# Chemical expiry?



## koko65 (Sep 18, 2010)

Hello All
It's that time of year again and I am going to start plum wine again. I had great sucess last year with the gracious help from this forum. This year I have double the amout of plums (30kg) as the nieghbour with the plum tree enjoyed the fruits of my labour.

My question is simple. A friend who no longer makes much wine gave me a box of goodies, extra equipment, bungs, carboys etc. Included were things like pectic enzyme, tanin, yeast and the like. I have no idea how old they might be, I will most likley buy new yeast if I do not see an expiry date on the sachet, but are the other chemicals usable? They are in bulk coffe can style containers, not the original package.

Thanks for any advice, it is always welcome.

Onno


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## djrockinsteve (Sep 18, 2010)

I'd pitch the pectic enzyme if it's the liquid form. Your tannin should be fine. I do not know how long power pectic enzyme lasts.

If you are not sure you could pitch all (depending upon how much you have) or mix 1/2 with what you have and 1/2 of new just to use 'em up.

I know I hate to waste anything. My pectic enzyme liquid from last season is still good so I mixed a 50/50 ratio with new and the last years batch. It's quite eveident it is still good.

Good luck with the plums. I'd love to do another batch.


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## MRM (Oct 26, 2010)

*How do you test Pectic emzyme?*



djrockinsteve said:


> I'd pitch the pectic enzyme if it's the liquid form. Your tannin should be fine. I do not know how long power pectic enzyme lasts.
> 
> If you are not sure you could pitch all (depending upon how much you have) or mix 1/2 with what you have and 1/2 of new just to use 'em up.
> 
> ...


I have read that pectic enzyme is only good for 6 months. How do you tell if it is good. Mine has no expiration date and no way to know how long it sat on the dealers shelf.


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## JohnT (Oct 26, 2010)

koko65 said:


> Hello All
> I have no idea how old they might be,
> Onno



I would toss all of the chemicals in the bin. If you do not know how old you chemicals are, then why risk using them?


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## PPBart (Oct 26, 2010)

JohnT said:


> I would toss all of the chemicals in the bin. If you do not know how old you chemicals are, then why risk using them?



I agree! If there's no expiration date on the package, you really don't know how old the contents are nor how effective they will be. I'm fortunate to have a couple of local winemaking supply shops, so I simply purchase most chemicals as I need them, in quantities that I'm confident will be consumed within a reasonable time. Unless you are making a lot of wine, the additional cost is trivial.


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