# Sulfite question



## ThreeSheetsToTheWind (Jan 24, 2019)

I'll ask this here since I'm about ready to stabilize a batch of skeeter pee, but my question applies to other recipes I suppose.

How important is k meta during stabilization? I find I can taste it in the finished product and I would much rather not use it if it's not necessary. 

I'm not trolling or trying to start a huge debate lol. I understand some people don't use any chemicals in their wine ever, the other end of the spectrum won't even take the first group seriously. I'm somewhere in the middle.

I'm very confident about my sanitation, and I'm not worried about spoilage, so is sorbate alone enough to stop refermentation?


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## NorCal (Jan 24, 2019)

The purpose of SO2 is not to prevent refermentation. It is to aid in the prevention of oxidation and spoilage (bacteria growth). Unless you are planning on drinking it all within a few months, I would add SO2 after you do your racking at the end of fermentation.


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## ThreeSheetsToTheWind (Jan 24, 2019)

Thanks for the reply.

I'm not opposed to using k meta when neccesary, it's just that I can smell and taste it in my finished product. I believe I've even gotten headaches from it, or at least i think that is what it was from. 

I'm glad to learn that sorbate alone will stop refermentation. I'll try this batch without sulfiting as an experiment.


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## salcoco (Jan 25, 2019)

are you using the right dosage? I use the powder form and not more than 1/4 tsp per 5 gallons. normally not a product that adds aroma or taste to wine unless you are really sensitive to it.


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## Tinwakr (Jan 25, 2019)

salcoco said:


> are you using the right dosage? I use the powder form and not more than 1/4 tsp per 5 gallons. normally not a product that adds aroma or taste to wine unless you are really sensitive to it.



1/4 tsp(metabisulphate?) for 5 gallons? Then why do we put 1 campden tab per gallon?


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## NorCal (Jan 25, 2019)

ThreeSheetsToTheWind said:


> I'm not opposed to using k meta when neccesary, it's just that I can smell and taste it in my finished product. I believe I've even gotten headaches from it, or at least i think that is what it was from.



With Skeeter’s acidity, you would only need very little SO2. As @salcoco said, a quarter teaspoon (1.5 grams) will suffice. This will give you 50ppm SO2 a good portion of which will remain free. This 50ppm compares to theup to 350ppm that commercial wine can have. Can you eat raisins? It is loaded with SO2 (500 ppm). So, if you can eat dried fruit, it’s probably not the SO2 causing you issues, assuming it was used in the correct proportions.

What’s funny is that Skeeter Pee gave me headaches. I couldn’t figure out why, since I can drink wine for days, so I made a batch without SO2, a batch without sorbate and a batch without tannin powder. It was the dang tannin powder that gave me the problem.


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## ThreeSheetsToTheWind (Jan 25, 2019)

I don't think I was over dosing, but I can smell a lot of SO2 in the lemon juice when I start a batch, and I use Kmeta as a sanitizing solution (I do rinse everything) so maybe it sort of adds up, not really sure how it works. As for the raisin question, yeah I can eat raisins all day no problemo...



NorCal said:


> What’s funny is that Skeeter Pee gave me headaches. I couldn’t figure out why, since I can drink wine for days, so I made a batch without SO2, a batch without sorbate and a batch without tannin powder. It was the dang tannin powder that gave me the problem.



Hmmm... maybe I'm wrong about the SO2. I'm still leaving it out of this batch, you know, for science and all.

So is this solely based on your experiences, or has anybody else had the same happen to them with the tannin powder? Do you know which type of powder you used? 

So what do you do now? Just leave it out? Do you substitute with something else?

Sorry for all the questions, I'm just trying to make a much loved beverage just a little more enjoyable 

Maybe not such a good idea lol


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## Ajmassa (Jan 25, 2019)

ThreeSheetsToTheWind said:


> I don't think I was over dosing, but I can smell a lot of SO2 in the lemon juice when I start a batch, and I use Kmeta as a sanitizing solution (I do rinse everything) so maybe it sort of adds up, not really sure how it works. As for the raisin question, yeah I can eat raisins all day no problemo...
> 
> 
> 
> ...



so many people speak about in absolute terms that something incorrect almost becomes universally accepted. 
“The sulphites in Red wine gives me headaches”
I’m sure there are exceptions, but generally most of those claims are incorrect. 
The so2 in wine is a drop in a bucket compared to lunch meat or dried fruit like @NorCal said. And somehow white wine doesn’t give them headaches?
I remember reading about a study regarding this topic , and sure as shit the study showed the headaches remained even with NO so2. 
The culprit? Tannins!


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## ThreeSheetsToTheWind (Jan 25, 2019)

Well I've got some googling to do. Is it all tannins? There are quite a few sources for tannins in wine.


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## Ajmassa (Jan 25, 2019)

ThreeSheetsToTheWind said:


> Well I've got some googling to do. Is it all tannins? There are quite a few sources for tannins in wine.



I have no idea lol

I just kinda assumed it stemmed from red wines that were overly tannic. And I guess even big bold reds that are balanced would still have ———-ehhh. ya know what, I’ll stick to my original thought.....I have no idea.


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## ThreeSheetsToTheWind (Jan 25, 2019)

Lmao.


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## stickman (Jan 26, 2019)

There was past data suggesting most of the headaches were caused by biogenic amines; these are produced by certain strains of bacteria during storage without sulfite, often during ML fermentation. Most of the commercial strains of ML bacteria now indicate low or no production of biogenic amines. High PH wines are more susceptible to biogenic amine production.


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## Johnd (Jan 26, 2019)

Beca


Tinwakr said:


> 1/4 tsp(metabisulphate?) for 5 gallons? Then why do we put 1 campden tab per gallon?



Because that’s the proper dosage for Campden tablets. 

When using the powdered form, the dosage is 1/4 tsp per 6 gallons.


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