about the dandelions is very saddening and terrifying at the same time lol.)


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## St Allie (Aug 4, 2009)

Luc said:


> Boiling water will surely kill any yeast/fungi/bacteria that are present
> in the must. At least that is what I thought. And then again there is airborn yeast and bacteria.
> 
> When I had to toss 30 liter dandelion must which was made by pouring boiling water over the dandelions, I wished I had used sulphite:
> ...



maybe I was just lucky..have never had a problem with the boiling water method..

what a waste of dandelion flowers.


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## Madriver Wines (Aug 4, 2009)

Luc lost out on *alot *of work and wine by not using a simple additive. Why chance it? Not one here for taking chances with my wine so in your case I would of waited a day and get the Campden tabs.


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## Tall Grass (Aug 11, 2009)

Wow...After watching this batch of welchs/raisin wine chew through the sugar in 8 days I have to say there is no substitute for the nutrients that can be found in a real raisin/grape. 

Bought 2 more plastic buckets last night and cut the top off one to make a fancy sieve ( check out the dutchmans website for instructions.. works really well, just be very careful when you pull the top off so the cheesecloth doesn't fall into the wine *lol*)

http://wijnmaker.blogspot.com/2008/03/bouw-een-emmerzeef-building-bucket.html

Racked it at 1.010 and now its in two gallon jugs (imperial) cooking away the remaining sugars.







Achieving this same result using just concentrates and store bought nutrients and been very difficult in my limited experience but after watching how this batch of wine has progressed I feel like a new era is wine making has begun ! []

If the taste is acceptable I will probably start using a lot more raisins and natural fruits in my concentrate recipes.


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## smurfe (Aug 11, 2009)

The yeast you add should take care of any airborne yeasts. I have not yet had an issue with wild yeast and when I brew beer I do it outside. You don't sulfite beer wort like wine must. One of the jobs of the yeast strain you add is to attack, kill and devour wild yeasts. Now not all strains may be killer strains but I know Champagne yeast is and that is what I mostly use for wines.


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