# Potassium metabisulfite



## otownpyle (Nov 1, 2010)

Hey Guys,

I'm fixing to bottle my first batch of wine. Vinters Reserve Pinot Gris. I was going to add 1/2 tsp. of the metabisulfite to help w/ oxidation as advised in my kit. I believe it says to dissolve it in water before adding. Do I need to add it to water or can I just add it directly to the must? If I need to dissolve it in water first, I probably need to boil the water first right? If so, how much water do you recommend I use?

Thanks,


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## Runningwolf (Nov 1, 2010)

No need to boil. Just draw a bit of wine or some water and stir in to disolve and the stir into your batch. *A half tsp is twice the norm!!!* Recommended dose is 1/4 tsp per 5-6 gallons.


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## djrockinsteve (Nov 1, 2010)

Yes for 5 gallons I add 1/4 teaspoon. For 6 add a touch more. I will leave a few drops of water in my carboy after washing it out, add my sulfite and move the carboy back and forth to dissolve the sulfite. Then I'll add my wine. It mixes well then.


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## winemaker_3352 (Nov 1, 2010)

I usually draw a little wine from the carboy - mix it in - and then stir back into the carboy.


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## otownpyle (Nov 2, 2010)

Cool deal 1/4 tsp. Another question I have is that I'm a beer brewer & I usually go to my bottling bucket w/ the spigot to bottle my beer. But the instructions on my wine kit instruct in bottling from a carboy. Is it unadvised to bottle from my bucket & use the spigot?


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## JohnT (Nov 2, 2010)

The only negative aspect i see is that you are using a plastic vessel for both beer and wine. With wine, the acid level is much higher so this may have an impact on the plastic itself. 

Additionaly, you may get some of the beer flavor in your wine (and vise versa) if the bucket is not seriously cleaned after each use. Glass is much easier to clean than plastic.

In short, I would not advise using the same plastic equipment for both beer and wine.


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## otownpyle (Nov 3, 2010)

No biggie I don't reckon. I only have 1 vessel that's glass and over 5 gallons.. So I will just have to rack from my "Wine" secondary which is also my primary fermenter for beer. I fermented the wine originally in a 7.9 gal bucket but I bought it specifically for the wine. 

Are there any tricks/secrets/problems that I should know about when bottling from a carboy?

Thanks guys


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## Sacalait (Nov 3, 2010)

I bottle from a plastic carboy or bucket on a regular basis and have done so for 20+ years and have never had an issue with it.


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